Barista
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
Overview
BaristaAt Costa Coffee by Sim Trava, we want to inspire the world to love great coffee, just as much as our partner, Costa Coffee.Sim Trava is a family run business on the hunt for hardworking, ambitious, happy, and loyal people to join our team, if that sounds like you, youre probably just what were looking for.We want to recruit people that are proud to work for us, because a happy team equals happy customers. We know that our people are the most important part of our business, so we strive to create a working environment.A bit about the roleDay to day, youll be making coffee, at speed, while chatting to our customers. This role isnt for the faint hearted as its fast paced from open until close. But dont let that put you off as we will give you a complete and robust training & development plan, so you have all the skills needed to deliver the perfect cup of coffee, every time.
What's involved?
- Crafting great coffee while taking time to get to know our customers by name.
- Serving customers with a smile so they walk away happy and excited about their next visit.
- Soaking up all there is to know about Costa products we do more than coffee.
- Working with your team to maintain health & safety and cleanliness across the store.
- Most importantly, can you engage with the rest of the team and customers to have fun and build the stores reputation as the only place to go.
A bit about you
A passion for coffee and people is just the start of what were looking for. So, what else makes a great Barista?
- A positive outlook, can-do attitude, and bags of personality
- A passion for delivering excellence in everything you do, even whilst working under pressure.
- The communication skills to strike up a good conversation with our customers daily.
- A hard-working attitude and multi-tasking skills.
What we can offer
8 hours Were really proud of the work our team members deliver, and we want you to feel valued and rewarded with great perks and benefits:
- Starting pay of £12.71 per hour rising to £13.43 after training.
- STAR rewards, exchange your points on our online shopping platform.
- More Star points awarded on your birthday, work milestone, promotion or just because you went above and beyond.
- Free handmade drinks plus 50% discount on food and bottled drinks while at work.
- Sim Trava Pension Scheme.
- Wellbeing support with Employee Assistance Program.
- Commitment to you and your Individual training, a plan tailored to your requirements.
- Encouragement to develop into different roles within Sim Trava.
A bit about us
Sim Trava was formed in 2005 by Simon and Tracy Vardy from the basement of their Altrincham home, and their first store opened that same year on October 17th in Northwich, Cheshire. The original plan was to open 5 stores in 5 years, however that milestone was achieved much sooner and by 2010 we had 10 Costa Coffee stores in and around the Cheshire/Manchester area.
Fast forward to 2021 when we celebrated our 40th new store opening in Fallowfield, Manchester. Following this Sim Trava was honoured to be selected to be the first franchise to purchase existing stores from equity. We acquired 17 stores, located across the Preston, Blackpool, and Southport region. In 2025 Sim Trava expanded again with the purchase of 21 existing stores from a franchise partner bringing our store count to 80, and we have no plans to slow down.
For any reasonable adjustments and general queries please
*This role is for a store owned by one of our franchise partners, their hiring process, salary and benefits may vary from those within a wholly owned Costa store advert.
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Lead your CV with a Personal Statement that explicitly mentions barista or coffee-making experience, as the advert places coffee crafting at the core of the role.
📊 Quantify your customer service experience: e.g. "Served 150+ customers per shift during peak weekend hours, maintaining a 95% positive feedback score".
🎯 Highlight any food hygiene or health and safety knowledge (e.g. Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate) as the advert specifically calls out H&S and cleanliness responsibilities.
🤝 Include a concrete example of team collaboration in a fast-paced hospitality or retail setting, as Sim Trava emphasises team culture and store reputation.
🌐 Mention any product knowledge or upselling experience relevant to food and beverage, since the advert notes Costa does "more than coffee" and expects staff to know the full product range.
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Prepared 120+ espresso-based drinks per shift during peak periods, maintaining consistent quality and reducing average wait time to under 3 minutes.
- •Upheld Level 2 Food Hygiene standards across all workstation areas, contributing to a 5-star food safety rating retained across 4 consecutive inspections.
- •Upsold seasonal food and beverage items to 30% of customers daily by leveraging in-depth product knowledge, increasing average transaction value by £1.40.
Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.
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We've drafted a cover letter for Costa Coffee. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.
Letter preview — tailored to Costa Coffee
Dear Hiring Manager,
Costa Coffee's reputation for handcrafted drinks and genuine customer connection is exactly the environment I want to work in — which is why the Barista role at Sim Trava in Cheshire West caught my attention immediately. I am confident in my ability to deliver consistent coffee quality at pace while building the kind of rapport with regulars that keeps them coming back, two qualities your advert places front and centre.
My background in customer-facing hospitality has equipped me with strong multi-tasking skills and a solid understanding of food hygiene and cleanliness standards. I thrive in busy environments and take pride in maintaining a positive, can-do attitude even during the most demanding shifts. I am eager to absorb Sim Trava's full product range and contribute to the store's reputation as the go-to destination in the area.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How do you ensure consistency when preparing espresso-based drinks during a busy rush?
- ›What steps do you take to maintain cleanliness and food hygiene standards throughout a shift?
- ›How would you handle a situation where the coffee machine develops a fault mid-shift?
- ›Describe how you would learn and retain knowledge of a new product range quickly.
- ›What do you know about Costa Coffee's core drink menu, and how would you recommend products to a customer?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you delivered excellent customer service under significant pressure.
- ›Describe a situation where you had to multi-task effectively — how did you prioritise?
- ›Give an example of when you went above and beyond for a customer or colleague.
- ›Tell me about a time you received constructive feedback and how you acted on it.
- ›Describe a moment when you helped build a positive team atmosphere at work.
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you delivered excellent customer service under significant pressure.
Describe a moment when you helped build a positive team atmosphere at work.