Take a swig of bartending

Pervin Malhotra  

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Q.Coming from a traditional family, I’ve never tasted wine or any other liquor. But somehow, I am very excited about being a bartender. Is there any way I can train to be an expert bartender? And what are the prospects in working for good night clubs, five-stars hotels or pubs on a part time basis?  — Aditya Maheshwari

A.Besides mastering the trick of juggling bottles, booze and glassware with a flourish, and stirring up your own version of the perfect Molotov Cocktail or Singapore Sling, you need to be familiar with the terminology and lineage of French wines, champagne serving techniques, flairing (entertaining guests by juggling bar tools e.g. cocktail shakers and liquor bottles in tricky, dazzling ways), classic cocktail recipes and correct posture. Balance, posture and practice are the key to executing that perfect 360-degree swing without spilling a drop!

While there are plenty of bartending schools that will teach you the basics, nobody can teach you to be a great bartender. It helps to pick up the tricks of the trade from the professionals. The rest comes with experience, as every seasoned drink jockey would vouch for.

Apart from the metro cities that have a growing demand for  bartenders, bartending as a profession is fast gaining popularity in satellite towns and cities as well.

Bartending can be a long-term career or a casual part-time job. And the money’s not bad either. Starting out at about Rs 18,000 p.m. at a star-rated hotel (Rs 10,000 salary, rest in tips) you could end up making Rs 4-5 lakh per month once you’ve built yourself a reputation. 

Short courses in Finance

Q.I’m a final year student of B Stat (H).  I would’ve loved to study further (MBA/MFC), but due to acute financial constraints I have to look for work after completing my graduation. Please suggest some short courses that I can do in Finance which will pay decently and where I can continue to learn? — Karn Thayil

A.One excellent option that comes to mind is the CRISIL Certified Analyst Programme (CCAP). This is an intensive two-year work-cum-study programme that will equip you to become a top-notch finance professional for various analyst roles in CRISIL and the industry at large.

As a paid CRISIL employee, you will work on live projects, workshops and assignments. On the weekends, you will attend classes conducted by faculty from leading B-schools as well as experts from the industry and CRISIL.

Upon successful completion of the programme, your salary will be increased to at least Rs 6.25 lakh pa (excluding the performance-based variable pay). The application deadline was end-April this year, so do check their website for the notification for next year (www.crisil.com/ccap). It should be around February 2017.

Financial analysts extensively use computers and special software programs to perform complex calculations and analysis. So, while you don't need to learn any specific programming language, some familiarity with using a computer and spreadsheet software will go a long way. While this seems like an excellent option, you could of course scout for other similar possibilities. Do let me know when you spot any good ones, which I could share with everyone else. All the very best!