How to Write a Great Coffee CV
What roasters and café owners actually look for — and how to make a hospitality CV stand out in specialty coffee.
Lead with coffee, not chronology
Most hiring managers in specialty coffee skim CVs in under a minute. Put your coffee experience — bar work, roastery shifts, competitions, courses — at the very top, even if your most recent job was outside the industry.
A short two-line summary works well: who you are, what you've done in coffee, and what you're looking for next.
Quantify what you can
Numbers cut through. Covers per shift, kilos roasted per week, number of staff trained, waste reduction percentages — anything measurable makes your experience concrete.
Avoid vague phrases like 'passionate about coffee'. Show it instead: 'Dialed in a three-grinder espresso bar serving 400+ covers daily.'
Certifications and competitions
SCA courses, Q-grader status, brewers cup or latte art results all belong in a dedicated section. Even entering a competition signals commitment — list it.
If you don't have certifications yet, many roasteries offer in-house training; mention what you've learned on the job instead.
Keep it to one page
Unless you're applying for a leadership role with 10+ years of experience, one page is enough. Use the saved space for a short cover note that mentions the specific café or roastery by name — generic applications are easy to spot.