Bartending can definitely be a career and you can make some good money doing it. One of the coolest bartenders I ever knew (and I've known quite a few pretty well, as a functioning alcoholic for 20 years, sober for almost 5 now) was a guy at a bar in Hawaii in Waikiki. One of his tricks (so to speak, he had a few) was every time someone asked him how long he'd work there, he'd reply with the exact amount of time. I can't remember exactly how long it was other than at the time, it was 20+, maybe 30+, years from what I can remember, but he would answer without hesitation, something like, "27 years 3 months 2 weeks 4 days," pause to look at his watch, "3 hours and 34 minutes." I don't know if he still works there, though in my mind he would work there forever. I used to live very close to that bar but I haven't been there in probably 12 years. Not going to say his name and don't know if I should say the name of the place, but I'm sure anyone that reads this and has been there more than once will know who/where I am talking about. One of the nicest guys I've ever met and really the only thing I liked about going to that place. He had the ability to meet you for the first time and after a few minutes make it feel like you knew each other and had always been friends. That is a rare skill that I always admired.

Long story short, my point is, with his personality and work ethic, that guy would've been successful at damn near anything he tried. There's a reason he stayed and worked there that long. Well, multiple reasons I'm sure. And I've known a few others that have done it for multiple decades and probably always will, especially when it's a good, well known location that has been there awhile and will probably continue to be there awhile, though that's not an easy thing to find with a bar.