Interview Questions to Ask Barista Position Candidates
Here’s a list of potential interview questions tailored for a coffee shop barista role. These questions cover customer service, coffee knowledge, technical skills, and teamwork:
General Background and Experience
- Can you tell me about your previous experience as a barista or in the coffee industry?
- What drew you to the coffee industry, and why do you want to work as a barista?
- What do you enjoy most about working in a coffee shop environment?
- Have you ever worked in a fast-paced environment? How do you handle busy periods?
Coffee Knowledge and Skills
- Can you explain the difference between an espresso, a macchiato, and a cappuccino?
- What’s your process for dialing in an espresso?
- How do you ensure consistency in making coffee drinks?
- Are you familiar with different brewing methods (e.g., pour-over, AeroPress, French press)?
- Can you talk about your milk-steaming technique and how you create latte art?
- What is the importance of grind size, and how do you adjust it for different brewing methods?
- What steps do you take to ensure a perfect extraction when making espresso?
Customer Service and Interaction
- How would you handle a customer who isn’t satisfied with their drink?
- What’s your approach to making recommendations to customers who are new to specialty coffee?
- How do you engage with regular customers while maintaining focus during busy periods?
- Can you describe a time when you dealt with a difficult customer and how you resolved the situation?
Teamwork and Time Management
- How do you prioritize tasks during a busy shift when there are multiple orders?
- Describe a time when you had to work as part of a team to meet high customer demand.
- How do you ensure that you maintain cleanliness and organization in a busy coffee shop?
- What’s your experience with opening or closing procedures in a coffee shop setting?
- How do you stay organized when working on multiple drink orders at once?
Learning and Growth
- What do you do to stay up-to-date with new trends and developments in coffee?
- Have you ever taken any courses or certifications related to coffee (e.g., SCA barista training)?
- Is there a particular area of coffee or barista work that you would like to improve or learn more about?
Technical and Equipment Skills
- Are you familiar with maintaining and cleaning espresso machines and grinders?
- Can you walk us through your process of calibrating an espresso machine at the start of your shift?
- Have you worked with a POS system in a coffee shop? How do you manage orders efficiently?
Passion and Motivation
- What is your favorite coffee drink to make, and why?
- What excites you most about working with coffee, and how do you share that passion with customers?
- What do you think makes a great cup of coffee, and how do you ensure that every cup meets that standard?
Hypothetical and Situational Questions
- If a customer orders a drink that you think could be made better with a slight adjustment, how do you approach that conversation?
- How would you handle a situation where a customer has a complicated or unusual request that you’re unfamiliar with?
- You notice a regular customer seems unhappy or quieter than usual. How do you address this situation?
- If the espresso machine suddenly stops working during a busy period, what steps would you take?
Closing Questions
- Why do you want to work at our coffee shop in particular?
- What makes you stand out as a barista compared to other candidates?
- What are your long-term goals within the coffee industry?
- How would you describe your ideal work environment in a coffee shop?
These questions are designed to gauge a candidate's coffee knowledge, technical expertise, customer service approach, and ability to handle a fast-paced environment, making them ideal for a coffee shop barista interview.