Baristas prepare or serve specialty coffee or other beverages. Serve food such as baked goods or sandwiches to patrons.

  • Receive and process customer payments.
  • Prepare or serve hot or cold beverages, such as coffee, espresso drinks, blended coffees, or teas.
  • Take customer orders and convey them to other employees for preparation.
  • Clean or sanitize work areas, utensils, or equipment.
  • Describe menu items to customers or suggest products that might appeal to them.
  • Clean service or seating areas.
  • Serve prepared foods, such as muffins, biscotti, or bagels.
  • Prepare or serve menu items, such as sandwiches or salads.
  • Set up or restock product displays.
  • Weigh, grind, or pack coffee beans for customers.
  • Stock customer service stations with paper products or beverage preparation items.
  • Wrap, label, or date food items for sale.
  • Provide customers with product details, such as coffee blend or preparation descriptions.
  • Take out garbage.
  • Order, receive, or stock supplies or retail products.
  • Slice fruits, vegetables, desserts, or meats for use in food service.
  • Check temperatures of freezers, refrigerators, or heating equipment to ensure proper functioning.
  • Demonstrate the use of retail equipment, such as espresso machines.
  • Create signs to advertise store products or events.
Work Context
  • Spend Time Standing — 89% responded "Continually or almost continually".
  • Contact With Others — 87% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 75% responded "Continually or almost continually".
  • Deal With External Customers — 71% responded "Extremely important".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 71% responded "Every day".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 56% responded "Extremely important".
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 42% responded "More than half the time".
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Work Activities
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
  • Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Serve food or beverages.
  • Prepare hot or cold beverages.
  • Clean food service areas.
  • Clean tableware.
  • Clean food service areas.
  • Assess equipment functioning.
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Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

Skills

Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation
  • Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness
  • Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
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Abilities

Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Clarity
  • The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition
  • The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology
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Education

Get started on your career:

Job Outlook

New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
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