Making Yourself the Perfect Candidate
Do an online search to find information about the company. It’s important to learn as much about Starbucks as you can. Go online and read both older and newer news articles about Starbucks, company press releases, and any interviews with higher-ups or the CEO. Go to the Starbucks website and click around that as well.
Read the Starbucks mission statement. You can find the mission statement by going to this page: https://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/mission-statement. Read it several times and take notes. Notice keywords and highlight the actions the company values. Try to memorize a few of these keywords and plan to bring them up in any interviews you get. You can explain how the company’s core values match your own.
Visit your local Starbucks and ask lots of questions. Immerse yourself in the culture of Starbucks. Observe what patrons like about the shops. During an off-hour, ask the manager and workers about new and popular products, seasonal deals and promotions, working for the company, and their advice for a potential new employee. When talking to workers, you can ask questions like: “What do you think customers like most about Starbucks?” “Which baked goods and drinks do people order most often and least often?” and “What do you think is the most important thing a new Starbucks worker should know?”
Read books about Starbucks to get to know the company. Purchase books about Starbucks online or at a bookstore, or go to the local library. Spend some time with these books and take notes. You can bring up key points in your application and/or interview. Look for Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul and Pour Your Heart into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time, both by former CEO and current executive chairman Howard Schultz.
Check out the competition. Starbucks competes with local coffee shops and regional franchises, as well as fellow multinational producer, Dunkin Donuts. Do research on international, national, and local competitors to see how Starbucks is stacking up. To go the extra mile in your interview, come up with some ideas about how Starbucks could be even more competitive in your area.
Appreciate coffee even if you don’t drink it. Above all, Starbucks is a coffee shop. You don’t need to love the taste of coffee to understand that there’s a whole culture around drinking, enjoying, and relaxing over a cup of coffee. Recognizing (and spreading) the joy of coffee-drinking is key to being a good Starbucks worker. And don’t forget tea and hot chocolate! There are many hot drinks you can choose to embrace.
Brush up on your leadership skills. Starbucks values creativity and innovation. Company leaders like it when their employees come up with bold new ideas to make Starbucks better. You can be a good leader by thinking about ways to improve on something that’s already great through teamwork and dedication. Putting yourself in this frame of mind will prepare you for any interview or application questions about why leadership is important, what your core values are, or how to make the Starbucks product better.
Looking for Opportunities
Visit the Starbucks Career Page online. The best way to browse through all of Starbucks’ available jobs is by going to: https://www.starbucks.com/careers. You can look for jobs in stores or at the corporate offices. Be sure to specify what kind of job you’re looking for in the search terms. If you’re hoping to work in a store, you’ll be applying for one of seven positions: barista, shift supervisor, shift manager, assistant store manager, store manager, district manager, and regional director. If you’ve never worked at a coffee shop before, start as a barista and work your way up to more management-level jobs. On the corporate side, Starbucks hires people to work in public relations, human resources, marketing, on their legal team, and in several other position categories. If you’ve already got the education and/or experience, go for these higher-up jobs.
Check LinkedIn to find recruiters in your area. If you don’t already have a LinkedIn profile, now is the perfect time to make one! Navigate to Starbucks’ LinkedIn page and look for recruiters that are located near you. “Connect” with them to send a personal message. In your message, say something like: “Hi! I’m an experienced barista interested in working for Starbucks, and I’m hoping you may be able to tell me if you know about any opportunities in Miami. Thanks!”
Visit your local Starbucks shop for retail jobs. Especially if you’re interested in working in stores, finding a job opening could be as easy as talking to the manager when you order your coffee. During a time that’s not too busy, ask if you can talk to a supervisor about job openings. If you start this conversation during the “rush hour,” such as the morning coffee grab, workers may get frustrated with you. Start your relationship with the shop on the right foot by going at an off-time, such as the mid-afternoon. Say: “Hi there, I’m Suzy. I’m hoping to apply to work here. Do you have any open positions? Can I take an application home with me? Thanks!”
Use Twitter to find corporate job announcements. Like other big companies, Starbucks relies on social media, especially Twitter, to spread the word about open jobs. They’ll especially do this to get a lot of cool applicants for exciting corporate jobs. Follow Starbucks on Twitter and check out their Tweets daily or weekly to keep tabs on them. You can also follow the company on Facebook and Instagram, although Twitter will be the first place they’ll post about big-deal job opportunities. For corporate jobs, you may need to have a bachelor’s degree, or a lot of relevant experience in the corporate world.
Go online to find regional job fairs. Job fairs are events where local and big-name companies, including Starbucks, come together with folks looking for jobs to recruit new workers. Often, job fairs will be sponsored and announced by your local or state governments. Contact your local government officials to see if there are any scheduled in your area. Bring your resume to any job fairs you attend and search for the Starbucks booth. Wear nice slacks, a clean and unwrinkled button-down, and a blazer or sweater.
Attend military job fairs if you’re connected to the service. Starbucks makes a special effort to hire veterans and military spouses. If you fall into these categories, contact local or national veteran or military spouses’ groups to find out when the next military job fair is happening in your area.
Apply online or in person for your chosen position. Once you’ve found the opportunities that appeal to you, fill out your application and send it in. Provide your basic contact information, including current address and phone number. Be prepared to answer questions about yourself, your employment history, and why you’re the right person for the job. Starbucks will likely run a background check on you, so be honest on the application.
Interviewing and Accepting the Position
Bring a resume to your interview. Don’t make the mistake of coming to the interview unprepared. Bringing your resume with you makes you look professional and organized. Handing over a polished resume also highlights your writing and editing skills. It’s also not a bad idea to bring along a cover letter.
Dress in business casual clothing. Wear clothes that make it look like you’re taking this interview seriously. Avoid denim, ripped clothing, or graphic t-shirts. Don’t wear anything that’s wrinkled or stained. A good bet is ironed slacks or khakis, a nice button-down, and a blazer or sweater. Starbucks does appreciate artsiness and individuality, so you can make this outfit your own by wearing bright colors or adding unique jewelry.
Keep your answers short and to-the-point. Don’t ramble and tell the interviewer your whole life story in response to a simple question. Keep your answers to about two or three minutes long, so that the interviewer can ask follow-up questions. Be polite, detailed, and specific.
Be prepared to talk about your strengths and weaknesses. Just like any other interview, you’ll be asked about what makes you a strong candidate. You’ll also be asked if you have any weaknesses. Prepare for these questions ahead of time, as they’re surely coming. Avoid repeating clichés. Don’t say: “I’m a perfectionist, which is my strength and my weakness.” The interviewer has heard this a million times. Do say something like: “I consider the fact that I find joy in making other people happy my greatest strength. This means that I throw myself into work, which can be considered a weakness sometimes.”
Bring a few questions to ask your interviewer. Having questions ready shows that you’ve spent time preparing for the interview. It also demonstrates that you care about the job enough to spend some extra time getting more information from an experienced employee. Ask questions like “What do you value most in an employee?” or follow up on something that interested you about the application form. Avoid asking if you got the job. You should also wait until the interviewer brings up the salary to discuss it.
Send a thank-you note if it’s unique. If you connected with your interviewer or you want to follow up on something the two of you talked about, go ahead and write a note. If you’re just sending a generic “Thanks!,” skip it. You want to stand out from the crowd, not blend in. Sending a form note likely won’t hurt or help your chances of getting the position.
Accept your chosen position. After your interview, Starbucks could take a while to get back to you. Follow up with your interviewer if you haven’t heard anything after two weeks. Once they call, graciously accept the position and get ready to go to work! If it turns out you didn’t get the job, be polite and thankful. Ask if your interviewer would be willing to give you some pointers for future applications. Say: “I appreciate you taking the time to interview me and to update me on the status of the job. Would you be willing to talk about what I could do to improve my chances in the future?”
Look for advancement opportunities. Lots of Starbucks employees are promoted from retail to corporate jobs. If you get a job in stores and are interested in the corporate side, show that you’re dedicated and hard-working. In a few years, look for higher-level jobs that suit your interests and lifestyle. If you’re a student, you should also check out Starbucks’ College Achievement Plan. You may be eligible for help with your tuition! Be sure to explore in-company internships as well.
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