Preparing For Your Barista Job Search

Preparing for your barista job search can be fun and exciting. But it can also be intimidating. We hope to help you get prepared for being a barista and your job search.

Having barista skills can be very beneficial. It gives you the flexibility we all want, the potential for good pay, and a transferable career you can take anywhere. Yes, by knowing how to prepare and serve coffee, you can get a job nearly anywhere. And in today's world, where the demand for coffee is growing, you can secure your place in the labor market just by having basic barista skills.

Here's another truth: People hire who they know. So, you may consider holding off on emailing your barista resume for a day or two and visiting your local coffee shops. Be a customer. Order something different or experience the espresso that they serve.

Again, people hire those with who they are familiar. That is why it is so important to “get out there” and meet people – other baristas, coffee managers, coffee roasters, and people in the industry in your local area. Whether you visit coffee shops or coffee events, engage with others. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Be friendly, be engaged, and – more importantly – be authentic in your passion for coffee.

Don't be afraid of being too shy. It's natural to feel nervous.  The good news is that many people in the retail coffee community enjoy meeting new people and telling them about their craft. 

Barista job Search Tips:

• Get to know the other baristas and coffee shops.
• Find out what type of coffee beans they serve and experiment with drinks and roast profiles.
• Finally, try something on the coffee menu.
• Introduce yourself to the person doing barista interviews or in a hiring position at your local cafe.
• Become a familiar face in one of their “community” meetings or events.
• Like your coffee spots on Facebook and follow them on Twitter (and other social media).
• Please artistically take pictures of your coffee and share them online.
• Visit their website(s), read their blog(s), and consider engaging in their comment section.
• Read other Coffee Blogs or featured Coffee Shop articles.

It's pretty obvious why you would want to do the tips as mentioned earlier. These items make you more familiar with the cafe staff, management, and owners.

Again: people hire who they know.

This is a great thing to do because, in your introductory email or your cover letter, you can address the manager or owner by their actual name, you can email pictures that you took, and you can talk about many of the items on the list – such as coffee roasters, menu items, or their community events.

Remember, coffee shop managers and owners understand the importance of communicating and engaging with the community. As of now, you are a member of that community! So use that to your advantage, and get to know them.

Put your mind and heart in the position of the coffee shop owner who wants to hire the best coffee professionals in their neighborhood but understands this critical factor: excellent customer service means repeat customers. Making good coffee isn't the only thing. Coffee shop owners want the people who work for them to bring in customers. Attitude counts everywhere. It doesn't matter if you work a drive-thru coffee stand or at a coffee shop bookstore—your positive attitude matters.

Find a Barista Job: What You Can Do TODAY:

1.  Review (and possibly change) your email address:

If your email address is crazydrugdude@exampleemail.com – you might want to change your email before using it to send out barista resumes or communicate with coffee shop owners.

2. Clean up your social profiles:

While asking for your Facebook password is bound to fail legally (in many states), owners and managers can still check out your profile pictures and cover photos (as well as anything you don't determine as private). Therefore, clean up your photographs and privatize your social media accounts.

3. Review (and possibly change) your voicemail message:

If you are applying for a position anywhere, don't force your interviewer to listen to 3 minutes of rap music before leaving you a message. Instead, make your message – clear, concise, and professional – or use the automated settings.

4. Get Online Barista Training

By getting comprehensive barista training, you can be on par or one step ahead of other barista candidates. We offer a complete online barista training course enabling you to get the training you need to understand the concepts to serve coffee at any coffee shop.

4. Get  Passionate About Coffee

Take one of the many opportunities to discover the great things about coffee. Visit local coffee roasters, attend coffee events and seminars, or check out a coffee shop you have never been to. Exploring coffee is fun and can potentially open up a world of possibility. In fact, while you may start out wanting to be a barista, you may also want to be a coffee roaster too.

Thank you for reading. Not only do we provide online barista training, but we also cover topics related to the barista job search process. Our goal is to help you land the barista job you have always been dreaming about.

Brought to you by Barista Training Academy, “The Beginning Barista” Your Ultimate Prep Guide to Getting Your First Job as a Barista” is an ultimate resource available online and affordable for anybody looking to start a career in the coffee industry. For more information, visit our blog.