Barista Like a BA: What I've Learned From Taking a Step Back

When people ask me if I like being a barista, my response is always, wholeheartedly, yes. Life threw a curveball at me last August when I started this position, yet I haven’t looked back. There are a lot of reasons that spark the enthusiasm to bring me into work everyday, aside from the free coffee that courses through my veins, and I’ve finally nailed it down to two key lessons I’ve come to learn about myself and the environment in which I thrive.

Firstly, I’ve grown to appreciate the importance of a well-oiled machine - not literally, but in terms of the people you surround yourself with. As a barista, one of the first things you learn is that almost every task is more efficiently executed in a team. In such a rapid customer environment, it’s crucial that coffee is delivered accurately and on time, which requires lots of hands on deck. Building rapport with my co-workers to develop trust, understanding, and communication is something I value, in part, because my barista experience has proven how worthwhile healthy teamwork can be.

Secondly, I’ve found a greater appreciation for the process. I used to be so hyper-focused on the final product or end result, and that can be easy to do when you feel like the most important task is to quickly deliver coffee, but the fine tuned mechanisms really do matter. For a barista, even the angle at which you pour espresso shots can make the difference between a mediocre and kick*ss cup of coffee. These small details of the process may seem tedious and trivial to some, but for me, it’s what’s important.

Ultimately, these skills go beyond the four walls of my local coffee shop, and they have given me a reason to genuinely take a step back and re-evaluate what’s important in my professional career. This fun break from my series of desk jobs has given me a new outlook on my post-graduate job search, and I look forward to bringing these fresh soft skills into the workforce.

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With love, BA♡