So You Want to Work in a Coffee Shop?

It's often thought of as a great starter job, the surface level understanding that you get to have fun talking to people day in and day out, make delicious drinks and get heartfelt tips until the cows come home.

This is more or less what I thought working at a coffee shop would be like prior to actually becoming an employee, and getting certified as a Barista, but now I know a few things that most people never really think about when they walk into a coffee shop.

If you are thinking about working at a shop, perhaps becoming a barista, I'm here to debunk some common misconceptions you may hear, and give you a more realistic view of what it's actually like, from someone on the front lines. This, I hope, will help you in your decision making process and determine if this is the job for you, no B.S.

Misconception #1: Working at a Coffee Shop is chill

In all honesty, it depends. If you are thinking about working at a local shop in a small town, then chances are the work will be more focused on the craft, doing pour overs, and not having to worry too much about people rushing to get their dark roast before work.

Working in a more well-known shop, like I do, means the demand is higher and the environment is less relaxing. Morning shifts consist of a constant flow of people in need of their black coffee, lattes and breakfast sandwiches, with afternoon shifts filled by small groups gathering after school or work, with preference towards cappuccinos and mochas.

It doesn't really matter what position you're in either, as when rushes hit, the cashier has to check that "regular milk is okay?" or ask if the customer would like their pastry warmed, and the baristas face the screen that are often times filled with multiple panels of drinks in need of being made. It's manageable, but hectic, especially when in the middle of a busy time, more than one person asks for an "almond milk latte, no foam, extra hot, 2 pumps of sugar free vanilla, 3 extra shots and whipped cream".

The first rush for a new worker is always the one that makes them question if they want to keep working their, this was the case for me at least. It's getting up the first hill that is the hardest part, and after that, the rushes get easier to manage and everything is just second nature to you.

Advice #1 for the newbie: Don't quit in the first two weeks. It may seem like continuing is impossible, but stick with it, and like anything it will get easier with time, and that's when you learn to handle things and the "chill" factor comes into play.

Myth #2: Every customer will be friendly

If only that were true, then I wouldn't have to fill you in on how to handle the coffee snobs, who are far too common.

A common scenario that many who work in coffee shops can relate to is accidentally serving a drink hot, when it was asked to be made iced, or visa versa. It's an easy thing to mess up, as whoever was working the register may have not heard the order correctly, possibly forgot to press a button, or was dealing with a long line of other people and got distracted or confused. You just have to apologize for the mistake and let them know that you'll remake the drink for them, and you either have those who understand or those who don't, there is no in between.

I remember the first time I messed up a drink, it was one of my first times working on the bar and everything was still new to me. I made a latte hot when the customer asked for it iced, the exact scenario stated above, at which the unhappy customer said, "You're lucky I'm patient with kids". I'm 19, and having made the decision to not go to college, get a job and pursue the things I'm passionate about feeling like a mature thing to do, but being called a "kid" in that moment took away almost all of the confidence I had.

I will never forget that, and many people can probably recall in detail their first encounter with a rude customer, but know that it won't be your last. After a while, you brush it off, because they chose to come into the shop, and it's coffee.

You didn't make a mistake during surgery, you didn't do them any physical harm, you messed up a drink order. It can be remade easily, so you learn to just say, "Oh wow, I'm so sorry about that. I'll remake it for you right now", and saying, "Thank you so much for being patient/Thank you so much for waiting", when you hand it to them, and move on.

Advice #2: There are extremely nice customers, and there are rude ones. Don't worry about it too much, it's coffee. Do what you can, and move on to the next person.

Myth #3: Being a Barista is an easy, fun job

At first, no. The idea is nice, and it's cool to watch them work, but when you first start working on bar, it's a bumpy, windy, slippery road. But eventually, it's everything you thought it was to begin with.

You don't just start working at a coffee shop and then automatically become a barista, as there are multiple steps needed to be taken prior to that title being given to you. A lot of places will have you take a couple classes related to coffee and tea tasting and actually making drinks, and then you have the barista certification.

My personal experience with becoming certified was this: I started working at my shop and about a week in, I was put on bar to start practicing making drinks. It was stressful, as I was completely freaked out by the espresso machines, the steam wands and everything else that comes with working as a barista. After about a month of constant practice, learning that lattes and cappuccinos are basically the same thing, and getting used to multi-tasking, I got the hang of it. Now, at that point I could have taken my test, gotten the certification out of the way and acquired the raise that came with the position advance, but I forgot about it and so did my managers conveniently. I worked on bar for almost three months before I became an official barista, and by that point I was so conditioned to being behind the bar that the test was a breeze.

Some people struggle a little more with learning the in and outs of the machines, multi-tasking, etc., but most of the time it's about just practice. To be honest, the courses don't really help as much as actual experience does.

Advice #3: The process of becoming a barista varies from place to place, but the idea of consistent practice being the best teacher applies everywhere. Once you get past the initial learning curve, everything becomes second nature- the mechanics, knowing measurements for drinks, the correct temperature that milk should be steamed too, etc.

Some of this may seem pretty intense or exaggerated, but it' the reality of the whole experience. At the end of the day, although it's a food service job, you're dealing with people all day, and anyone who does any type of customer service knows that it isn't always fun.

There are enough positives, though, to balance out the harsh reality of it all, as I do love working at a coffee shop and being a barista. You're around wonderful aromas constantly, you get to taste a whole bunch of delicious drinks and foods, and you almost always meet really good people.

So if you're thinking about applying for a job at a shop, consider the environment you want to be around. A more calm and chill type of shop will be one situated in a smaller town, a local shop. A more upbeat, constantly busy, high energy environment will be your more widely known shops, the chains. Secondly, know that you're going to have rude customers, people who are overly particular about their drinks. It's common, so you gotta just take it and move on. And lastly, becoming a barista takes time, and a lot of practice, so don't expect to be great at it from the start. You're learning an entirely new skill that comes with learning how to multi-task constantly while trying to remember a number of measurements and ingredient combinations. Be patient, and over time, it will just be something that comes easily to you.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was this: "Dude, don't worry about it, it's just coffee."

That changed my entire perspective and helped me cope with the stress of making drinks and dealing with people. I hope that this has helped formulate a more informed decision, from someone with personal experience, or has at least given others a new look on what it's like to work in a coffee shop.