Compare practical trial performance, service attitude consistency, and team integration potential against established criteria whilst considering immediate needs versus long-term development potential and cultural alignment. Use objective assessment data to support decision-making and prevent bias-influenced choices.
Common misunderstanding: Making decisions based on personal impressions rather than service skills
Many hiring managers choose bartenders they personally like instead of looking at their actual ability to serve customers and work well in the bar. This can lead to poor hiring choices.
Let's say you are interviewing two candidates - one is very chatty and makes you laugh, whilst the other is quieter but consistently delivers excellent drinks and handles pressure brilliantly during the trial shift.
Common misunderstanding: Choosing personality over practical skills
Some managers pick the most charming candidate without checking if they can actually handle busy periods, remember orders correctly, or work reliably. Personality matters, but work skills come first.
Let's say you are choosing between a candidate who tells brilliant stories but struggles with multiple orders versus one who's less entertaining but never makes mistakes during rush periods.
Prioritise customer service excellence, pressure management ability, and reliable availability whilst balancing technical skills with learning potential, team compatibility, and commitment to establishment standards. Consider both immediate operational coverage and long-term service development potential.
Common misunderstanding: Focusing only on drink-making skills
Some managers get impressed by fancy cocktail techniques but forget to check if the candidate is friendly to customers and works well with the team. Great bartenders need both skills and people abilities.
Let's say you are comparing a candidate who makes perfect Old Fashioneds but ignores customers' questions versus one with basic skills who makes every guest feel welcome and helps colleagues during busy times.
Common misunderstanding: Deciding based on one good moment
Some managers remember one impressive answer or skill demonstration and forget about poor performance in other areas. You need to look at everything the candidate does, not just their best bit.
Let's say you are reviewing a candidate who gave a brilliant answer about customer service but was consistently slow during the practical trial and seemed uninterested in learning about your cocktail menu.
Use weighted scoring across key competencies, review practical trial observations, and assess long-term fit with establishment goals whilst considering immediate operational needs and team dynamics impact. Document specific performance differences and reference check insights for objective comparison.
Common misunderstanding: Not knowing how to choose between good candidates
When several candidates seem equally good, some managers struggle to pick one because they don't have a clear way to compare them. This leads to delayed decisions and losing good people.
Let's say you are choosing between three candidates who all performed well - use your scoring system to see who scored highest on customer service, who handled pressure best, and who fits your team culture most naturally.
Common misunderstanding: Taking too long to decide
Some managers keep thinking and re-thinking when they have good candidates, worried about making the wrong choice. But waiting too long often means losing the best people to other jobs.
Let's say you are torn between two excellent candidates and keep postponing the decision - meanwhile, both candidates receive offers from other bars and accept them, leaving you back at square one.