Coffee Shop Cover Letter Examples

How to Write a Cover Letter for a Coffee Shop

Although the process of writing a coffee shop cover letter is the same as writing a job application for almost any industry, there are a few things to remember to position yourself as the perfect candidate. For example, it’s a good idea to learn about industry-specific terminology and skills you can develop to better prepare yourself for working in a coffee shop.

Our detailed guide will help you understand what employers are looking for and how to present yourself as the right candidate for the job. This guide will help you strengthen your application, even if you’re writing a cover letter without experience. You can also use our expert writing tips to help you prepare to impress recruiters during a face-to-face interview.

Use this step-by-step guide to stand out and demonstrate your passion for coffee and hospitality in your cover letter for a coffee shop:

Step 1: Determine the key skills for a coffee shop cover letter

Before writing your cover letter, spend some time analysing what unique qualities you have to offer. Analyse the job description carefully to identify the key hard and soft skills needed to work in a coffee shop that employers are looking for in candidates. For example, good soft or interpersonal skills include customer service, attention to detail, and teamwork. It’s also a plus to have a strong work ethic that allows you to remain patient and professional in challenging situations, for instance, when dealing with difficult customers.

Hard skills are technical abilities which you acquire through practical experience or training. Some useful hard skills to mention in your coffee shop cover letter include inventory management, sales skills, and record keeping. You may also highlight some of your technical skills related to food and beverage preparation, such as knowledge of different coffee brewing techniques and understanding of health and safety protocols.

Step 2: Create a header with contact information

To start your cover letter, create a contact section at the top of the page. Write your full name in a larger font; this will make your name stand out when the recruiter opens the document, helping them to identify your application. Continue to the next line and include your address, telephone number, and email address. Make sure this information matches the contact section of your CV.

Write today’s date in a separate line. Finally, include the employer’s contact details. To make your application more personal, address your coffee shop cover letter to the person responsible for hiring. You can often find this information directly in the job advertisement, but if the employer hasn’t provided it, you can visit the company’s website and check the About Us page. Taking the extra step to discover the recruiter’s name shows your determination and genuine interest in the company.

Step 3: Greet the recipient of your coffee shop cover letter

Match the salutation of your coffee shop cover letter with the information in the header. Choosing the right salutation makes the letter clear and organised. If you know the recipient’s name and preferred pronouns, use an honorific with their last name, such as “Mr” or “Ms”. If you’re not sure what pronouns they use, it’s safer to just use their name, like this: “Dear Zara Jones”.

If the employer doesn’t provide the recruiter’s name and you can’t find it on their website, you can use a generic greeting. Avoid “To Whom It May Concern” as many people find it outdated. Instead, it’s better to use a modern “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Hiring Team”, which work well in more casual workplaces, including coffee shops.

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Step 4: Introduce yourself and explain why you want a coffee shop job

Now it’s time to write an introduction for your coffee shop cover letter. In this paragraph, introduce yourself professionally and state the name of the position you are applying for and the organisation’s name. It’s also a good idea to mention why you want to work there. Keep this part of your letter short, no more than three to four sentences.

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Step 5: Describe your qualifications and experience in the coffee industry

Next, focus on describing your job-specific qualifications, skills, and experience. This section, known as the body, should be the longest part of your cover letter, between two and three paragraphs depending on how much coffee shop experience and knowledge you already have. Explain how your qualifications match the requirements of the new job. Make sure this section is consistent with what you’ve included in your CV, but don’t repeat exactly the same information, as your cover letter should be an extension of your CV, not an exact copy of it.

When describing the duties and responsibilities you’ve had, make sure you use industry-specific terminology. These phrases, known as keywords, serve a dual purpose. If a recruiter reviews your application manually, they make the cover letter more dynamic. When a recruiter uses an applicant tracking system (ATS) to scan through applications, the keywords tell the software that you’re potentially the perfect candidate because the phrases you used in your coffee shop cover letter match the job description.

There are different keywords to use in a cover letter depending on the job you’re applying for. In general, good keywords for coffee shop jobs include “beverage preparation”, “coffee enthusiast”, “customer service”, or “fast-paced environment”.

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Step 6: Close your coffee shop cover letter

End your letter by thanking the recipient for their time and consideration. In this final paragraph, reiterate your interest in the position. You can also provide additional details about your availability and express your excitement about discussing the position further in an interview.

Finally, include a professional closing. For many coffee shop jobs, a more casual “Best regards” may be appropriate. If the place you’re applying to has a more formal atmosphere or culture, choose a closing that reflects this, such as “Yours faithfully” if you don’t know the recipient’s name, or “Yours sincerely” if you do know who the recipient is and have included their name in the header.

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Step 7: Polish and format your cover letter for a coffee shop job

To make sure your cover letter is professional, work on its appearance. Play around with the margins and formatting. It’s also important to decide what font to use. Typically, the best font for your cover letter is something easy to read, such as Arial or Times New Roman, size 11 or 12.