Requirements to be a Barista

 There are many ways to be a barista. No two paths are the same to land a job as a barista. This means that no matter your background or past experiences, there is always a place for you in coffee.

Being a barista is an exciting prospect. With your barista skills, you can work pretty much anywhere in the world.

Whether you want to work your way through school or you want to open a coffee shop of your own one day, being a barista is a great way to open many doors and earn a living.

In this post, we will talk about the requirements to be a barista. Specifically, we will offer typical qualifications needed to start a barista job.

Be sure to explore Barista Training Academy's barista blog for more information and in-depth articles.

 

Requirements to Be a Barista

A variety of coffee shops, cafés, restaurants, and mobile food service businesses need baristas.

In other words, baristas are needed everywhere!

Each one of these food businesses will have its requirements for its specific job needs. For example, if you work in a coffee truck, you will need to do various jobs compared to being a barista at Starbucks. Nevertheless, there are general things that are typical when working as a barista.

The following are typical barista requirements often needed by your hiring manager.

• Legally work in your region
• A high school diploma (GED equivalent)
• Experience in hospitality
• Ability to read and write
• Good math skills
• Problem solver
• Safety-minded
• May need be able to lift 25lbs

 

Let's briefly discuss each of these barista job requirements below:

 

Legally work in your region

Your hiring coffee shop manager will often need to see your identification and collect your social security number. This is a legal requirement for employers in the U.S.

Each employer needs to ensure that you are legally eligible to work in the U.S. Coffee shop owners are legally required to hire employees who are either U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or have the appropriate work visa. Otherwise, they could be fined and or place their business license in jeopardy in some jurisdictions.

 

A high school diploma (GED equivalent)

Many employers will want their barista hires to be 18 years or older and have a high school diploma. While both are not strict requirements, both are often preferred.

In many cases, hiring an 18-year-old is often easier for most employers in most states due to less paperwork and legal requirements.

Additionally, having a high school diploma or equivalent essentially tells employers that you have basic education and can do various work tasks that are essential to the job.

 

Experience in hospitality

Having experience is essential for many hiring managers. However, you don't necessarily have to have barista experience. For example, you could have worked at a restaurant, hotel, or other hospitality settings. Additionally, you could have worked in different environments, too, such as a store or as a babysitter.

Keep in mind, you don't have any experience at all to be hired as a barista. If you don't have any previous work experience, don't be discouraged! Many baristas started their first barista job without any experience.

Everyone has to start somewhere. You can get a job as a barista without any experience. However, we recommend that you get some barista training – either through an online barista course or in-person barista classes.

 

Ability to read and write

Being able to read and write proficiently is a required skill for most baristas. In addition, it's essential to read and write effectively when working on the menu, following recipes, following written instructions, and adhering to other written communication.

However, if you cannot read or write due to a disability, it may be essential for you to discuss this with your hiring manager. Your coffee shop can make some appropriate accommodations for you to be successful. Employers are legally required to make some accommodations for employees with disabilities. Communicating will help to avoid any challenges or misunderstandings in the future.

 

Good math skills

As a barista, you will often work with money, counting products, managing inventory, and working with menu recipes that call on you to know math.

Adding up receipts, collecting money, and giving change are often daily barista functions. Therefore, knowing math and working with a coffee shop POS system is critical and requires basic math.

Problem solver

As a barista, you will often need to solve a variety of challenges. Working with customers, managing morning rushes, getting along with co-workers, and equipment maintenance all point to constant problem-solving.

Safety-minded

Baristas will work in a variety of settings, from behind the coffee bar to the kitchen.

Depending on your menu, your type of coffee shop, and your specific responsibilities, you will be working with various pieces of coffee and cooking equipment. For example, you could be working with stoves, ovens, toasters, blenders, espresso machines, boiling water, freezers – all powered with electricity, gas, or propane. So naturally, all these things require you to be safety-minded.

Please make sure that you are adequately trained on each piece of equipment. Also, know how to maintain and turn off the power, gas, or equipment pieces. If you don't know the answer to any of the pieces of equipment that you will be working with, be sure to ask your supervisor.

May need to be able to lift 25lbs.

As a barista, you may be required to lift heavy objects, including bags of roasted beans, bags of green beans, inventory, or other items. If you cannot lift 25 lbs., it's a good idea to share this with your hiring manager.

 

Further Reading: What are Barista Responsibilities?

 

 Requirements to Be a Barista

 

 

Qualifications to be a Barista

In addition to the qualifications many coffee shop managers are looking for, there may be other unquantifiable characteristics. While skills are essential, many coffee shop owners look for personality traits that fit their business.  

Let's discuss a few of them below:

Friendly Attitude

As a barista, you'll be working in a very social setting. Chatting with customers and your co-workers should be expected on every shift. It's therefore beneficial if you tend to have a friendly or chatty personality.

Receptive to Training

Coffee shop owners or managers need baristas that are receptive to training. Every coffee shop, café, or restaurant tends to do things “their way” – which you may or may not be used to. Therefore, having the temperament and openness to be trained in your new employer's method will be necessary.

Responsible

Coffee shop managers and owners have a top priority: hire responsible baristas. You cannot train for responsibility.  It just has to be a part of your personality. Nine times out of ten, a coffee shop manager or shop owner will hire an honest, reliable, and responsible person to train as a barista. Experience and skill do not makeup being irresponsible.

 

Further Reading: Fastest Way to Be a Barista with No Experience

 

Requirements to be a Barista

Requirements to Be a Barista

Additional Questions:

How can I get a barista job with no experience?

Yes! There are plenty of barista jobs that you can get with no experience. However, it's strongly recommended that you get some barista training if you don't have any experience. For example, you can get online barista training and in-class training. Additionally, you will want to supplement your knowledge by reading barista books and guides.

What do I need to know to be a barista?

Being a barista varies from location to location.  Therefore, what you need to know may vary. However, typically, a barista needs to know how to work in a coffee bar. That is how to utilize the various coffee brewing equipment that a typical coffee shop has. These include an espresso machine, coffee grinders, and manual brewing. Additionally, you will want to know how to dial in espresso, steam milk, and build coffee drinks. Finally, you will want to understand how to care for equipment.

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 that is available online. It is affordable for anybody who is looking to start a career in the coffee industry. For more information, visit our blog.