What does a barista do?

Baristas are mainly responsible for preparing and serving espresso-based coffee drinks, but they also make other hot and cold beverages. They primarily work in cafés, coffee carts and other hospitality venues, such as coffee roasteries, restaurants, bars and pubs. Using automatic, semi-automatic or manual coffee machines, baristas use their expert knowledge of coffee beans, blends and coffee-making techniques to delight customers with exceptional coffee and other beverages. Some basic food preparation is often also required, such as serving baked goods and sandwiches.

Barista skills and qualifications

To excel in this role, baristas must have extensive knowledge of coffee and coffee-making techniques. They must also have the ability to juggle multiple tasks during peak times while maintaining a level of professionalism and courteousness to customers. The other skills and qualifications that are essential in this role include:

• strong communication and interpersonal skills
• excellent customer service skills
• ability to work as part of a team
• knowledge of hygiene and food safety regulations
• ability to work under pressure
• good attention to detail
• good literacy and numeracy skills

Barista experience requirements

Requirements vary from employer to employer and depending on the location, however, extensive experience isn’t typically required for barista positions. Some employers hire baristas without any experience and provide on-the-job training. However, many businesses, particularly cafés, require previous hospitality or barista experience – usually a minimum of one year. It’s common for aspiring baristas to complete a barista short course, then apply for a general hospitality position in a café or restaurant, such as a waiter or waitress role, and work their way up to a barista role after receiving in-house barista training.

Barista education and training requirements

Typically, formal education and training qualifications are not needed for barista positions. Most employers provide in-house training on all aspects of the coffee-making process. Many employers prefer candidates who have completed a barista short course. These courses typically take one day and they equip aspiring baristas with the basic skills needed to make coffee. For some positions, baristas may be required to hold a Food Handling Certificate if serving food is part of their job.

Barista salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a barista in Australia is $28.19 per hour. This level of remuneration can vary, depending on the employee’s experience, location and company.

Job description samples for similar positions

If this barista job description template doesn’t fit the position you would like to advertise, you might like to have a look at some job descriptions for similar roles:

• Waiter
• Bartender

Barista job description FAQs

What qualities make a good barista?

A good barista has a passion for coffee and thrives under pressure and in a fast-paced team environment. At busy times, a barista might have to deal with multiple customer orders, while working the register and responding to queries – and they must be able to do all this while remaining calm and being courteous to customers and their co-workers. An eye for detail is also an important trait, as it can have a big impact on customer satisfaction. For example, if a customer orders hot oat milk on the side with their coffee, they won’t be too impressed if they get cold dairy milk.

What makes a good barista job description?

Make your barista job description clear and concise. Jobseekers usually sift through several pages of job ads, so they probably won’t have the time for or interest in reading a long job description. Highlight the culture of your business. For example, you might like to mention regular team-building activities that you hold. This is an important factor for jobseekers because they want to know if the role will be a good cultural fit for them. Other important points to include are the location of your business, the salary, as well as any perks, such as discounts on food or coffee.

Do baristas face any physical challenges on the job?

Baristas spend almost all their working day on their feet, taking orders and using machinery and equipment to prepare beverages, so this can be a physically challenging role. As a result, they may experience aches and pains in a variety of places, such as their wrists, neck and shoulders, lower back, legs and feet, so it’s important to minimise this by ensuring that the working environment is as ergonomically sound as possible.