Starbucks Interview Questions and How to Get a Job Tips (2024)

How to Get a Job at Starbucks

How Long Does it Take Starbucks to Hire?

While the exact length of the Starbucks hiring process varies depending on store location and the applicant's desired position, it takes most successful job seekers less than a week to submit their work form, receive a callback and attend an interview. Some prospects even make it through the entire process in as little as two or three days.

Most aspiring employees prefer to fill out and submit their job applications on the company website. However, some Starbucks locations hold open-house hiring events and company-sponsored job fairs to recruit new workers. Those who deliver paper copies of their resumes and applications in person may be able to get through the hiring process more quickly than those who submit their forms online.

What Should I Expect at a Starbucks Interview?

After Starbucks hiring managers review all the applications and resumes they receive and select the best candidates, successful job seekers can expect the company to reach out via email or over the phone to set up an interview. Hopefuls who apply to work as baristas may experience a different interview process than those who've applied to be shift managers.

In Person Interviews

A face-to-face meeting with a store manager is the second step of the Starbucks hiring process. Candidates meet with the interviewer in-store and answer questions about their work history, job-related skills and personality traits that could benefit the company. Typically, these casual yet professional conversations take between 15 minutes and an hour.

Multiple Face to Face Interviews

Hopefuls looking for a management position must attend an in-person meeting with a Starbucks hiring manager as well. However, while entry-level hopefuls can expect a single meeting with a single manager, an aspiring manager usually sits through multiple interviews. After an initial screening with a panel of store supervisors, these job seekers attend a one-on-one meeting with a district manager.

Background Check

What Do they Ask at Starbucks Interviews?

While the exact Starbucks interview questions vary across different stores, hiring personnel typically asks questions about:

Your strengths and weaknesses
Your expectations of the Starbucks work environment
How well you work as part of a team
Your ability to work in fast-paced settings
Any experience you have in customer service, working with cash registers, preparing foods and making coffee and other beverages

Some Starbucks barista interview questions often touch on career aspirations. For example, hiring managers might ask:

“Do you see yourself working with Starbucks in five years?”
"How will this position help you long-term?"

What does Starbucks Look for When Hiring?

As one of the most popular international coffeehouse chains in the world, Starbucks prefers to hire well-rounded job seekers who can help maintain the company's positive reputation. To make a good impression on hiring managers, candidates should display interpersonal traits such as:

Teamwork and Communication Skills

Starbucks managers strive to create close-knit work environments where employees can feel comfortable and enjoy their shifts. Making drinks and taking orders in a fast-paced setting can be difficult, so being able to work well with others is an essential part of maintaining a calm and efficient atmosphere.

Strong Customer Service Skills

Workers should also demonstrate a friendly disposition and a genuine passion for helping others. Managers encourage employees to establish a rapport with regular customers to help them feel cheerful and relaxed. Showing that you are willing to go above and beyond to provide excellent service is a great way to impress Starbucks hiring personnel.

How Do I Prepare for a Starbucks Interview?

According to the Starbucks interview tips on the company’s website, applicants should visit their local Starbucks café to observe daily operations. Seeing how the baristas and managers perform their duties before you apply is a smart way to gauge whether you would be a good fit for the job.

Reviewing information like the company mission statement and community involvement initiatives can also prepare you for your Starbucks interview. Familiarizing yourself with the brand and asking a few questions about future endeavors can show hiring managers that you are enthusiastic about gaining employment with Starbucks.

What to Wear to a Starbucks Interview

A Starbucks interview outfit should include comfortable yet professional clothing. Formal and fashionable options like dress slacks, knee-length skirts and wrinkle-free, button-down tops are ideal for Starbucks interviews. Well-groomed applicants that exude confidence make a great impression on Starbucks hiring managers.

Starbucks Interview Video

Video Transcript

Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties?
Starbucks Employee: I was a crew member. I worked on the weekends because I was in school at the time. I mainly went in when people called off work and they needed someone. At the time I was 16, turning 17, so I was in school full-time. So I would go in and do tables, take orders, cashier, clean up after people, just the regular crew member kind of stuff.

Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Starbucks Employee: It was fast paced. It was busy. Where I worked was kind of like Belden, it was like a bigger city. There were a lot of people coming in. I never worked in the mornings, so I didn’t get the morning “go to work” rush. It wasn’t as bad. It was mainly between 4 to around 6. So, it was slow-paced sometimes, but sometimes you get people right after school that go to Starbucks to hang out and stuff like that.

Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Starbucks Employee: The people. They were nice people. You get to see different people every day and just getting to know people and seeing different personalities of the people coming in.

Interviewer: Please describe a typical day.
Starbucks Employee: Typical day, you check in, start your job. Sometimes you have downtime, sometimes you don’t. But when you do have downtime, you have to find things to do to make the process faster to get everything done. Sometimes, even though I only closed twice, that was probably the worst thing ever. You have to count for everything; count your register, make sure all your money is set, make sure everything is good to go. Then you take the trash out to the dumpster. I remember one time I was being rushed and actually forgot to take the garbage out. I took it out, but I didn’t take it out to the dumpster. So I got in trouble for that. Besides that, it wasn’t that bad, actually.

Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Starbucks Employee: Application, you put your regular name, date, age, social security number, previous employers, availability, signature, and consent for all that stuff. Then, it asks for references. And the actual interview was regular interview style. You come in, talk to the hiring manager. “Why do you want to work here?”, “What time are you available?”, “Where have you worked before?”, “Can I call previous managers?”, “What goals and skills do you have that can better your experience here?”, “What skills do you have that can improve the work area?”, “What can you offer?”, “Why should we take you in?”, “Why should we employ you?”, just basic stuff like that.

Interviewer: What should an applicant wear to the interview?
Starbucks Employee: I definitely wouldn’t wear something like a dress suit for a business meeting or something, but then also jeans are not acceptable to me. Something in between like a casual formal kind of thing, not too dressy but also not too simple, like you were going to school or something.

Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the interview?
Starbucks Employee: They did throw some random questions in there. I feel like those questions were for personality reasons. Even if you applied to Starbucks online, they make you take this personality test afterwards, and some of the questions I didn’t like because they were repetitive. They would ask you: “What’s your personality like?”, “Are you a nice person?” They give scenarios, like: “If you’ve had a bad day, how do you react? Do you take it out on other workers, or do you continue your day as normal?” Or, “If you see another worker who is down or sad, do you go up to them, ask them what’s wrong, and see if you can help, or do you just continue about your business?” Another question would be: “A worker is slacking, do you pick up the work for them, do you report them to the manager, or do you just go on like you didn’t see anything happen?” and stuff like that. But the actual face-to-face interview, they would ask questions about family, how school is going, just things that aren’t related to the job but related to you, so they can get a better idea of who you are and stuff like that.

Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Starbucks Employee: The time that I was available and that I was willing to work when others weren’t. So, somebody would call off or had a sudden emergency. I had nothing to do, so I would take the position for them and fill in for that day.

Interviewer: What other advice would you give someone looking for employment?
Starbucks Employee: Just to be open, be honest when you go to the interview. What I did was I called every day. Not every day but once a week – let them know that sure, I’m still interested in the job. Because the more interest you show, the more likely you are getting the job. Like, if you just call once and say, “Hey, I’m still interested,” but then never call again, they think that maybe you lost interest and you don’t want the job anymore. So, I would call once a week and ask to speak to the hiring manager. If they aren’t there, ask when they are available, and if they don’t pick up or don’t say when they are available, keep calling until you can actually get in contact with the hiring manager and speak and tell them how interested you are with the job and your availability and when you’re open. Just always tell them when you are available because that’s the main thing they’re looking for. If it doesn’t fit their schedule, then they’re not going to give you the job.