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Is there a job for me in pubs and taverns?
You may enjoy a visit to a pub or tavern – but have you ever thought about working in one? There are over 8000 pubs and taverns around Australia, but you do need to be 18 or over and to have done a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) course before you can apply for a job in one.
Pubs and taverns vary from small, local pubs to large taverns and offer a range of facilities and services including bars, restaurants, gaming activities, and even discos. Many host live entertainment like rock bands or jazz groups, so if you like music they can be great places to work. While larger taverns are able to offer a wide range of career opportunities, these opportunities may be more limited in family owned pubs.
What's working in a pub or tavern like?
Like most hospitality jobs, you work directly with your customers. In a smaller pub you will soon get to know the locals, and in the large taverns there will be all sorts of people coming in. Even if you are a cook, you may find yourself serving customers. So you need good customer service skills, maturity, and patience, especially to be able to quickly sort out the high pressure situation problems that can occur from time to time! It can be very noisy and at times you will be rushed off your feet, but time passes quickly and mostly it’s a lot of fun. The hours are varied and both day and evening shifts are available. If you work evening shifts you might often finish very late at night.
A job in the taverns offering a wide range of services is likely to involve focusing on one or two areas like attending the bar and serving in the bottle shop. However, working in a pub usually means doing a bit of everything from stocking the cellar and bar, making coffee, cleaning the bar area and washing up to serving food and assisting customers with their entertainment or gaming activities.