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Do You Need An Alcohol License To Land A Bar Job?

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At the moment, it can feel really difficult to secure a job you love, especially when there are so many people going for relatively few positions.

With lots of competition, fewer opportunities available, and rigorous interviews, you need to make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, letting the interviewer know that you’re the best candidate for the job.

Luckily, in the hospitality industry, there are numerous ways you can go above and beyond to make your application that bit better, one of which is securing an alcohol license, which can be particularly helpful when looking for bar work.

With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at the ways in which a personal alcohol license can help you in your job search.

What is a personal license?

First things first, it’s probably a good idea to start off with the basics, as the laws around selling and serving alcohol can be a little confusing.

A personal license is the documentation that authorizes someone to sell alcohol on behalf of the business they work for, so long as the business already owns a premises license or club premises certificate.

By law, the personal license must be held by the business’s Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) but other employees can also hold their own licenses without acting as the DPS.

A personal license also authorizes the holder to allow other members of staff to serve alcohol, without them needing their own license.

This guide by the UK Home Office offers more guidance on the different licenses available.

Is a license needed for a bar job?

In a nutshell, a personal alcohol license isn’t a requirement for working in a bar or other hospitality establishment.

As long as the establishment has a DPS who holds their personal license, they, in turn, can authorize you to serve alcohol without needing your own license.

As a result, not having a personal alcohol license should not be held against you when looking for bar work.

Will it help?

With that being said, however, holding your own personal license can definitely improve your chances of being offered a position, especially a higher responsibility role.

A personal alcohol license opens up a much stronger pathway for career progression from the outset: many senior positions, such as managers and supervisors, are required to hold a personal license in order to act as the DPS.

As a result, having this license already can help you to secure these positions more quickly.

Similarly, a personal license is very highly valued throughout the hospitality industry, allowing you to follow your career in whatever direction it takes.

Although you may begin with bar work, holding a license can help you move beyond that, wherever you want to go.

Finally, an alcohol license is a permanent qualification, meaning you’ll never have to take it again and it will last you indefinitely, so even if you take a break for a while, you’ll always have something to fall back on.

How do I get one?

So, if you’ve decided to get your own license, you’ll have to go through a BIIAB recognized accreditor.

Companies like Hospitality Training Solutions offer all of the training required to take the exam, as well the final assessment at the end of the course, with lots of different options available for the learning.

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