If you are out of a job and looking for work, think about becoming a bartender as the hospitality industry is seeking bartenders for restaurants, bars and nightclubs. “We find in a lot of conversations that this goes back to the Prohibition era, when there was a Great Depression during its time,” said Gregg Lewis, owner of All-Star Bartending School a Long Island Bartending School. Gregg was referring to the time when the stock market crashed in 1929, which was believed to be the cause of the Great Depession. During that time, the U.S. government had in place 18th Amendment, which banned the sale, manufacture and distribution of alcohol. “ Although serving alcohol was illegal at the time, it was the number one occupation of its era,” Gregg added.

       What makes Bartending a recession-proof career is that, not matter what the economic conditions are, people will still go to a bar and have a beer. According to a Nielsen company survey of 500 bar operators, nearly 50 percent reported that beer has the best sales trend in an economic down-turn, even better than spirits and wine. At the same time, those surveyed noticed that more patrons were opting for less expensive beers. The survey stated that 14 percent of bar owners saw customers ordering more well or house drinks and 13 percent report greater sales of draft beer than from bottles.

        THE TWO QUALITES that Maud Franklin, general manager, Brick House Brewery in Patchogue, looks for in a bartender are personality and efficiency.  She also looks for a bartender with an experience. Brick House Brewery makes its own hand-crafted beer. “The customers see it as something they can have, “ said Maud. “ It’s something that’s affordable. It’s like a luxury that’s affordable.”

         While other industries such as pizza delivery, retail and telemarketing are also looking to hire employees, Gregg said the salaries they offer are not as competitive as those that Bartenders take home. Allstar Bartending offers not only training at their Long Island Bartending School, Medford Bartending School, Farmingdale Bartending School, and Queens Bartending School, but 100 percent free job placement after completing the course, and free refresher courses to learn how to make the newest drinks available.

                                   Allstar Bartending School

                                        1-800-BARTEND

                                 www.allstarbartending.com

                                  Brickhouse Brewery

                                     67 West Main St.

                                        Patchogue

                                      631-447-BEER

                                 www.brickhousebrewery.com