Ben Barker

Student bar with multiple venue types inside including a classic bar, concert room, private intimate venue and rooftop garden. I worked as a bartender in all of the available venues many times. Working during concerts, DJ sets, private parties, day raves. Often 8hr+ shifts that end in the early hours of the morning.

• Developed rapport with regular patrons fostering a loyal customer base.
• Trained new staff members effectively, ensuring top-notch service standards were maintained.
• Handled cash transactions securely minimising risk of theft or fraud.
• Maintained a clean and organised bar, enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Demonstrated knowledge of drink recipes for improved customer experience.

• Part time bartending position at independent cocktail bar in Derby city centre. I worked mainly alone behind the making cocktails and maintaining the upstairs bar. A few specific tasks I often had to complete include: making a variety of alcoholic drinks, collecting glasses, loading the glass cleaner, cleaning and maintaining the bar itself and its equipment, transactions (card and cash) and ensuring the bar is correctly stocked. I often worked late nights into the early hours of the morning depending on how busy the bar was or if there was an event in progress.
• Learned mixology techniques from experienced bartenders, continuously improving skills and expertise.
• Demonstrated knowledge of spirits, wines and beers to guide customer choices.
• Created visually appealing garnishes for cocktails, enhancing presentation standards.
• Handled cash transactions for smooth checkouts.
• Checked identification of customers to verify age requirements for purchase of alcohol, promoting responsible drinking habits.
• Acquired complete knowledge of drink menus to offer appropriate suggestions and upsells when required.
• Maintained cleanliness of bar area, ensuring a welcoming atmosphere.

• I worked part time at Kingsway Sainsburys on a 9 month temporary contract. Jumped between 3 key different roles including a cashier, shelf stocker, trolley collector and stock management. Awarded fastest cashier at the Kingsway location. Worked through extremely busy holiday seasons. Dealt appropriately with high pressure and difficult situations. I transitioned into multiple different roles while at Sainsburys on my temporary contract. I started as trolley collector, then to a cashier and finally into dealing with stock. Over my time both the number of shifts and length of my shifts increased. This shows the increased positive impact I provided to the Kingsway branch.

• I currently work part time for a online e-commerce business owned by a close friend of mine. I do lots of general admin, asset acquisition, developing and customer service. This is a purely online business and operates via social media. Mainly dealing B2C. Aided in the large scale expansion of the business in late 2023. I deal with many customers often having to confirm there information, update the current stock, moderate and perform administrative tasks with the framework we use to provide customers with.
• Stayed updated on industry trends through continuous learning – ensured relevant knowledge application.
• Undertook regular updates of existing systems, promoting optimum performance levels.

This role is purely to help my close friend and will have no impact on roles or flexibility. This is a labour of love role.