Barista Interview & Trial Shift Evaluation

Purpose

Use these two evaluation forms during the barista hiring process: one for the in-person interview (60–90 min) and one for each paid trial shift (2–3 shifts). Print one sheet per candidate per stage.

Printable PDF — click below to download:

The full hiring process — where this fits

This document covers Phase 4 and Phase 5. The complete process, start to finish:

1. Phase 1 — Sourcing: post the role, surface and tag candidates

2. Phase 2 — Initial Screen: review the application, send the async one-way pre-interview

3. Phase 3 — Pre-interview Review: watch submissions, advance or decline

4. Phase 4 — In-Person Interview: 60–90 min — bar practical + culture fit (this doc)

5. Phase 5 — Trial Shifts & Events: 2–3 paid trial shifts, plus a trial event for catering roles (this doc)

6. Phase 6 — Decision & Offer: debrief, reference check, written offer

7. Phase 7 — Onboarding: 7shifts / Dripos / payroll setup, first trained shift, 30-day check-in

Phase 4 — In-Person Interview (60–90 min)

Session Flow

1. Work history (brief) — 10 min — why coffee, why now, why here

2. Availability + logistics — 5 min — weekends, opens, reliable transit

3. Bar practical — 35–40 min — shots + narration · 3–4 menu drinks under light pressure · 2–3 live orders from real customers (watch rapport, recall, and composure with a stranger) · 5–10 min solo unsupervised task list · describe an unfamiliar drink · curveball recovery (bad pull / wrong grind / broken milk)

4. Conversation / culture — 20–25 min — worst rush · the unhappy customer · what they do when it goes quiet · self-improvement at the bar · what they drink

5. Their questions — 5 min — good questions are a signal, not a formality

Scoring Dimensions (1–5)

• Speed & Efficiency — 1: hurried but flustered, wasted motion · 5: economical and unhurried, steady output, never frantic

• Warmth / Rapport — 1: flat, transactional, room stays cold · 5: easy and genuine, room warms up

• Curiosity — 1: only answers what's asked · 5: asks sharp questions, digs into the why

• Composure Under Pressure — 1: rattled by curveball, freezes or blames gear · 5: diagnoses calmly, recovers cleanly

• Self-Direction / Initiative — 1: stalls on solo task, waits to be told · 5: reads the situation, prioritizes well

• Coffee Knowledge — 1: surface-level, shaky on origins/dial-in · 5: real intuition, reasons about grind and extraction

• Communication / Storytelling — 1: hard to follow, can't narrate · 5: clear and engaging, tells a story you remember

• Culture Fit — 1: values or energy clash · 5: takes ownership, brings warmth and calm

Phase 5 — Trial Shifts (2–3 paid)

Shift Schedule

• Shift 1 — mid-week, moderately busy: baseline and first impression; how they navigate an unfamiliar setup

• Shift 2 — Saturday peak rush: real pressure, real pace — the truth serum. First shift is adrenaline; this one shows who they actually are.

• Shift 3 (optional) — slower period: downtime behavior; self-directed prep and cleaning without being told

Scoring Dimensions (1–5)

• Pace — 1: dead time or panic, loses the rhythm · 5: moves with purpose, stays ahead, never frantic

• Bar Skills — 1: inconsistent shots/milk, messy station · 5: consistent, clean, holds technique even when slammed

• Customer Interaction — 1: waits to be approached, minimal, forgettable · 5: initiates warmly, makes it personal, leaves them remembered

• Attitude (when it goes sideways) — 1: sours, deflects, or shuts down · 5: stays light, owns mistakes, gets better under stress

• Self-Direction — 1: stands around when not told what to do · 5: finds the next useful thing — prep, restock, clean — without being asked

Decision Logic

One shift is not enough unless it's a clear no. Two shifts is the right default. Three if there's genuine ambiguity after shift 2. No assigned buddy — they'll share the shift with whoever is on.