Tourism, Food / Beverage
Barista
Overview
A barista is responsible for preparing and serving coffee and other beverages at coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants. They may also assist with food preparation and customer service.
Baristas must be knowledgeable about different types of coffee beans and brewing methods, and have the skills to create high-quality beverages consistently. They must also be able to multitask and work efficiently in a fast-paced environment, while maintaining a friendly and professional demeanor.
To become a barista, there are typically no formal education requirements, although some employers may prefer candidates with prior experience in the hospitality or food service industry. On-the-job training is common, and baristas may also choose to complete additional training or certifications to advance their skills and career. A passion for coffee and a commitment to providing excellent customer service are key qualities.
Common tasks
| Task | Related trait(s) |
|---|---|
| Greeting customers | Amiability Extroversion Emotional Intelligence |
| Taking orders and serving menu items | Activity level |
| Grinding, measuring, and brewing coffee beans to specific standards | Conscientiousness Activity level |
| Using equipment such as espresso machines, grinders, and blenders | Conscientiousness |
| Maintaining cleanliness and sanitation standards in the work area and equipment | Conscientiousness |
| Ensuring that the equipment works to defined standards | Conscientiousness |
| Informing customers about menu items, answering questions and providing recommendations about menu items | Amiability |
| Handling and processing payments | Conscientiousness |
| Monitoring inventory levels and restocking supplies | Conscientiousness Activity level |
| Following health and safety guidelines and regulations | Conscientiousness |
| Maintaining a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere for customers | Conscientiousness |
| Participating in staff hire, training staff and managing staff schedules | Teamwork |
| Ensuring staff follows rules and procedures | Assertiveness Teamwork |
Soft skills measured by TraitForward
| Trait | No of Questions | Cronbach’s alpha (α) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teamwork | 9 | 0.73 | |
| Are they good team members? | |||
| Conscientiousness | 10 | 0.79 | |
| Do they have a desirable work ethic? | |||
| Amiability | 7 | 0.85 | |
| Are they calm? Do they respect others? | |||
| Extroversion | 6 | 0.83 | |
| Are they skilled in handling social situations? | |||
| Activity level | 5 | 0.67 | |
| Can they multitask? Can they handle demanding workloads? | |||
| Emotional Intelligence | 9 | 0.82 | |
| Can they understand the customers? | |||
| Assertiveness | 7 | 0.78 | |
| Are they be able to convince others? | |||
Did you Know?
Source: US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median wage:
$24,187 / per year
$12 / hour
A relatively low annual wage is $20,187 (10th percentile)
A relatively high salary of the annual wage is $28,722 (90th percentile)
Expected employment growth:
Number of professionals occupied in US in 2021: 87.3 K
Projected number of professionals occupied in US in 2031: 99.5 K
Employment percent change: 12,3%
Find out the psychometric properties for the Barista Traitforward questionnaire