How to Answer: What is your greatest strength and weakness as a barista?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Starbucks job interview.
5. What is your greatest strength and weakness as a barista?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Demonstrate self-awareness by sharing with your interviewer what sets you apart as a barista and what you have been working on improving. As always, when it comes to weaknesses, make sure to put a positive spin on your answer that highlights your problem-solving abilities.
Examples of strengths include:
- Speed/efficiency with beverage and food preparation
-Friendliness and excellent customer service skills
- Ability to work well in a team and communicate effectively with coworkers
Examples of weaknesses that won't blow your chance of getting the job include:
- You're new to the food and beverage industry and have some learning to do
- You haven't received formal coffee training
Written by Rachel Hills on July 28th, 2021
Answer Example
"My greatest strength as a barista is my ability to connect with customers through a smile, a short conversation, or providing a personalized recommendation that fits what they're looking for. I really enjoy working in a customer-facing role. Something I've been working on as a barista is improving the efficiency with which I prepare drink orders. While I know that I prepare drinks in an acceptable allotment of time, I'm working to make them even quicker so that I can do my part to help busy lines move faster. To do so in my current position, I've been looking at a timer when making a drink so that I'm aware of how long certain drinks tend to take me. I then focus on shaving a few seconds off through increased organization and concentration."
Written by Rachel Hills on July 28th, 2021