Barista CV Examples & UK Templates

If you’re a coffee lover and a people person, then a job as a barista might just be one of the most satisfying positions you could pick. Whether you plan to work in a trendy independent coffee shop, or one of the reliable chains, might affect how you write your CV.

How do you perk up some interest via your barista CV and land an interview with your dream coffeehouse? 

Luckily, you don’t have to figure this out alone. This step-by-step guide will help you create a CV for a barista job that will leave the hiring manager with no reservations about your coffee-making expertise and customer-centric approach. 

CV guide for a barista CV

With over 170 occupation-specific CV examples for job seekers and our cutting-edge CV builder, Resume.io is an expert resource no matter your field or experience level.

This CV guide and corresponding barista CV example will cover the following:

• How to write a barista CV
• Choosing the right CV format for a barista
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your barista experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right CV design/layout

How to write a barista CV

While a barista CV needn’t be complicated, it should be well-organised. Here are the essential components to include:

• The CV header
• The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

While these CV sections will be standard no matter where you apply, the content of each should be updated to match the tone and needs of the employer. For example, if the job description has a strong emphasis on teamwork, you should provide specific examples of your team-focused approach in action across your CV.

These little tweaks might seem time-consuming, but if the competition for a position is tough, the slightest differences in how you portray yourself might just be the golden key to landing an interview. Here are some key points to bear in mind when writing your barista CV:

• Highlight your accomplishments. Instead of listing tasks, let the hiring manager know what you have achieved as a barista. For example, rather than stating that you serve drinks in a busy coffeehouse, describe how you create upwards of 300 drinks per day while ensuring an optimal customer experience at all times.
• Tailor your CV to the employer. Generic CVs tend to get passed over in favour of those tailored to a specific role and employer. Similar to adapting your approach when dealing with diverse customers, ensure your CV matches the requirements of the barista role and coffeehouse.
• Project your professionalism. Design-heavy formats might look pretty, but they can be distracting and confusing. Select a simple and professional format for your barista CV, so the hiring manager can quickly scan and find key information.
• Optimise your CV. Selecting the right keywords will ensure your CV is correctly filtered by CV scanning software and reaches the eyes of a recruiter.

Choosing the right CV format for a barista

The best CV format for a barista will likely depend on your previous experience. If you’ve worked in other professional capacities before, even if you weren’t a barista, then the reverse chronological CV format is your best option. 

This structure is preferred by hiring managers as it focuses on relevant employment history, with past roles and accomplishments listed back over a period of around 10 years. The reverse chronological format is also easier for CV scanners to process correctly.

If you don’t have any previous experience to show, you may opt for the functional CV (or skills-based CV) format. Here, your education and skills will take centre stage and you may not even include the employment history section at all. Be warned, though, hiring managers are not as keen on this structure and it can quickly make you look inexperienced. As a result, this format is recommended for first-time job seekers and students. 

Another option is the hybrid format which combines the best parts of the reverse chronological and functional CV formats. This structure places equal weight on skills and work experience, making it a good choice for career changers, job seekers with specialised skills, and established candidates with lots of relevant job experience. 

Check out our CV templates if you need some inspiration and choose the format that best suits your unique situation.

Include your contact information

Your CV header is the first thing an employer will see, so it needs to make a great first impression. Poor formatting, spelling mistakes, or incorrect information in your CV header can quickly raise a red flag for the hiring manager.   

Choose an eye-pleasing CV header that presents your full name, contact information, and job title in a clear and professional format. Make sure you use the same header design for your cover letter. By presenting your CV and cover letter as a matching pair, you’re showing your regard for cohesiveness and the finer details. 

Here’s the information you need to include in your CV header:

• Full name & title. Start with your first and last name. Underneath include the title of the role you are pursuing.
• Professional email address. Include a professional email address. Avoid using nicknames, numbers, or symbols as this can appear unprofessional.
• Phone number. List the telephone number you use the most, along with a professional voicemail message.
• Location. You don’t need to include a full address on your CV, just your location or mention that you’re open to relocation if you don’t live near the company.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth: Not expected in the UK and could lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details: Recruiters don’t need to know your marital status, number of children, your passport number, etc.

Make use of a summary

The summary of your CV — sometimes called the professional profile — is the place to make your sparkling personality shine — after all, no one likes to be handed their morning cup of java by a grumpy barista. It's the section to quickly explain all that you can bring to the coffeehouse.

Highlight your top personality traits, key skills, and work experience here. This is also one of the ATS’ favourite places to hunt for keywords, so don’t forget to include the most important ones like the name of the position and any essential experience, such as customer service skills.  

Your summary doesn’t need to be long. Stick to three or four key sentences that highlight your top personality traits, key skills, and work experience. This could include your knowledge of coffee brews and roasts, talent in latte art, and customer service skills. Reference your top soft skills too, such as communication, organisation, and multitasking.   

You will, of course, go into more detail elsewhere in your CV, but this will give hiring managers a quick insight into the value you will bring to their coffeehouse. 

You can find adaptable barista CV example summaries below:

Outline your barista work experience: career journey to date

The employment history section should pack some punch, just like a shot of espresso. Hit them with your stand-out skills and abilities as a barista, including your achievements in the coffee world. Wherever possible, add some quantifiable information to back up your accomplishments.

First, create a subheading with the name of the position, the employer, the location and dates worked. Then, add four or five concise bullet points that describe your skills and experience. Make sure your employment history section is listed in reverse chronological order, with your most recent (or current) position coming first. 

Since baristas often aren’t required to have industry-specific experience, it’s OK to list previous jobs that demonstrate customer service skills – even better if they were in the hospitality or food and beverage industry. 

Focus on actions with tangible outcomes when composing your bullet points. These are always more interesting to hiring managers than a mundane list of responsibilities, which could easily be lifted from any comparable barista job description.

• Prepared customer orders in a busy coffeehouse
• Coordinated stock and inventory levels with suppliers
• Managed and supervised barista staff

Instead, be a refreshing change to the norm. Offer insight into what you can achieve by describing positive results, such as: 

• Created upwards of 400 drinks per day, while engaging with customers to ensure an excellent coffeehouse experience.
• Developed a full understanding of coffee culture and provided guests with insightful advice on beverage and food pairing.
• Provided motivational leadership, training, and support to the 30-member barista team.

Take a look at the barista employment history CV sample below:

How to write a barista CV with no experience

If you lack direct experience as a barista, your CV needs to convince hiring managers to give you a chance. Working as a barista is often fast-paced, so being customer-centric, efficient, and quality-focused is the message that you need to send to spark some interest. 

Detail any relevant part-time jobs or work experience that you can relate to the role of a barista in the work experience section of your CV. Reference any tangible achievements in these roles and how they have enhanced your customer service and time management skills as well as your knowledge of the tea and coffee world.

Your education and extracurricular activities can also provide transferable skills that relate to working as a barista. Teamwork, communication, and leadership skills can be enhanced via group projects, delivering presentations, or acting as captain of a sports team for example.

When you see an interesting barista job posting but have no direct experience, it can be easy to rule yourself out. However, many employers are moving towards skills-based hiring, so unless you’re wildly inexperienced, it’s definitely worth a shot with a powerful CV in hand. 

Include the relevant key skills that make a great barista CV

The CV skills section might seem like the easiest part to write, but it’s worth taking a moment of reflection before brain-dumping all your attributes here. Since you only get a word or two to describe each ability, make sure to choose clear examples of your strengths and knowledge. 

Carefully check the job description and add in employer-requested hard skills and soft skills here, since this is one of the ATS’ best chances to pick up on keywords. 

If you’re wondering how best to outline your skills, check out our CV builder which provides examples of key skills with proficiency levels you can adjust. You can also include your own unique skills too.

Here’s what the skills box looks like in our barista CV template. 

Skills are easy to list, but tangible evidence is much more interesting. When writing your barista CV, always think of examples to back up what you are stating. Link each key skill to a specific situation and positive outcome. 

For example, in your professional profile and work experience sections, highlight your: 

• Customer service by explaining how you have consistently exceeded customer satisfaction and quality performance targets as a barista.
• Product knowledge by demonstrating your role in offering expert advice and proactively upselling and cross-selling F&B products.
• Teamwork and leadership by describing your success working alone and as a team player in a busy coffeehouse, including deputising for the team leader as required.

Interviewers will be interested in hearing about your barista skills in action once you move to the next stage of the recruitment process. So, by raising these points, you’ll be ahead of the game.

Detail your education & relevant barista certifications

While baristas aren’t generally required to complete formal training, the education section of your CV gives a hiring manager valuable insight into your background and overall goals. 

List any degrees or diplomas in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent. Include the name of the institution, dates attended, and location. If you’re currently completing a degree, include this information with an expected completion date. 

Beyond your degree, this section is a great opportunity to list any training and professional development activities as these will be of great interest to hiring managers. Courses and training in customer service, coffee art, barista skills and brewing, food hygiene, or team leadership show your commitment to professional development.

Check out the education section from our adaptable CV sample below:

Pick the right CV layout and design for a barista CV

The layout and design of your CV can have more of an impact than you might think. Many candidates will apply with the same skills and personality traits, so any applicant who stands out in terms of professionalism can easily move to the forefront of the hiring manager’s mind.

Your barista CV layout and design needn’t be complicated — in fact, simple is usually better. It should, however, be attractive, neat, and easy to read. Make sure to use the same font styles throughout the CV and a balance of white space to text to avoid visual fatigue for the reader.

We recommend a modern format with clear sections, professional font, and use of colour splashes sparingly. The barista CV sample here follows these principles and uses a two-column format which is visually appealing and also maximises valuable space. 

It’s not always easy to get your CV design right the first time, but with the help of our tried and tested CV templates, you should be able to create your very own masterpiece with ease.

Barista text-only CV example

Barista job market and outlook

Coffee culture has become increasingly popular in the UK, despite the negative impact of the cost of living crisis. According to the Tea and Coffee Journal, the UK branded coffee shop market achieved 9.2% sales growth to reach £5.3 billion in the past year.

The UK’s coffee market has had a significant and beneficial influence on employment in the UK, creating more than 200,000 jobs, with barista jobs predicted to grow by 0.3% by 2027. 

Key takeaways for building a barista CV

Working as a barista is an ideal role if you’re a people person. Strong communication skills and the ability to work under pressure are usually expected, and perhaps specific industry experience too. To land the best barista gigs, showcase your skill set and tailor your CV as much as possible to the specific role and coffeehouse, using the job description as your guide.

Use our online CV builder to create a powerful CV and streamline the application process, enabling you to move forward quickly as you start or advance your career as a barista.