Top Interview Questions for Cafe Workers and Baristas

Top Interview Questions for Cafe Workers and BaristasTop Interview Questions for Cafe Workers and BaristasIf you want to work in a cafas abarista, youll find that in your interview you are liable to be asked about anything from, How are your customer tafelgeschirrs skills? to What do you know about different coffee drinks and customer coffee drinking habits? Knowing what youre going to say before an interview will make you seem calm and collected when you come face-to-face with your potential employer. Youll also have well thought out answers that will make you appear informed and articulate. Keep in mind, however, that the questions that follow are just samples. You may be asked some of them but not all of them. Youll likely be asked questions specific to the particular job and coffeehouse or caf youre applying for as well. Customer Service Skills and Experience Working in a coffeehouse requires great customer service skills, so expect the interviewer to ask about yours as well as any previous experience you have working in a caf. Some questions about your customer service experience may include How would you handle a customer who was angry because of a mistake you made?How would you respond if your shift were understaffed and the queue of waiting customers lengthened? Also, the interviewer may ask you to rank yourcustomer service skills overall, including how youd describe your skills as a salesperson. They are looking to see how comfortable are you not only in taking and preparing coffee orders but also in upselling other products to customers. So, think about how you would go about upselling and be prepared for questions along this line. Honesty Is the Best Policy Be honest. Dont give yourself top marks without explaining why. You might also be able to include areas where you can improve without making yourself look like a poor job candidate. Perhaps theres an area of customer service that you havent had much experience in so youd like to improve th ere. In the same vein, the interviewer may want you to describe your previous experience in the service industry. Do youhave any experience operating an espresso machine? they might ask. The interviewer might also inquire as toyour experience with press pots, a pour-over bar, and siphon pots. Be prepared to discuss what the differences arebetween coffees made with each method. Knowing Your Coffee Drink Recipes You should also have a good knowledge of popular coffee drinks and be able to describe the difference between them. A few of the coffee drinks that most commonly appear on menus are CappuccinoCaffAmericanoCaf Latt, EspressoCaff Macchiatoiced coffeeLatte MacchiatoCaf au laitCaf MochaFrappuccinoCaramel MacchiatoCaf CubanoCortadoTurkish Coffee. Stress and Problem Solving Dealing with stress and chaos is a big part of working in a coffeehouse. Accordingly, the interviewer will probably want to know aboutthe most stressful work environment youve been in and how you handled the stress. They might also want to know about your problem-solving and teamwork skills, especially about times youve had to help co-workers tackle problems. Try to think of instances where youve independently and collaboratively solved problems before you walk into your interview. Mental Agility Being a barista requires mental agility. So, expect the interviewer to ask how you stay focused while doing a simple, repetitive task. Your potential employer may also ask about your memory.Do you have a strong one? Have you ever had to memorize a long list of items? Are you talented in doing mental math and competent at cashing handling? Personal Interests Coffeehouses dont just want employees who need a job. Rather, they seek baristas who have a genuine interest in coffee culture. With this in mind, theyll likely want to know whether you drink coffee or tea and what your favorite caf beverage is. More specifically, they may ask why you want to work for their caf in particular and whether you have tasted anything from their caf. Make sure to plan and study the menu carefully before you walk into the interview this will give you talking points where you can express your enthusiasm for their products and their store climate.