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Permalink Reply by Jay Caragay on January 14, 2010 at 4:15am

Yes, you are missing a connection.

That connection is: finding ownership/management that cares about quality and is willing to put the resources behind pursuing quality and excellence.

Without that commitment from the top, there is nothing. Better to find yourself a job with a place where the ownership cares about quality than trying to trudge your way through the rest.

Bear in mind, that most of the great shops in SF are probably quite booked with baristas and, especially in this economy, have stacks of resumes and applications on file. Simply, it's an employers market. To land a position at one of the known places, you're going to have to stand out. Are there coffee industry/barista gatherings? Attend them. Meet people. Chat with them. Get to know them and let them get to know you. Don't be an asshole. Don't talk too much. Let your natural charm shine.

Finding new employees is as much about the interpersonal chemistry as it is the technical ability. Truth be told, we can teach a monkey how to make espresso - what we cannot teach is for you to be a good person. If you're an asshole, no one will want to work with you.

If people know you on a personal level and know that you're hard-working and good to work alongside, then that will increase your chances of consideration when your resume comes up for discussion.

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