What a Resume Won't Tell You About a Barista

A resume tells you what someone's done. It won't tell you if they'll survive a Saturday.

Experience isn't the same as skill

Most owners hire on experience. Experience just means they've stood behind a machine before. What you actually need to know is how they handle a queue out the door and three tickets missing.

Ask about the worst shift, not the best certificate

Ask them to walk you through their worst shift. The answer tells you more than any certificate. Watch how they talk about mistakes. The good ones own them. The rest blame the machine. Speed can be taught. Temperament can't. Hire for the second one. The best hire isn't the most experienced. It's the one who stays calm when everything goes wrong at once.

If you want your next hire to walk in already knowing what a real rush looks like, point them to a proper Accredited Barista Course, and have a read of why good baristas actually leave before you go looking.