Barista Reskilling
It’s time to watch those latte art youtube videos, stretch out those wrists and put on your comfortable trainers – baristas are now in demand!
With a new way of life on our doorstep (thanks to COVID-19) many of us are re-evaluating our job options. For some of us we have had to restructure the way we do business whilst others have had to find a new line of work altogether. There have been a lot of changes to say the least.
The hospitality industry has been hit hard due to physical distancing restrictions. But, as things start to return to normal there are new opportunities opening up.
With every business competing to gain their customers back, trained baristas are needed now more than ever! A well-trained barista can be the reason why a customer chooses a cafe over another.
Customers remember baristas. They remember how delicious, smooth and flavoursome the coffee was or, they remember the unpleasant, bitter coffee they put in the bin. I know which one I would prefer to spend my money on.
If you have ever considered becoming a barista now might just be a good time to break into the industry. There are many opportunities opening up.
Here are a few things that we think are important if you are looking at a career as a barista…
1. Passion
The most important ingredient to becoming an awesome barista.
A barista’s job can be hard going at times. The hours can be long and the customer orders can be relentless. But, we do it for the love of it. This love fuels us to want to be better, work harder, and achieve the best results. Having passion can come in many forms when it comes to coffee. It can be about small things like that first coffee of the day or about the big things like understanding the struggles that the coffee farmers endure to bring us coffee beans from all over the world. Ask yourself…
Do you currently make coffee at home?
Have you got multiple coffee making gadgets?
Are you often asking your local roaster which new Single Origin they have on offer?
If you answered yes to these questions then that would be considered as a passion for coffee!
2. Organisation
Working in a fast-paced environment requires good organisation and cleanliness. Making coffee is a messy job at the best of times so the more that you can be organised in your workstation the easier and quicker you can do the job at hand. Time management is imperative when it comes to getting customer orders out in time while still maintaining the quality of the beverage.
We have a saying “you’re only as good as your worst coffee” so every coffee counts.
3. Customer Service
There is much more to being a good barista than just producing excellent tasting coffee.
It’s essential that you’re a people person. Not only are you going to be interacting with the customers that come into the café (some of which may not have had their first coffee of the day and might be a tad grumpy) but you need to work well as part of a team. The hospitality industry gives true definition to the phrase “there is no I in team.” Working under pressure can bring out the best and worst in people. There is no room for ego or trying to be a hero. There is only room for kindness, dedication and support.
4. Flexibility
Moving into a new work environment can be daunting especially if you have never worked in that industry before. But, being flexible is going to go a long way to making the transition easy for you and your new employer. As a new barista without much experience, flexibility might mean working in other areas of the business before actually working on the coffee machine. It might also mean working odd shifts that perhaps you’re not used to. For a lot of people, this can work to their favor. However, for some, this is a change. Either way, being flexible will take off a lot of stress for both yourself and your employer.
5. Training
Adequate training is above all the most useful thing you can do to fast track your way into a barista job. Although a lot of baristas do learn on the job this often leads to shortcomings. It’s hard to perfect that tulip or understand the tricks to steam milk when you’re trying to learn under pressure. And, unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to making coffee. If you want to be sure you are receiving the correct training it’s best to visit your local roaster (us!).
Having training prior to applying for a barista position will be looked upon favorably. If you walk into a cafe with a resume and a few barista certificates you’re going to have a good chance at securing an interview.
Being a barista does require a lot of practice. But, the processes are largely repetitive so once the steps are memorised it becomes automatic. Educating yourself about coffee certainly can be very complex and it’s an industry that is always pushing the boundaries so there is always more to learn. Training is not just a one-off session it should be ongoing, this is why we recommend that even experienced baristas attend regular training sessions to ensure the techniques they are using are current.
Whether you are a barista that has been out of work for a while or, a coffee enthusiast that is looking to take your passion for coffee to the next level… see how much of your current skill set resonates with the things listed above and stop by your local café and see if they are hiring.
Be honest, be curious, and be dedicated and you can’t go wrong. We look forward to ordering a coffee from you!
If you are interested in booking in for our barista course send us an email at [email protected]
Check out our video on why we think the Barista is important…
