How to Record a Barback Video Job Ad

Nobody dreams of being a barback. It's a stepping stone—into bartending, into hospitality management, into understanding how bars actually run. Your video job ad should acknowledge this honestly. The candidates who excel in barback roles are those who see the bigger picture: learning how a busy bar operates, building relationships with bartenders who'll teach them, proving reliability before taking the spotlight. Pretending this is a destination role insults their intelligence.

Step 1: Open with the Opportunity

Barback candidates fall into two groups, and your opening should target the right one.

The future bartender: Most barbacks are watching, learning, waiting. They want to know: how long until I'm behind the bar? Your answer needs to be honest and specific.

If your last three barbacks became bartenders within 8-12 months, say so. If progression depends on someone leaving and you can't promise timing, say that instead. Vague promises of "development opportunities" satisfy nobody. "Our head bartender started as a barback here two years ago" is worth more than any generic career-growth language.

Mention what they'll learn. Cocktail observation during service. Stock and inventory systems. The rhythm of a busy bar. This isn't just fetching ice—it's an apprenticeship, and framing it that way attracts better candidates.

The good job, not a career: Some people aren't chasing bartender roles. They want active physical work, decent tips, shifts that accommodate other commitments. That's legitimate. A barback who shows up reliably and doesn't resent the work is valuable, even if they're not studying your cocktail menu.

For this audience, lead with earnings and schedule. What do barbacks actually take home on a Saturday? What shift patterns are available? How far ahead are rotas published?

Step 2: Show Your Bar's Environment

Film during service, not during the quiet afternoon. Barbacks need to see what they're signing up for at full intensity.

Physical layout matters: Show the distances. Bar station to glass wash. Glass wash to bar. Ice machine location—around the corner? Up stairs? Down a corridor? These details determine whether the job is sustainable or exhausting. A barback who sees a difficult layout upfront won't quit in week three claiming "it wasn't what I expected."

The cellar or stockroom. Keg storage and changing setup. Where cases of spirits are stored. Heavy lifting locations and frequencies.

Scale of operation: How many bartenders work peak service? How many covers? One barback supporting two bartenders is different from one supporting six. Weekend versus weekday differences—is Friday night chaos and Tuesday a rest, or consistently busy?

Team dynamics: Capture the relationship between barbacks and bartenders. Are bartenders teaching, supportive, collaborative? Or are barbacks treated as invisible labour? This shows in body language and interaction more than words. A bartender acknowledging a barback's ice refill with a nod versus ignoring them entirely communicates everything about workplace culture.

The honest reality: If your bar has stairs, show them. If the ice machine is 50 metres from the wells, show that walk. If Friday nights are genuinely intense, don't film your quiet Sunday.

Step 3: Paint a Picture of the Role

Barback work is unglamorous, physical, and constant. Sugar-coating it creates turnover; honesty creates retention.

Glassware cycle—the endless loop: Collecting from the bar top and floor. Washing (by hand or machine). Polishing to remove spots and streaks. Restocking to stations. During peak service, this cycle never stops. The moment glasses are restocked, more need collecting. Someone who finds this meditative will thrive; someone who finds it tedious will last two weeks.

Bartenders cannot make drinks without clean glasses. A barback who falls behind on glassware cripples the whole operation. This sounds simple; during a three-deep Saturday rush, it's anything but.

Ice management: Keeping wells full is non-negotiable. Ice runs from machine to bar are frequent, heavy, and urgent when a bartender calls out "ice." Different ice types if applicable—cubed for highballs, crushed for juleps, large format for stirred cocktails. Understanding the hierarchy of ice needs.

Restocking before empty: Monitoring spirit levels and replacing bottles before bartenders reach for empties. Beer keg changes—knowing how to tap and when to switch. Mixer replenishment. Garnish production—lime wheels, orange twists, cherry prep. The goal is anticipation: the vodka is replaced before anyone notices it's low.

Cleaning during chaos: Spill management in real time. Bar top wiping between customers. Floor mopping for dangerous spills. Clearing empty bottles and debris. The bar should never look messy despite constant activity.

Closing responsibilities: Deep cleaning. Proper breakdown and sanitising. Stock takes. These add time after last orders—be honest about how long closing actually takes.

Physical reality: Eight hours on your feet, moving constantly. Lifting kegs (50+ kg), ice buckets, glass racks. Speed walking that becomes jogging during rushes. Heat behind the bar. Late finishes—2am, 3am, sometimes later.

Step 4: What You Actually Need

Barback hiring is primarily about character rather than credentials.

Physical capacity: This isn't negotiable. Lifting, carrying, sustained activity for entire shifts. Someone who struggles physically won't succeed regardless of other qualities. Ask about fitness directly rather than discovering problems during the trial shift.

Reliability beats everything: Bartenders depend on barback support. A no-show barback means bartenders restocking their own ice, washing their own glasses, falling behind on drinks. Bars would rather have a slower barback who always shows up than a faster one who's unreliable.

Ask about attendance at previous jobs. Check references specifically for reliability. This predicts performance better than anything else.

Anticipation—the skill that separates good from great: Average barbacks respond when asked. Good barbacks notice needs before being asked. Great barbacks have replaced the bottle before the bartender reaches for it. This requires watching bartender patterns, understanding consumption rates, predicting rushes. It's a learnable skill, but candidates need the attentiveness to learn it.

The support mindset: Can they take pride in enabling others to succeed rather than being the star? Some people find satisfaction in being the reason service ran smoothly, even if customers never noticed them. Others need direct recognition and will resent the invisible nature of barback work. Neither is wrong, but only one should apply.

Practical requirements: Age minimum for alcohol handling (18 in UK). Right to work. Late-night availability—this isn't a day job. Weekend availability almost always essential. These filter out candidates who can't actually do the role before you waste time interviewing.

Step 5: Make the Offer Compelling

Barback pay should reflect the physical demands. If you're paying minimum wage for hard physical labour, good candidates go elsewhere.

UK earnings:

• Cocktail bars: £10.50-12/hour base
• Volume bars and clubs: £10.50-12/hour base
• Hotels: £11-13/hour plus service charge

Tips transform total earnings: How tips work for barbacks matters enormously. Pooled equally with bartenders? Same percentage? Lower percentage? This varies wildly between venues and significantly affects total compensation.

A busy bar might add £5-10/hour in tips on weekends. Be specific: "Our barbacks typically earn £14-18/hour total on Saturdays" is more useful than vague "plus tips" language.

Total earnings context:

• Part-time (20-25 hours): £12,000-16,000 annually
• Full-time busy venue: £25,000-32,000 with tips

Schedule specifics: Evening-only or mixed shifts? Typical shift length? Rota publication timing? Shift swap flexibility? Late finish times—midnight, 2am, 4am?

For candidates juggling education or other jobs, schedule details determine whether the role is possible at all.

The progression question: Training during quiet periods—do bartenders teach cocktail basics? Formal pathway to bartender role or informal and opportunity-dependent? Previous barback-to-bartender promotions and timelines?

Practical perks: Staff drinks after shift. Food during doubles. Transport assistance for late finishes—taxi contribution, night bus expense? These small things affect quality of life significantly.

Step 6: Tell Them How to Apply

Entry-level roles need entry-level application processes.

Low friction works: "Message us on Instagram with a bit about yourself." "Pop in any weekday afternoon and ask for the bar manager." "Email your availability and a line about why you're interested."

Don't require cover letters, formal CVs, or multiple interview stages for a barback role. You'll learn more from a 10-minute conversation than from application documents.

Trial shift expectations: Always mention paid trials—the industry's reputation here is poor, and confirming payment upfront removes candidate hesitation. Explain what the trial involves: length, typical tasks, who they'll work with, what you're assessing.

What you're looking for: Physical capability during the trial. Attitude and responsiveness. How they handle the pace. Whether they watch and anticipate or wait to be directed. These show clearly in a trial shift; they don't show in applications.

Be clear about timeline: Do you need someone immediately or building a pipeline? Start date flexibility? This prevents wasting time on candidates who can't start when you need them.

The barbacks who become excellent bartenders remember who gave them their start. A respectful hiring process—even for an entry-level role—builds your reputation as an employer who values every position in the team.