What To Look For When Hiring A Barista

If you run a coffee shop it is important that you have all the right ingredients in place in order to satisfy your customers. You should look to find a supplier to bring you the highest quality coffee beans for you to use, as well as utilise the best in coffee machines. Another aspect of a successful coffee shop that can’t be overlooked is that of hiring the best barista you can possibly find. A good barista doesn’t necessarily have to be brash and a big personality, it is about finding the balance between a number of attributes and characteristics that deliver good coffee, strong coffee knowledge and excellent customer service, that will leave your customers salivating.

Friendly Nature 

No matter the level of confidence displayed when speaking with others, it is vital that a barista is sociable and chatty, as they will be tasked with interacting with customers all day, every day. One way to dig a little deeper when interviewing for a barista role is to ask about nightmare customers that they have experienced in their time in other roles, and how they coped and kept up a chipper demeanour. Shifts can be long, but the barista has to be consistently happy and chatty with the customers.

An Ability to Multitask and be Flexible 

A busy coffee shop will have a lot of things going on at once. From queues forming at busy times of the day, dirty coffee cups and dishes to take care of and other considerations, there is always something different to look after. Hiring a barista should be about choosing an individual who has displayed a willingness to be flexible in the role. This can mean covering someone’s shift at late notice, or moving from the till to the coffee machine at busy times (and vice versa), all without breaking a sweat or having a moan.

An Eye for Detail 

This characteristic covers a couple of issues that are vital to the successful running of a coffee shop. The first reason meticulousness is required in a barista is that they have to provide a consistent standard of quality coffee at all times. Being able to follow instruction and brand guidelines is important to your overall reputation. Also, your staff members have to be able to follow strict health and safety guidelines that are a necessity for all food and drink businesses to adhere to.

Coffee Knowledge (or Willingness to Learn) 

The last trait to look for in a potential new barista for your coffee shop is one of a willingness to learn. Ideally your new hire will have a love for coffee that brings with it plenty of specific knowledge that can be passed on to customers. This isn’t always possible of course, but it should be a given that your staff members are willing to learn and to work hard.

Understanding the intricacies and details of coffee will come later to a novice barista. What all people in that role need is a willingness to work hard for the team, an attention to detail and a friendly nature

Martin Morriss