Heineken: Bar Experience

Younger generations don’t find working in a bar appealing. According to GWI, GenZ is twice as career-focused as any generation before them. In other words: they don’t see bar work as a valuable experience for their career. As a result, with more than 100,000 people leaving the industry since 2021 (Volkskrant), the Horeca industry has been confronted with unprecedented staff shortages, leading establishments to reduce their capacity or, in some cases, closing down. Ironically, the most sought-after skills by big companies according to the Linkedin Global Talent Trend Report are: communication, problem solving and teamwork. Exactly what you learn working in a bar. Heineken believes that bar work can help young people build a successful career in every big company. That’s why the brand, one of the most attractive employers in the Netherlands, will officially recognise bar experience in the hiring process. Publicis' Le Pub has launched 'Bar Experience', an initiative to help bars find staff, by showing young adults that bar work should not be overlooked because it’s a great opportunity to master lots of important skills such as: team management, verbal communication, logistics, customer service, sales, constructive criticism, active listening and more. Heineken has created a dedicated Horeca job platform, www.Mijnhorecabaan.nl, on which potential candidates could apply for bar job opportunities. Once hired, the applicant will be provided with an official Heineken “Bar Experience” certificate by their employer. The brand also created an official LinkedIn version of the certificate, that can be uploaded on their profile by those who took a bar job. In the future, this certificate will support a candidate’s job application for positions within The HEINEKEN Company.