As a barista attempting to craft an appealing resume, you may struggle with articulating the breadth of your customer service skills in a way that resonates with potential employers outside the coffee shop milieu. Our guide will show you how to translate your experience into universally valued competencies, showcasing your adaptability and interpersonal expertise to any hiring manager.
- Format your barista resume to ensure that it balances professionalism with creativity, and follows the best practices.
- Match the barista job requirements by including industry keywords on your resume.
- Use various resume sections to showcase your skills and achievements to answer why you're the best candidate for the barista role.
Take inspiration from leading barista resume examples to learn how to tailor your experience.
Professional barista resume format advice
Achieving the most suitable resume format can at times seem like a daunting task at hand.
Which elements are most important to recruiters?
In which format should you submit your resume?
How should you list your experience?
Unless specified otherwise, here's how to achieve a professional look and feel for your resume.
- Present your experience following the reverse-chronological resume format . It showcases your most recent jobs first and can help recruiters attain a quick glance at how your career has progressed.
- The header is the must-have element for your resume. Apart from your contact details, you could also include your portfolio and a headline, that reflects on your current role or a distinguishable achievement.
- Select relevant information to the role, that should encompass no more than two pages of your resume.
- Download your resume in PDF to ensure that its formatting stays intact.
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Showcase any ongoing or recent educational efforts to stay updated in your field.
Don't forget to include these six sections on your barista resume:
- Header and summary for your contact details and to highlight your alignment with the barista job you're applying for
- Experience section to get into specific technologies you're apt at using and personal skills to deliver successful results
- Skills section to further highlight how your profile matches the job requirements
- Education section to provide your academic background
- Achievements to mention any career highlights that may be impressive, or that you might have missed so far in other resume sections
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Experience preparing a wide range of espresso coffee beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, flat whites).
- Knowledge of coffee beans and grind settings for various coffee brewing methods.
- Expertise in latte art and presentation of beverages.
- Customer service skills and the ability to create a friendly and welcoming environment for customers.
- Efficiency in handling high-volume orders, especially during peak hours, without compromising quality.
The barista resume experience section: a roadmap to your expertise
The resume experience section provides you with an opportunity to tell your professional narrative.
Recruiters, reading between the lines of your resume, use the experience section to better understand your unique skill set, accomplishments, and what unique value you bring about.
Discover five quick steps on how to write your experience section:
- Curate only relevant experience items to the role and include the company, description, and dates; all followed by up to six bullets per experience item;
- Each experience item should feature tangible results of your actions - if you can include a number or percent, this will further highlight your aptitude;
- If you've received any managerial or customer feedback, use short excerpts of it as further social proof of your technical or people skills;
- Make sure you're using the appropriate verb tense when listing your responsibilities;
- Within the description for each role, you could summarize your most noteworthy and relevant achievements.
Now, take note of how a real-world barista professional received opportunities at industry leaders with these resume experience sections:
- Masterfully prepared a variety of coffee beverages with artistic latte art for up to 150 customers daily, increasing customer satisfaction and repeat visits by 25% at Starbucks.
- Pioneered a new cold brew coffee technique that improved brewing efficiency by 20%, which was later adopted chain-wide.
- Conducted comprehensive barista training for over 50 new employees, enhancing skill levels and productivity across 5 local franchises.
- Managed a team of 10 baristas, ensuring optimal shift operations and maintaining top-quality customer service standards at Peet's Coffee.
- Played a key role in developing inventory management system, leading to a 30% reduction in waste and a 15% increase in profitability.
- Spearheaded the 'Brew with a Cause' campaign, resulting in raising $10,000 for local charities and a marked improvement in community engagement.
- Overseeing the daily operations of a high-volume, specialty coffee shop, handling workflow management for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.
- Implemented a customer loyalty program that boosted returning customer rate by 40%, effectively driving business growth.
- Revolutionized the store layout to increase operational efficiency, ultimately leading to a 10-second decrease in average service time per order.
- Crafted custom coffee profiles for discerning clients at Blue Bottle Coffee, enhancing customer experience and fostering a 20% increase in premium coffee sales.
- Led the 'Coffee Origins' outreach program which educated over 500 customers on sustainable coffee farming practices.
- Streamlined espresso machine maintenance procedures, cutting downtime by 30% and extending machine lifespans.
- Directed a 15-person team at Dunkin' with a focused approach on customer service excellence, seeing a 10% uplift in regional sales.
- Initiated a quality control circle that resulted in a 5% improvement in coffee consistency and customer approval ratings.
- Launched an efficiency program that reduced average customer wait times by 3 minutes during peak hours.
- Revamped the espresso maintenance routine at La Colombe Coffee Roasters, improving equipment longevity by 50%.
- Developed a Barista tech app used company-wide to monitor bean quality, leading to a 10% improvement in coffee flavor profiles.
- Presented at 5 national coffee expos on the advancement of espresso technology, positioning La Colombe as an industry innovator.
- Collaborated in a cross-functional team to design a seasonal drink menu at Caribou Coffee, resulting in a 15% increase in quarterly sales.
- Developed and implemented a training module focused on empathetic customer service, significantly boosting customer satisfaction scores by 22%.
- Organized weekly coffee-tasting events, attracting on average 50+ attendees each week and generating a steady rise in weekend sales.
- Managed inventory at a busy urban Costa Coffee location, consistently keeping waste below 2% of stock-on-hand.
- Performed meticulous stock audits, identifying patterns that led to a 10% cost-saving in supply chain efficiency.
- Spearheaded the introduction of a new line of organic teas, which captured a new market segment and increased beverage sales by 12%.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Specify the number of customer transactions processed daily to demonstrate high-volume handling capabilities.
- List the percentage increase in customer satisfaction scores following your customer service improvements.
- Indicate the amount of revenue generated from upselling products like specialty drinks or pastries.
- Describe the efficiency improvements in time saved per transaction after streamlining operations.
- Quantify the inventory management by noting the reduction in waste or cost savings achieved.
- Detail the number of employees trained, emphasizing your leadership and influence on team performance.
- Highlight your mastery of drink preparation by listing the number of different beverages you are proficient in making.
- Mention any notable increase in repeat customer ratios as evidence of creating a loyal customer base.
Action verbs for your barista resume
Guide for barista professionals kicking off their career
Who says you can't get that barista job, even though you may not have that much or any experience? Hiring managers have a tendency to hire the out-of-the-blue candidate if they see role alignment. You can show them why you're the best candidate out there by:
- Selecting the functional skill-based or hybrid formats to spotlight your unique value as a professional
- Tailoring your barista resume to always include the most important requirements, found towards the top of the job ad
- Substituting the lack of experience with other relevant sections like achievements, projects, and research
- Pinpoint both achievements and how you see yourself within this specific role in the barista resume objective.
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PRO TIP
If you failed to obtain one of the certificates, as listed in the requirements, but decide to include it on your resume, make sure to include a note somewhere that you have the "relevant training, but are planning to re-take the exams". Support this statement with the actual date you're planning to be re-examined. Always be honest on your resume.
Creating your barista resume skills section: balancing hard skills and soft skills
Recruiters hiring for barista roles are always keen on hiring candidates with relevant technical and people talents. Hard skills or technical ones are quite beneficial for the industry - as they refer to your competency with particular software and technologies. Meanwhile, your soft (or people) skills are quite crucial to yours and the company's professional growth as they detail how you'd cooperate and interact in your potential environment. Here's how to describe your hard and soft skill set in your barista resume:
- Consider what the key job requirements are and list those towards the top of your skills section.
- Think of individual, specific skills that help you stand out amongst competitors, and detail how they've helped you succeed in the past.
- Look to the future of the industry and list all software/technologies which are forward-facing.
- Create a separate, technical skills section to supplement your experience and further align with the barista job advert. Find the perfect balance between your resume hard and soft skills with our two lists.
Top skills for your barista resume:
Espresso machine operation
Latte art creation
Coffee bean grinding
Milk steaming and frothing
Knowledge of coffee varieties
Cleanliness and sanitation
Inventory management
Cash register operation
Food safety compliance
Beverage preparation
Customer service
Communication
Attention to detail
Time management
Teamwork
Adaptability
Problem-solving
Multitasking
Patience
Active listening
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List all your relevant higher education degrees within your resume in reverse chronological order (starting with the latest). There are cases when your PhD in a particular field could help you stand apart from other candidates.
Including your education and certification on your barista resume
The significance of your resume education section is paramount. It can show your diverse talents and experiences that are relevnt to the position.
- Incorporate educational qualifications, mentioning the institution and period.
- If you're on your academic journey, pinpoint your expected completion date.
- Opt for leaving out degrees that don't serve the job's purpose.
- Provide an overview of your educational experiences if it spotlights your milestones.
When recruiting for barista roles, candidates with relevant education and certification definitely stand out amongst competitors.
Showcase your academic background in the best way possible by:
- Listing all degrees and certifications that are part of the candidate qualifications in the barista advert
- Including any extra certificates, if they make sense to your application
- Not going over the top in details - the certificate name, institution, and dates are enough
- If you're in the process of obtaining a degree or certificate that's relevant to the job, include your expected graduation/certification dates
The education and certification sections help back up your application with years of experience in the industry or niche.
Select some of the most cutting-edge or applicable credentials for your next barista application from our list:
The top 5 certifications for your barista resume:
- Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Barista Skills Certificate - SCA
- Barista Hustle Coffee Certificate - Barista Hustle
- National Barista Certification - Barista Guild of America (BGA)
- ServSafe Food Handler Certificate - ServSafe
- Barista Level 1 Certificate - Barista Guild of America (BGA)
PRO TIP
List all your relevant higher education degrees within your resume in reverse chronological order (starting with the latest). There are cases when your PhD in a particular field could help you stand apart from other candidates.
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Practical guide to your barista resume summary or objective
First off, should you include a summary or objective on your barista resume?
We definitely recommend you choose the:
- Resume summary to match job requirements with most noteworthy accomplishments.
- Resume objective as a snapshot of career dreams
Both the resume summary and objective should set expectations for recruiters as to what your career highlights are.
These introductory paragraphs (that are no more than five sentences long) should help you answer why you're the best candidate for the job.
Industry-wide best practices pinpoint that the barista resume summaries and objectives follow the structures of these samples:
Resume summaries for a barista job
- Seasoned barista with over 5 years of experience in high-volume coffee shops, showcasing exceptional skills in latte art and a deep understanding of coffee bean varieties. Prides in having increased customer return rate by 40% through personalized service and crafting signature beverages.
- Enthusiastic retail manager transitioning into the specialty coffee industry, seeking to leverage a decade of customer service expertise and passion for espresso craftsmanship to foster a vibrant cafe environment. Adept at team leadership and driving sales growth.
- As a former sommelier driven to explore the world of coffee, I bring to the table a keen palate and 8 years of experience in the fine dining industry, setting the stage for creating exceptional coffee experiences and enhancing customer satisfaction through premium beverage curation.
- Diligent coffee enthusiast dedicated to delivering superior café experiences with a meticulous eye for detail. Possesses 3 years of experience in fast-paced artisanal coffee houses, recently recognized for pioneering a sustainable coffee sourcing initiative that boosted customer loyalty and sales.
- Aspiring to immerse myself in the art of coffee making and customer delight; I come with an earnest desire to excel, a dedication to learn swiftly, and a commitment to contribute positively to the coffee-loving community. Driven to achieve mastery in espresso preparation and innovate in beverage presentation.
- Seeking an entry-level barista position to apply my passion for coffee culture and sustainable practices. Eager to learn from seasoned professionals, enhance my knowledge of coffee origins and preparation techniques, all while providing customers with an unforgettable and ethical coffee experience.
Four more sections for your barista resume
Your barista resume can be supplemented with other sections to highlight both your personality and efforts in the industry. Use the ones you deem most relevant to your experience (and the role):
- Awards - to celebrate your success;
- Interests - to detail what you're passionate about outside of work (e.g. music, literature, etc.);
- Publications - to show your footprint in the wider community;
- Projects - to pinpoint noteworthy achievements, potentially even outside of work.
Key takeaways
- Pay special attention to the tiny details that make up your barista resume formatting: the more tailored your application to the role is, the better your chances at success would be;
- Select the sections you include (summary or objective, etc.) and formatting (reverse-chronological, hybrid, etc.) based on your experience level;
- Select experience items and, consequently, achievements that showcase you in the best light and are relevant to the job;
- Your profile will be assessed both based on your technical capabilities and personality skills - curate those through your resume;
- Certifications and education showcase your dedication to the particular industry.
