Starbucks Barista Application

Everyone's really here for my misadventures with job-hunting and job interviews. Here's a recent opening that I was called for: A Barista post for Starbucks. How to start with your application? You can start by grabbing one of their application forms in any of their branches (and grabbing a decaf cup of white chocolate mocha too, if you were me).

Here is a sample application form that you can grab in any of their stores. I got mine from SM Calamba. Click on the image to enlarge it. DO NOT download it an fill it up and pass it to them. I just posted this so you have an idea of what it looks like and what information it's asking for.


You can fill this up and submit it to the manager on duty. But if you're tech-savvy and prefer the internet to do things for you, just send a resume to the e-mail address provided in the brochure: 


people@rustancoffee.ph


You can also click on the link provided in their Facebook profile. For your convenience, you can also just click the link here.


If you get called for an initial interview, you'll be asked to go to their office at the first floor of Urban Building, located beside SM Cyber Two (which is beside the MRT Buendia Station.) Just hop on the MRT and you won't get lost. It's a group interview, so don't be shy and bring your game. If you make it through the first stage, they'll give you a "hooray you made it! Congratulations!" letter. Good luck!

Max's Resto Day 3 Interview

Is this real? Is this a fantasy? The final interview for Max's Resto finally arrived after what seems like an eternity of interviews. After exams and the three interviews, the final one has finally arrived. We were told to be there by 3PM, but interview only started at what? 4:15PM? Whiled the time away by sketching, thinking of food, and chatting with the other applicants. There were only around twenty of us now and we were pretty familiar with each other, so it was a cool atmosphere and even got pretty noisy at some point. It was cool how we were all rooting for each other, despite that we were all practically fighting over who gets the job here.


At around 6PM I got interviewed since they started interviewing the supervisors/managers/kitchen applicants first and the dining area applicants later. The chinese franchise owner in Valenzuela, with his wife, was doing the interviews.


When it was my turn to be interviewed, it was pretty laughable because the interviewer was asking me why I was applying for waitress when my experiences were more solid in the kitchen area. I almost facepalmed laughing. He made a good guess and asked me if I wanted to be a waitress or if someone just put me there. I laughed a little and told him that the previous interviewers at Max's told me that I'll only be considered for waitress and that was all I was qualified for (despite their advertisements saying otherwise). I laughed at the irony of it all as we talked about food and cupcakes and good practice in the kitchen. The lady interviewer (the chinese guy's wife?) told me that I shouldn't show interviewers my hands because they're one thing that make interviewers doubt that I actually cook, they don't look like they're suited for work. That realization hit me just then.


Just be yourself with these Chinese entrepreneurs. They're pretty cool. I went to SM North EDSA, my fave shopping spot, after the interview to get some sandwich and then go home.

Day 2 Max's Restaurant Interview

It's the second day of my now-long leg of interviews for Max's Restaurant.You can read the first part of my interview here. 


Don't you just hate it when you have to come back three or more times for a job (which will only pay you minimum wage and around 6-8k a month)? Max's has to thank God they're a good name in the local industry when it comes to restos, or else this would discourage a lot of applicants. 


And the second day... It's pretty uneventful. Had to sit down with all the other applicants (which are still around 30+ in number) and wait to be called to be interviewed by the owner of the SM Valenzuela franchise of Max's. But while he was interviewing, another lady was interviewing, too, and she is, if I understand correctly, also part of the Max's team. She was doing group interviews, while the owner was doing one-on-one interviews.


Well, we had no idea what was going on with two people interviewing, and pretty soon I got called in for an interview with the lady. Quick questions, basic stuff, the quintessential "tell me something about yourself" jig. She also, interestingly, told me that I'd be considered for the waitress position despite the area manager giving me hopes the other day that I can work for the kitchen, and even suggested I try out for the bar. This is what happens when I put on make-up and try to look nice.


And then she told me to come back on Friday. I'm like, "okay".


...And then, "Whut the hell I just used up P200 for this."


A few of us applicants chattered outside as we were going home, and we were like, "Now I'm thinking thrice if I really want to be employed here."


But no pain, no gain. Sadly.

Max's Restaurant Initial Interview

Max's SM Valenzuela is hiring these days so I decided to check it out. They posted an ad on Jobstreet in search for staff for the about-to-open franchise branch in SM Valenzuela, opening this March (or so I hear). If you're interested in the position, send an e-mail to careers@maxschicken.com.ph like I did. 


Here are the links to their advertisements in Jobstreet for Waiter, Waitress, and Kitchen Personnel respectively:


http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/jobs/2012/2/default/80/3120370.htm?fr=21
http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/jobs/2012/2/default/80/3126641.htm?fr=21
http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/jobs/2012/2/default/80/3127805.htm?fr=21


They mailed me back for interview within the same day I sent the e-mail, and was invited for exams and interview at their EDSA Caloocan branch, located at 498 EDSA Caloocan City. How to get there?


If you're from the North Caloocan/Fairview area like me, you can simply:

• Ride a bus which says UE/Letre/Monumento. You can look out the left-side window and watch for signs that say EDSA Caloocan, and it won't be difficult to see Max's there. The EDSA Caloocan path is past SM North EDSA.
• With that being said, you can also take an FX to SM North, and ride a jeepney going to Monumento, and stay on watch for the Max's resto.

Got there at 9AM. The first batch of examinees were already in and taking the exam, I waited a little while more. There were a lot of applicants applying for different jobs--from CSA to Supervisor, and they also have applicants for the Housekeeping staff.

Exam was fairly easy, just the usual abstract exams, but within 12 minutes. There are people who failed the exam, though, because they ran out of time. (I did, too, but I only had a few numbers left when I did and I just randomly checked any box to make up for it.)

And then we waited to be interviewed by the two HR ladies there; they conducted group interview in groups of five. In my group, only one question was ever really asked: Tell me something about yourself.

They sort the wheat from the chaff with just one question, so better make that one answer count. Talk about things before they even ask it: where you graduated, previous work experience, things that they would obviously want to know, etc.

After qualifying for that interview, we were told that there would be one more interview conducted by the Area Manager, and we were told to come back at a later time that day for it. I took my lunch and burned time shopping and waited for it.

The Area Manager conducting the second interview was a friendly guy and generally nice. Be prepared to answer the usual questions, and if all goes well, you'll have an endorsement for final interview with the branch owner of the SM Val branch. Which I am just about to show up for this Monday, so I'll tell about it then.

If you live near SM Val at all, I encourage you to apply for it. (I know I don't, but I still decided to check it out.)

Café France Job Interview

I saw this job advert at Jobstreet.com.ph a while back and, with a few hesitations, decided to send an application to it. http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/jobs/2012/1/default/80/3089657.htm?fr=21


Why the hesitation? Normally I'd prefer a direct-hiring thing and am wary of agency-like things. But anyway, I decided to send and application to the e-mail add specified.  If they called and I had to show up and they asked me to pay some sort of downpayment for getting me this job, I'd be out the door the first second anyway.


I got a text about a week later asking me to go to their office in Cubao with regards to the job I applied for. Cool. I showed up, and on the way there I saw a young lady in office attire with her boyfriend, who were probably going to the same place I was, because who in Cubao wears that attire these days? I decided to bet that they were going to the same place I was and so I silently trailed them, like a ninja, and let the girl's boyfriend ask for all the directions while I followed from a distance. And wondered if my ex would have been sweet enough to accompany me to this if he were still here. Probably not. Guy's all practical and independent and he'd want me to fight my own battles


Anyway, I was right! They were going to the same place I was.


I arrived there and there was a long, long line by the staffing office, the seats were filled and the rest were standing up or loitering around the area, waiting for their turn to be called. I decided to take it all in stride and look happy and flick my hair from my shoulder and all that while pretending to look for a place to stand by. And then the plan worked and I heard a few guys who had seats start looking at me and whispering and elbowing each other, and I glanced by them and immediately they all got up from their seats and offered me a place. Ito ang mabuting nadudulot ng pagiging malandi. There are times I hate how I look because it won't land me into the job I want (line cook, pantry cook, anywhere in the kitchen, even dishwasher, God's sake!) but there are little things like this make it work for you.


I found out from the guys that they were walk-ins and that they had to pass their CVs and SSS copies and take and exam and have an interview to find out if they were going to be considered for any job. Meanwhile, since I was texted and specifically had an appointment there, I didn't have to undergo all that and just had to wait for my name to be called. Which wasn't too long. I was called in for an interview with Miss Carol.


She was pretty friendly and nice. Won't intimidate you. While most of her questions still focus on my resume, she also asked about some of my knowledge about their client, Cafe France (which is, btw, formerly Delifrance and formerly associated with Jolibee Foods Corporation). And of course, she asked me why I decided that I wanted to work there. I told her that I preferred the atmosphere that the Cafe offered--true that. But of course for the most of us we just damn want work so why do they even ask this


And then she gave me an endorsement for an interview with Cafe France in their UN Ave. office the next day and gave me directions on how to get there. But it's still, as always, Google Maps that I have to thank for being able to get to all my interviews.


Since I live near SM Fairview, all I did was hop onto a bus that stopped by Taft/PGH/NBI and passed by UN Ave. You could also try boarding the LRT and get off at the UN Ave. station. From there, you'd see the Times Plaza. That is not where you want to go. Cross the road from Times Plaza (be careful) and just go straight ahead and turn right when you hit the stoplight. You'd see the PPL Building and that's where you wanna be. The Cafe France office is at the fifth floor.


Anyway, I was thirty minutes late of the call time damn Quiapo traffic, but when I got there, there was a line for the applicants out their office door. I stopped by the end of the line and poked the guy before me to ask him if I was at the right place. He turned around. I nearly fainted when he did.


He looked just like my frickin' ex who was supposed to be in the middle of some kitchen in cruise ship in some ocean. Only he was six inches taller than him.


And of course he told me that I was at the right place and he asked me if I was an applicant, too, and for what position. Why did he have to ask? Did he think I'm applying for supervisor?


There were more seats inside, and I found that there were around twenty people, or more, waiting to be interviewed. I was offered a seat far from the ex-lookalike, than goodness. I saw the girl that I saw in Cubao with her boyfriend there, too. Tried to wave at her but realized she probably didn't recognize me. Waited quite a while to be interviewed. There were some applicants at my table that seemed to know each other and were chatting, I spent my time eavesdropping. When they left, the ex-lookalike moved to the seat next to mine. No! Now I won't be able to resist the urge to stare at him. I stared. He had the same nice-looking arms my ex had (which my ex got from lifting too many frying pans in the kitchen, haha). And then I noticed that he had this same scar/birthmark that my ex has on his right elbow. Now that is just impossible what in the world is this?!


I had to distract myself from him, and so I decided to pull out a piece of paper and start this portrait commission that someone asked me to do for Valentines. The ex-lookalike was with another guy and girl that he knew, so they were chatting. I spent my time drawing to not notice him. But then from the corner of my eye I saw that he kept glancing at me. I dismissed it and thought that he was probably looking at something behind me. And then the girl or guy with him just said, "Ayan o, inggit nanaman yung isa nakakita lang ng magaling magdrowing, tingin tuloy ng tingin."


And I looked up and found out that he was looking at me and glancing back at me all those times, and when he realized I caught him, he laughed and complimented my art skills. And then eventually he sat closer to me and started asking about art and all that, and eventually even about cosplay and the like, from which he discovered I cosplayed on the side and took out some pictures and he told me I was cute in my pictures. He even showed his friends. And he said, "Ah, Xarin pala yung name mo," after he saw it in the ID in my wallet along with my photos. And the guy with him was like, "Bilis talaga nito, tinandaan na agad yung pangalan o." What is going on this is supposed to be a job interview not picking up some guy who eerily looks like your ex?!


All the chatter stopped when he was called in next for the interview. And I was next after a short while. I was interviewed by a woman who looks like your typical HR personnel. There were two people doing the interview and I fell into this woman's lap. I heard the other interviewer didn't ask in English, so others wanted to be interviewed by her instead. The woman who interviewed me, however, spoke in straight English and, for me, all the better. She asked almost the same questions that Ms. Carol asked me earlier, mostly about my resume and what I saw in Cafe France that made me want to work with them, and asked me what I hoped I could bring to the establishment and what branch I hoped to work in. And then she told me that I'll be called for a final interview with the area manager soon, and I'll get a call from them to know exactly when. Usually when I hear "we'll call you", I know that it's the end, but when they tell you a specific, like "I'll call you tomorrow" or "I'll call you for a final interview with the area manager", I take it that they mean it. She told me that I'd probably receive the call next week.


I walked up from the interview, and I found that ex-lookalike stayed around there with his pals even after he was interviewed, and as I was walking away he was calling me (WHY did he even remember my name, I never planned to give it to him, he saw if from my ID!) and asking me how it went. I just smiled and gave him a thumbs up as I walked away and didn't stop, so I could resist the urge to walk over to him and make small talk and end up with him with my number or something like that. And, important note: I heard he has a girlfriend, so I had to resist his awesome caramel skintone and gorgeous arms but when did that ever stop me


It's been a week since that interview, though, and I haven't received a call yet. What is the meaning of this. I got impatient and secured appointments to be interviewed for Max's Restaurant instead and will have my final interview for that soon. I still hope Cafe France calls me because they have a branch nearer to my home.


And maybe I wanna see that guy again, too. My friends say he must secretly be my ex who's adopted a new identity to find out what was going on with my life and has miraculously grew six inches in a year. What do you think? And of course, any questions not related to the guy and related to the actual purpose of this blog will be answered, too!


- Xarin

HAPPY LEMON Job Interview Experience

During our CBTL initial interview at Greenhills, I met two girls who know a common person with me, they’re Shiney and Karen. When the interviewer asked us to just come back later for our interview, we checked out the Happy Lemon milk tea/coffee+milk+tea fusion place, which is owned by TV host/athlete/epic-World-Vision-sponsor Chris Tiu. I had a Cocoa + Milk Tea fusion something, and then we saw that they were hiring people, so the three of us passed some CVs. Got called a few days after (five days after, to be exact) for an interview at their Greenhills Branch. Showed up there at 11AM and remet Shiney and Karen.

Had to wait a few minutes (half an hour, I think) for the interview to begin, there was an employee meeting going on or something. And then the interview began, some guy was called in first. The store had glass panels, so we could see him being interviewed inside. He looked like he couldn’t care less while he was being interviewed. He was out of the door and the interview was finished in a very, very short moment. That’s a sign that we won’t be seeing him in the job.

Shiney and Karen were interviewed next, they took ages to finish, haha. That’s a good sign. They came out triumphant. They told me that the interviewer, Ms. Marielle, talked in gay lingo and was very straightforward and nice. Great. I came in  next. The questions asked of me were so basic. Just about me, my family, what your parents or siblings did for a living, whether you owned your place or rented it, just that, and then she told me to come tomorrow for training at 7AM. Then it was done and over in one-eight of the time she interviewed Shiney or Karen. Huh. She didn’t even really ask me anything. Well, that was easy.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a quick employment wherein you can start training ASAP, I suggest you pass a CV here. Training allowance is 250PHP/day and training lasts for 2 weeks.

System is still a bit fishy here, though, since they’re a new place. I was late for the training the next day and arrived at 9 AM damn EDSA traffic so the TL there just told me to come back tomorrow. I accepted it coolly and decided to just come back tomorrow.  But then I heard from Shiney and Karen that a guy actually came an hour later than me but was not asked to go home. Now THAT is just hitting below the belt and is unfair.

My mom later got angry and told me not to come the next day. Tut. Oh well. HAPPY LEMON texted me the same day though to ask if I was still interested. I was STILL interested (my mom just wasn’t) and they asked why I didn’t come to training today. I just said that I was late the previous day and asked to come back tomorrow but a guy showed up an hour later than me and was not, so I figured they had a problem with me.

After a few hours they texted back and told me to report tomorrow but call on a certain person first. I texted back and asked on who I should call and what was the number and who was it, and the person who texted back had the same number but was a different person. What is this. Did they just borrow some employee’s CP who had unlitext or something to my network to text me what in the world.

Cut them some slack. They’re new to the field and they need people, so pass a CV to them if you’re interested and if you probably won't have to travel three hours to the place like I do.

Yes, it’s minimum wage. If you have a question, please ask me. ;p

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Interview

I saw a job advertisement  for a Back-of-the-House/Pantry cook position for Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at Jobstreet.ph, and saw that they had a ‘one-day recruitment caravan’ happening every Wednesday at their select branches from January up to February. So I decided to show up at their Greenhills branch last  and give it a shot. After all, it was an opening for my dream job, I’d stood three hours in a crowded bus just for it

I got there at 10 AM and waited with a few others and sat by their outdoor tables after I passed my CV and got an evaluation form with a few questions on it, which I answered like cakewalk. The questions are easy and personality-based rather than the usual abstract exams. While waiting, I found out that the people sitting with me at the table somehow knew someone I also knew—small world huh? The two girls beside me knew the reservations officer at the hotel I used to intern at. And the guy sitting across me kept looking at me, and then asked me if I ever worked at SM Fairview once. I did. Turns out he knew the manager of the resto there that I used to intern/part-time in, so he must’ve seen me there once.

Our table sat and waited around to be interviewed; I was only interviewed at around 1:30 PM! In fact I was asked to take a lunch break and just come back later for the interview. And then I was eventually interviewed. It was an OK experience, the interviewer was pleasant. She looked like the typical HR officer I run into in past interviews. Of course the typical questions are asked:

-What made you apply for work in our company? If the entire world were honest we would all say the need for money and a job but no, we come up with some made-up sugared answer.-What is your idea of good customer service?-What can you bring to the team aside from serving the customers well?-What are your plans five years from now?-What are your strengths? Weaknesses?
-Are you still single? Do you have a significant other/boyfriend? Why do you want to ask about my boyfriend how dare you

And other typical questions.

I had to remind the interviewer twice or thrice that I was NOT applying for the Barista position (in fact I found that I wasn't even qualified for it because I just saw their advert now and it said they needed a graduate of four-year HRM, I'm only an HRS graduate! So HRS graduates, you can try to push your luck, too). 

The first time I said it, she ignored it like she didn’t hear it and kept the talk like I was applying for Barista. I had to remind her again, at the end, that I was NOT applying for the Barista position and I had a mad love for kitchen work that my love for coffee has not yet surpassed. And then I was apparently overqualified for the position I wanted. Huh? How can I be overqualified? Your advert said you needed a vocational graduate for that position. I was exactly qualified. In hindsight, I am even underqualified to be a Barista. 

Overqualified is the euphemism they say when you are discriminated because you ‘look’ like you don’t fit in a job. This happened to me too in Fernandina Hotel. So tall and slim and kinda-pretty girls can’t work in the back of the house what madness is that

I passed and was given endorsement for final interview at their main office a day after. So it turns out the ‘one-day recruitment caravan’ is not truly a one-day thing, be warned.

I showed up in their office by the Eastwood area. It's at Unit 4, 108 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave, Brgy. Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City. How in the world do you get there? Well, thankfully the Filipino Bum blog had a list of directions of how to here: http://filipinobum.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-coffee-bean-interview.html

Brought along two buddies so they could pass their CVs too. My appointment was 3PM but I was only interviewed past 4. And so companies shouldn’t be annoyed if their employees are late; they are setting great examples.

And then it turns out your ‘interview’ lasts only around two minutes.

Interviewer is the strict, older-woman kind. Asks questions quickly. Asks another one even if you haven’t finished your sentence yet. You can’t sell yourself much. Doesn’t even make eye contact. And then the debate of why I prefer Back-of-the-House duty resurfaces again. I got sick of the question and told her a blunt truth born out of an irritation that I probably should not have said, but I’m glad I said it. I can’t bear to be fake in interviews, how you supposedly sugar everything makes my head ache.

I was told that I’d be called within a week if I was considered for the position. If not, then not. Cool. Fine with me. If you hear this being said to you, this is the end. You should know it.

Anyway, got a few more job calls after that, so it’s not much of a loss, especially if they kept insisting on the Barista position which I wasn’t too enthralled by because they put up an ad calling for a back-of-the-house cook and then tell you in person that they aren’t looking for that anymore/slots are full. Absolutely reminds me of the Hotel interview I had when HR lied to me because I was also ‘overqualified’ to work in housekeeping.

Not discouraging anyone, if Barista’s your dream job, I’d say go for it, but be prepared to go back and forth a few times and wait a few hours.

Here's the link for their job advert:

http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/jobs/2012/2/t/80/3119210.htm?fr=21