Why the coffee industry — and why now?
The specialty coffee world offers a wide range of careers: front-of-house barista roles, hands-on roasting positions, management and operations roles in cafés, and marketing or e-commerce jobs for roasters and brands. Whether you want to turn a weekend passion into full-time work or grow into a leadership role, employers are hiring across every level. Evidence from industry job boards and trade outlets shows a steady demand for specialized coffee roles — from entry-level baristas to production roasters.
What employers are REALLY looking for (by role)
Baristas — the balance of craft and service
For baristas, hiring managers look for a mix of hard and soft skills: dependable customer service, consistent drink quality, speed under pressure, basic espresso and milk-texturing technique, and a positive attitude that fits the café culture. Employers also prize communication and teamwork because a busy shift depends on coordinated bar flow. Practical experience helps, but strong customer-service examples and eagerness to learn can outweigh formal credentials.
Coffee roasters — technical consistency and sensory language
Roasting roles require technical competence (roaster controls, thermal profiles, mechanical maintenance), reliable cupping and sensory evaluation, and a record of consistent batch-to-batch quality. Many roasters start as assistant roasters or in production roles, gradually learning profile development, green-bean sourcing, and QC procedures. Employers often list experience with specific roasters or roasting software as desirable.
Café / store managers — leadership, operations, people
Managers shoulder scheduling, training, inventory, vendor relations, P&L awareness and customer recovery. Strong candidates show they can coach staff, improve operational efficiency, and keep a consistent customer experience while increasing sales. Examples that quantify impact — 'reduced waste by 12%' or 'improved morning throughput by 20%' — go a long way.
Coffee marketing & e-commerce — storytelling + analytics
Roles in coffee marketing blend brand storytelling (origin stories, sustainability messaging) with digital skills (social media, email, paid campaigns, analytics). Employers look for people who can translate technical coffee knowledge into consumer-facing stories while demonstrating measurable campaign results.
How to write a coffee-specific resume that gets you interviews
Translate general experience into coffee-relevant achievements. Use a two-part approach: (1) quick, skimmable credentials at the top (role, location, 1–2 line summary), and (2) bulletized achievements that show impact.
- Headline & summary: a one-line label like
Experienced Barista • Latte Art • POS & Inventory. - Skills section: list relevant technical skills (espresso machine models, roast profiling, cupping, POS systems, inventory software, social analytics).
- Achievements, not tasks: 'Trained 6 new hires; reduced order times by 18%' reads better than 'trained new staff.'
- Certifications & training: include SCA modules, food safety certificates, or internal roaster training. If you have cupping or SCA training, put it near the top.
- Portfolio links: for marketing roles, link to social accounts, campaigns, or sample content. For roasters, link to roast logs or cupping notes if available.
Where to find coffee industry openings (smart hunting)
Use a mix of specialty coffee job boards, general hiring platforms, and direct outreach to local roasters/cafés:
- Specialist boards: CoffeeJobsBoard, PDG Jobs, Sprudge Jobs and Coffee Industry Jobs focus on café and roastery roles. These are excellent for targeted searches.
- General job sites: Indeed, LinkedIn and industry sections of job sites still list many corporate roles (coffee brands, supply chain, marketing).
- Local outreach: visit your favorite cafés, ask about upcoming roles, and follow local roasters on social media — many hires still happen via word-of-mouth.
- Company career pages: if there's a roaster or brand you love, check their careers page and sign up for alerts.
How to present yourself in interviews and on shift trials
During interviews or trial shifts, show curiosity, reliability, and preparation:
- Bring a short, specific coffee story: a roast you liked, a technique you learned, or a customer moment you solved.
- Demonstrate safe, steady bar flow: keep the station tidy, communicate clearly, and show you can multi-task.
- For roaster interviews: bring roast logs, cupping notes, or examples of profiles you've worked on.
- For managerial roles: be ready to discuss staff development examples and a basic plan for your first 30/60/90 days.
Pitching yourself to employers — email and message templates
Keep outreach short and specific: 1–2 lines about who you are, one achievement, and a clear call to action (asking for a trial shift or short chat). Example:
Hi [Name], I'm a barista with 2 years' experience (morning rushes, POS + milk-texturing). I'd love to discuss a trial shift — I helped reduce drink time by 15% at my current café. Are you taking on junior baristas this month?
Where to put your job search energy (prioritized list)
- Targeted specialty boards and roaster/café career pages.
- LinkedIn for managerial and marketing roles (optimize your headline and network with regional roasters).
- Direct in-person outreach and trial shifts — still invaluable for entry-level café roles.
- Industry-focused networking (events, local cuppings, and barista competitions) for long-term career moves.
Where Talyti fits in
If you want a centralized place to scan hospitality and niche industry listings as you apply, consider checking curated job boards. For example, many job seekers use industry-specific boards alongside general platforms — you can also find curated and targeted openings on job platforms like Talyti, which aggregates hospitality and industry-specific roles to help you surface suitable coffee positions quickly.
Final checklist before you apply
- Resume tailored to the role (technical skills + 2–3 quantified achievements).
- One-line pitch for messages (email/DM) and a short story for interviews.
- Up-to-date references or work samples (roast logs, social posts, videos of latte art).
- Active search across at least one specialty board, LinkedIn, and direct local outreach.
Landing the right coffee job is a mix of craft, storytelling and targeted search. If you approach hiring managers with clear examples of impact, and use both niche coffee job boards and local outreach, you'll greatly increase your chances of getting that dream role — whether it's behind the espresso machine, in the roastery, or building a brand's voice on social media.