Getting Hired at Starbucks FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions I see on the Starbucks IVF Mommas Facebook page.

1) Can I get a job at a Harris Teeter/ Target/ Airport Starbucks?
No.  You must work at a corporately owned Starbucks and usually these are standalone stores.  If the Starbucks is inside another business, it is not corporately owned.

2) What is the difference between a barista and a shift supervisor?  Should I apply for both?
Most people will start out as a barista.  A shift supervisor has more responsibility and is many times the one making sure the store runs smoothly (since the store manager can't be there at all times).  If you've never worked at Starbucks before, I highly doubt they would hire you into a SS role.  There's so much to learn as a barista you will want to master that first!  However, it doesn't hurt to apply for both online.  Honestly, I wouldn't want to be a SS even if I was asked because of the added responsibility.  They also have to commit to more hours.

3) How do I get hired at Starbucks?
The best was is to turn in an application online.  The stores usually all say they are hiring, even if they aren't.  That way the managers have a pool of applicants to choose from when they need to hire someone quick.  If you do not hear back from a manager in a few days, go on in and introduce yourself!  If you know someone that works at a Starbucks near you, have them put in a good word for you, even if you aren't applying to the same store.

4) How should I prepare for the interview?
Wear nice clothes but nothing fancy.  Most of the questions they ask revolve around customer service, and how you work with other people.  Come prepared with examples for when you disagreed with a coworker, when you had to teach someone how to do something, when you had a customer upset with you etc.

5) Should I tell them I want the job for IVF benefits?
There's no need to mention IVF in your interview.  Chances are, the manager won't even know what you're talking about as they are not experts on benefits.  However, I would definitely mention you are interested in the job because of the great benefits (in general) offered by Starbucks!  Because you'll need to average 20 hours per week, you want the manager to know you expect to get this many hours so you will qualify for benefits.  Most managers would like to hire someone who is interested in benefits because they will reliably work their shifts and potentially be around for a long time.

6) How long after I'm hired will I qualify for benefits?
The simple answer is approximately five months.  They start counting your hours the month after you are hired and you have three months to get 240 hours.  The next month you will pick your insurance and then the following month it kicks in.   For example, I started in January, they counted my Feb-April hours, I picked my benefit package in May, and my insurance became active June 1st.  Again, this is very simplified.  After you are hired you can talk with a Starbucks Advocate and find out exactly what days they start and finish counting your 240 hours!  You don't want to miss qualifying because you were short only a few hours!

7) How do I maintain insurance eligibility?
Once your insurance is active you will have it for at least 6 months!  Starbucks does a bi-annual audit (in January and July) to make sure you are maintaining at least 20 hours per week.  If, at this audit, you have not maintained the needed hours, your benefits will expire soon after.  My benefits started June 1st and if I do not maintain 20 hours for the January audit, they will expire March 31st.  It's a pretty sweet deal!

8) How much infertility coverage is offered?
Most insurance carriers offer $15,000 towards infertility.  Some offer an additional $5,000 for medications.  This is as of the 2018-2019 benefit year.  The $15,000 isn't just for IVF.  It can be used for anything with an infertility diagnosis (as covered by the insurance).  There are definitely limitations on what is covered.  From what I've gathered reading other's experiences they do not all cover donor eggs/ sperm, embryo adoption, and genetic testing (unless it's for a specific disease, and you'll probably need a pre-auth done).  Since we didn't need any of these services I am less familiar with them.

9) Can my husband work at Starbucks instead of me?
Sure thing!  He will just need to make sure to add you to the insurance.  The prices are going to be higher per paycheck if you add on a spouse or children/ family.

10) Does my husband need to be on my insurance if we plan on doing IVF?
This really depends on why you're doing IVF.  A basic IVF cycle will cover the husband's part without him being on the plan (like the sperm retrieval and washing, ICSI, and all that jazz).  If your husband is having any other infertility procedures done then you may want him to be on the insurance.  We had to pay for my husbands semen samples (pre-IVF) as well as diagnostic bloodwork (also pre-IVF and very expensive since he had a high-deductible insurance plan).

11) I'm not sure I can learn all of those drinks!  How stressful and difficult is the job?
Hey, any new job is going to be stressful and there's going to be a learning curve.  If you've ever known everything about a new job after even a week, you had a pretty lame job.  First thing I tell people....if high school kids can learn it, so can you!  It's only coffee.  You aren't cooking people $100 steaks.  You aren't working for Gordon Ramsey.  You're literally mixing some espresso, milk, and sugar together.  That's it!  Plan on giving yourself at least 3 months to feel comfortable with how the store runs and how to make drinks.  You won't be an expert or super fast by then, but at least pretty comfortable!

12) What if I don't like coffee?
No worries!  I actually don't drink coffee for religious reasons (never had a cup in my life) and I was still hired!  They obviously like the partners to be able to try the drinks so you can recommend things to customers and describe the differences, however I just repeat what I hear others say or I ask one of the other partners what their opinion is.  No one, including the store manager, ever made me feel bad about not drinking coffee or tried to pressure me into it.  I just worked hard to learn the job and made myself a valuable employee in other ways.