Baristas work in coffee shops or cafes and make coffee, teas and specialty drinks for customers. It’s estimated that there are more than 35,000 coffee shops, both large chains and local spots, where you’ll find baristas creating and serving beverages and food.

Being a barista also often goes beyond creating coffee drinks. A great barista knows the origins and flavors of coffee, about the coffee production process, characteristics of different coffee, how the roasting process works, and how to create a drink for a customer based on their preferences. 

If you’re applying for a barista position, knowing how to structure your resume and what you should list and highlight, including education, skills and objectives, can help your resume get noticed and selected and an interview scheduled. 

How to structure your barista resume

When formatting your resume for a barista position, you should include:

1. A summary/career objective

2. Relevant work history, including the company, dates worked, and brief description of the duties performed

3. Relevant skills for the role

When creating your resume, you’ll want to carefully read the job description to ensure you include all relevant keywords, skills and experience that shows you are the best candidate. By tailoring your objective and resume to the job description, it’s more likely it will make it through any applicant tracking system software and to the desk of the hiring manager.

Barista job description

A barista has a variety of duties they complete each shift, starting with helping to prepare the store for opening. They take orders, grind coffee beans, prepare and serve light snacks, create stock displays, keep track of inventory, and clean and care for the machines and equipment. They also know how to make coffee, tea and specialty beverages, both on the menu and as requested by customers. 

Specific day-to-day tasks can vary based on the shift and company the barista works for, but generally, they may be asked to: 

• Greet and welcome customers into the store 

• Educate customers on the drink menu and answer questions about beverages

• Prepare and sell coffee, tea, and specialty beverages 

• Track, maintain, and order inventory 

• Stock and clean equipment and supplies 

• Prepare and sell food and snacks 

• Clean and sanitize tables, waiting areas, and gathering areas 

• Create stock displays and ensure products are stocked 

• Take orders and cash out customers 

Barista education

There typically aren’t specific education requirements for baristas, though most employers require at least a high school diploma or GED. You may find specialized professional training or certifications online but they are rarely required to be hired. 

You’ll want to outline all relevant education on your resume in a way similar to the following:

Education

XYZ College

City, State

Associate’s degree, business management

XYZ High School

Diploma

When listing your education, here are a few tips:

• Consider leaving off the years you attended school or your graduation date. Typically, that’s not as important unless you’re still pursuing your degree. In that case, be clear your education is in progress. For example,

Bachelor’s degree (business administration); anticipated completion May 2022

• List the order of your education as the highest level first. For example, if you have an Associate's degree and high school diploma, list the Associate’s degree first, followed by the diploma.  

• If you have additional certifications or training applicable to the role, list them in their section with the heading “Additional Certifications.” Include the organization that provided the certification, the title, and the date of completion or renewal. 

• Unless you’re a recent graduate or it’s a requirement for the role, you don’t need to include your high school education.

What to include on your resume for a barista

Typically, a barista resume will list the education or formal training you have that makes you most qualified for the role. 

Then, in the work experience section, you’ll want to include duties related to the job description, such as:

• Greeted customers in a friendly manner within 90 seconds of entering the store, and informed them about daily drink and food specials

• Took customer orders, entered them into the point of sale machine, and managed payments

• Created coffee, tea, and specialty beverages, including drip coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, cold brew, etc.

• Maintained a clean and professional appearance, work, and dining area to meet guest satisfaction

• Was awarded Barista of the Week due to consistent positive customer reviews on the cafe’s social media account

• Achieved an X% guest satisfaction score over 12 months based on receipt surveys

• Proposed and coordinated a promotion event for a local musician, which brought in X customers and $Y in sales 

The experience and skills you list should be relevant to the job you’re applying for. Try to go beyond simply listing duties you’ve performed, and instead show both duties and achievements with examples or numbers to support the statements. 

Barista skills and traits for a resume

There are many skills and traits you could list on your resume for a barista position. Here are a few to choose from to get you started:

• Point of sale systems

• Cashiering

• Technical skills

• Coffee knowledge

• Sales

• Attention to detail

• Customer service

• Interpersonal skills

• Multitasking

• Professionalism

• Customer service

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Creativity

• Responsible

• Dependable

• Inventory management

• Budgeting

• Latte art 

Having some experience in a food service industry or environment may be helpful, but is typically not required. Most barista roles are entry-level positions and training happens while on the job. The longer you work, the more experience and knowledge you’ll gain and the more you’ll be able to perfect your skills.

Action verbs to include on a barista resume

• Provided

• Delivered

• Prepared

• Maintained

• Answered

• Inspected

• Communicated

• Demonstrated

• Monitored

• Ordered

• Created

• Exceeded 

• Contributed

• Performed 

• Determined

• Initiated

• Formulated  

Should I include references in my barista resume?

Your resume is a professional representation of your career qualifications and skills that make you an ideal candidate. As a general rule, avoid including references in your resume unless they are specifically asked for. This is information that tends to distract hiring managers from the information you want them to see, and it can take up valuable space on the page. 

If references are requested, you can include them on your resume or as a separate document. Be sure to list the name, job title, company, email address, and phone number for each reference. 

Barista resume objectives

A career objective, also known as a resume objective or summary, is a brief statement toward the top of your resume that explains your professional goals and intentions for applying to a job. In 1 to 3 sentences, you should mention the job title, add a couple of key skills, and share what you’re hoping to achieve in the job.  

Correct Examples:

• Fast-working and friendly barista with X years of experience working at a local coffee shop with an overall customer satisfaction score of Y%. Seeking a position with XYZ cafe to showcase coffee brewing, management, and customer service expertise.

• Creative coffee lover looking for a position as a barista at XYZ cafe. With more than X years of experience, I’m passionate about keeping customers satisfied and returning day after day. Extensive knowledge about the coffee industry, including X number of types of coffee and drinks.

• A responsible and dependable individual applying for a barista position with XYZ coffee shop. X years of relevant experience in creating and serving coffee, tea, and specialty beverages, taking care of customers, managing inventory, and supervising employees.

Incorrect Examples:

• Barista looking for a position with XYZ company. 

This is too short and doesn’t include enough detail about your skills or intentions. Be sure to list a couple of key skills that make you the best for the role, and share your desire for being hired. 

• Experienced barista seeking a position with XYZ company. Can perform a variety of tasks related to serving coffee.

Naming particular skills and years of experience can be essential to creating quality, eye-catching objectives. What are the tasks you can perform? Be specific about what expertise you bring to the table, and highlight those key skills, knowledge, or metrics that help you stand out.

• I love coffee and want to be able to make specialty drinks for customers to help increase revenue for the cafe and improve satisfaction.

Consider adding your years of experience, and be more specific about the knowledge or skills that would apply to this role. A passion for coffee and customer service is a great quality for a barista, but you should expand on this with the objective to showcase that expertise. Also,to be sure to mention the role you’re applying for and possibly the company for a more personal touch.