I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Starbucks (Chicago, IL) in Nov 2012
Interview
Two interviews are required, usually by the manager and the assistant manager. Customers service is more important than coffee knowledge. I know one manager was impressed when told that "getting it right was more important than speed." They will also ask why you want to work at Starbucks. This question is to discern if you really have an interest in the coffee business. Again, knowledge isn't as important as interest.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell me about a time you had to deal with an angry/upset customer.
Received an email asking to schedule an interview for the following week. The interview took place in the store itself, and took about 15 minutes. The questions were pretty average.
First interview went well, just the basic behavioral questions that should be answered using the STAR method. Second interview was less questions but with the district manager. Still waiting to hear back (if they reach out at all).
Interview questions [5]
Question 1
Tell me about a time where you had to navigate a situation where the supervisor wasn’t available.
Basically a short chat about my availability, my interest in the job, why I want to work there, how familiar I am with coffee and what my past experiences in hospitality were.