Should I put bar experience on my resume?

caliotter3 · Oct 3, 2014

If it were me I would not put this experience on my nursing resume, but that is my opinion.

t&g0913 · Oct 3, 2014

I was a bartender and I left it off my resume

RunBabyRN · Oct 3, 2014

I think it depends on your other work experience, and if it's necessary. You can word it right to show that you have experience in customer service, a fast-paced work environment, a physically demanding job, etc. If you have other medical experience, or other work experience that's more pertinent, I'd leave it off.

dee789 · Oct 3, 2014

RunBabyRN, that's what I was trying to show with it ... I do have a lot more recent experience teaching and in customer service, so I took it off.. though I do feel kind of conflicted about it, seemed like the consensus was to remove it. Thanks for your opinions everyone!

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 3, 2014

I agree with RunBabyRN in that if you do choose to list it, word it so that it reflects the customer service, fast-paced environment, constant prioritizing, etc. You would have to show how the skills you obtained in that job can transfer to Nursing Jobs.

mindofmidwifery, ADN · Oct 3, 2014

No, I wouldn't. 1) it's not relevant to the position. 2) it does seem unprofessional. Although you may or may not drink, I believe that there would be assumptions that you do drink and/or hang out negative influences that could affect your job.

Nonetheless · Oct 4, 2014

I would put it in. It's all in wording.

"serve drinks to people" is very different from "Customer service and time management in a fast-paced environment of over 60 customers."

flyersfan88 · Oct 4, 2014

Everyone telling you not to has clearly not worked in a restaurant. All of the interviews I went on included managers praising my restaurant experience and LOVE people who have served and bartended. There is nothing unprofessional about it, and there are countless skills that translate to nursing. Go for it. I'd be willing to bet that a manager would rather hire someone with real life experience than a 22 year old fresh out of college that has never had a job ever.

DatMurse · Oct 4, 2014

Nursing is fast paced customer service with people yelling at you. Is bartending about the same?

BeachsideRN, ASN · Oct 4, 2014

I would put it in. It's all in wording.
"serve drinks to people" is very different from "Customer service and time management in a fast-paced environment of over 60 customers."

I agree with this. If you have no other work experience you should include it but in a professional manner. Meaning, highlight the translatable skills that you acquired and honed on the job. It may also depend on the type of establishment. If it's one that has a less than desirable reputation in the area you can omit the actual name and put "Restaurant/Bar" then highlight skills. If, on the other hand, this bar experience is "ancient history" omit it all together

HarryTheCat, MSN, RN · Oct 4, 2014

Think of your resume as a "sales brochure" for a great product -- you! Employers like to see a reverse chronological resume that accounts for all of your significant chunks of time since college. They just want to see that you weren't spending that time in jail, riding with a motorcycle gang or importing "undocumented pharmaceuticals" from Columbia. If your bartending experience was just a month or two, leave it off. If it was a more significant amount of time (a year or two), put it on there and simply call yourself a "server".