Go in to pub. Ask for probationary shift...
As others have said, go and ask about locally to get some familiarity and then look for your perfect pub to work in. You say you're interested in beer, have you ever pulled a pint in the past & do you know anything in relation to prepping barrels etc.? If not I would firmly recommend asking a friend to give you a 5 min tutorial after their pub/bar has closed (if you can manage it) just so you don't look stupid pulling a pint the first time. I worked in pubs for a few years though & in no way had to learn to prep the ales (but did learn to replace the barrels for lager). That should be ok to learn on the job though.
I would certainly go in person to put if they're hiring rather than calling, it won't be the supervisor answering the phone & if its eventful they won't want to be caught chatting when stuff needs to be doing. You might want to go in more than just the once to ask when the manager is in as you may not catch them first time. Also obviously don't go at busy times! (Fri/sat evenings, sunday lunch - weekday early afternoon is prob your best bet.)
Enthusiasm & outgoingness is key, working behind the bar is all about joint effort & keeping each other sane & helping out. (& having fun!)
I pulled a pint once behind a tiny pub my mate worked at in Yorkshire for the reason that I was fascinated in the whole practice behind the bar, it felt amazing to just exist the scenes and do that, the pump was surprisingly heavy and responsive. That pal took me down to the cellar and showed me the variation between casks and kegs although all that stuff is a bit hazy now.
I've been living away in the north of England for a long time so I don't have any contacts in London that work in bars and may perhaps give me a lesson, do you happen to know anybody that could offer me a hand about that as you used to work in some pubs? :confident: I'll buy you or them a pint! :happy:
Yeah, it seems that going in person is the thing to do. Since I don't possess much to put on a CV should I just do it verbally? or does it appear bad/unprofessional not to have some kind of CV along with my basic qualifications on it?
I'm certainly enthusiastic plus friendly, I love people, I genuinely want to do this, I'm not just looking at this as some random job, I've always had a dream of working in a good pub because I think the person I am and my enthusiasm for both beer and people would make me ideal! Maybe that's silly..
Thanks
Last resort, offer to work a shift for free, but don't sell yourself short.
Most significant is to promote yourself as reliable. Barstaff have a very high turnover, specially in London so landlords and managers will be thankful for staff they can rely on.
I think it'll take a lot of days of using that less hectic time window after 1:30pm (the end of lunch?) and 5pm (the average end of the working day?) to get around my long list, that comes with the territory still I guess.
Are you signifying I do it all verbally and not even take a CV? ...Since I have little to put on the CV or should I make a minimal CV and try to pad it out with living experience that might be applicable as opposed to work experience?
The reason you need to do this in subdued periods is since they won't have time to talk during hectic times. You can try the morning but they may be doing backroom work. essentially just use common sense for that.
By all means call, but no one will hire you without talking to you in person.
To be truthful mate, bar work isn't rocket science. There is no significant qualifications to be had, thus yeah put any experience you think is significant on your CV. You are larger than your CV.
Thanks for the advice, greatly appreciated.
I worked in a pub in Australia for three years.
I think the idea jxmitchell had of receiving a test-run job in a local dive or local pub close to me to get - some - experience is a cool idea. ...though if I leave so soon to move on I suppose I won't be able to acquire a reference.. I guess it's by and large about the hands on experience though.
That's good but the economic system forces us to exchange our labour for scrip.
I have no little idea how to do simple stuff like pull a good pint
In Cambodian pubs things work in a different way so I don't know how the pint-pulling stuff works but I have experience in giving great customer service and cash handling.
(When I actually worked in a pub in London, I don't recollect pulling the lever on the beer dispensing tap required a high level of skill. With Guinness you had to do two pours with a little interrupt inbetween and no matter how you did it, somebody would nitpick you weren't doing it right. If you need some training, go into a few pubs and order a pint and inspect what the person does or even ask them if there is anything you'd need to know.)
I think the idea jxmitchell had of getting a test-run job in a local dive or local pub
OK, but they might want some know-how and you can blag everything about working in a pub.
Last resort, offer to work a shift for free, but don't sell yourself short.
Most significant is to promote yourself as reliable. Barstaff have a very high turnover, specially in London so landlords and managers will be thankful for staff they can rely on.
I think it'll take a lot of days of using that less hectic time window after 1:30pm (the end of lunch?) and 5pm (the average end of the working day?) to get around my long list, that comes with the territory still I guess.
Are you signifying I do it all verbally and not even take a CV? ...Since I have little to put on the CV or should I make a minimal CV and try to pad it out with living experience that might be applicable as opposed to work experience?
The reason you need to do this in subdued periods is since they won't have time to talk during hectic times. You can try the morning but they may be doing backroom work. essentially just use common sense for that.
By all means call, but no one will hire you without talking to you in person.
To be truthful mate, bar work isn't rocket science. There is no significant qualifications to be had, thus yeah put any experience you think is significant on your CV. You are larger than your CV.
Thanks for the advice, greatly appreciated.
I worked in a pub in Australia for three years.
I think the idea jxmitchell had of receiving a test-run job in a local dive or local pub close to me to get - some - experience is a cool idea. ...though if I leave so soon to move on I suppose I won't be able to acquire a reference.. I guess it's by and large about the hands on experience though.
That's good but the economic system forces us to exchange our labour for scrip.
I have no little idea how to do simple stuff like pull a good pint
In Cambodian pubs things work in a different way so I don't know how the pint-pulling stuff works but I have experience in giving great customer service and cash handling.
(When I actually worked in a pub in London, I don't recollect pulling the lever on the beer dispensing tap required a high level of skill. With Guinness you had to do two pours with a little interrupt inbetween and no matter how you did it, somebody would nitpick you weren't doing it right. If you need some training, go into a few pubs and order a pint and inspect what the person does or even ask them if there is anything you'd need to know.)
I think the idea jxmitchell had of getting a test-run job in a local dive or local pub
OK, but they might want some know-how and you can blag everything about working in a pub.
There's a pub in Elephant & Castle that's looking for bar staff. I recall asking him about it for a pal and he said practiced was ideal but not required. I think the pub is called the Charlie Chaplin and it's part of the shopping centre next to the Coronet (the old cinema, now club).
