Oakland Bartender Jobs Overview
A sandwich walks into a bar. The bartender says, “Sorry, we don’t serve food here.”
If you spend enough time in bartender jobs, you will hear every “walks into a bar” joke ever written. A good bartender is likely to laugh along since being friendly with customers is one of the keys to success in the bartending industry.
And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the best bartenders are going to be in high demand. The BLS is projecting an impressive 32% growth in bartending jobs over the next 10 years, mostly in full-service restaurants and bars. Additional bartender jobs are opening up as more grocery stores and movie theaters offer beverage service to their customers.
Along with mixing and serving drinks, a bartender is often responsible for cleaning the bar, tables, and work areas, ordering liquor from suppliers, and preparing garnishes. Many bars offer food, requiring bartenders to take and serve orders. Two of the most critical responsibilities of bartenders are to make sure customers are of legal drinking age and to monitor customers to make sure they are not intoxicated to the point of impairment.
You can expand your search for food service jobs by checking out these similar positions:
About Working in Oakland, California
If you're considering applying for Oakland jobs, three things you might hear about when you move here are sea monsters, gnomes, and secret staircases. The Oak-ness Monster in Lake Merritt, the only natural saltwater lake located in a city, has remained elusive since its first spotting in the 1940s. Oakland's gnomes are a little easier to find. An anonymous resident has painted and hidden thousands of gnomes all over the city since 2012. While you're looking for a gnome, you might stumble across a secret staircase. Hundreds of shortcut staircases were built a century ago to help streetcar and bus passengers commute from their Oakland jobs to their neighborhoods without having to walk along the city's winding roads.
If you're not in the mood for a scavenger hunt, you can spend a day exploring the banks of Lake Merritt, which includes miles of walking paths, greenspace, and a wildlife refuge. Or you could spend one of Oakland's 260 sunny days a year hiking in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park just outside downtown Oakland. Ready to explore the Oakland area? You can also try expanding your job search to the suburbs of San Leandro, Alameda, and Berkeley.
Update Your Oakland Bartender Resume
If you need to concoct a resume, or just refresh yours, look at this sample bartender resume to see what information to include. An accompanying cover letter is a plus when applying for bartender jobs because it can convey your personality and enthusiasm for your work. If you’re applying for your first bartender positions, be sure to mention any past jobs that have required customer service, since that’s a critical skill for a bartender.
How Much Do Bartender Jobs Pay in Oakland, California?
Got money on your mind? You should! Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth. Our Salary Tools can help you understand what you can expect to make in bartender jobs in Oakland, California, as well as the skills that can boost your value and what the next steps in your career might be. Right now, the median bartender pay in Oakland is $14.90 per hour, which is 23% higher than the national average.
Find Your Next Oakland Bartender Job. Monster Can Help Get You Started
Are you prepared for a career in bartender? If so, set up your profile on Monster for free and begin clicking on those bartender jobs. When you sign up with us, you’ll receive custom job alerts and expert advice on how to negotiate your salary in Oakland, how to nail your job interview, and more.