Starbucks: Now Hiring

Part of me always wants to apply to Starbucks when I see their sign. Not that I really want to work there. I just want to be part of Starbucks. I like their story. I enjoy my time there... errr... here (as I sit here drinking an Iced Grande Passion Tea Lemonade).

Besides the usual signage indicating that they were accepting applications, they had a little table setup with applications and a list of openings. Also on the table were a few decorative items and: their manual. Or at least what I presume is their employee manual.

It's a small greenish book... Looks more like it might be titled “10 Fun Quotes of the 1990's” than “The Green Apron Book”, not that there's anything wrong with that. Inside there are full pages of illustrations (think comic-book-fun meets airline-safety-card-instructional meets artsy [I wish I had a camera on my cell phone for just such an occasion and now I can't find an image on the web or in my personal catalog to illustrate what I am trying to describe]) as well as have minimalist instructions (“Always be welcoming”).

Also on the table, there is a “passport to Tazo” (that's their tea). The vibe of which matches the “exotic, mysterious” story that is Tazo's marketing message.

My point in mentioning this is that they use their hiring process to continue their “we're different” story. Sure they have the requisite standard form application, but they go out of their way to let potential employees know that there is a Starbucks story to be told and that it is told everywhere at all times.

I just thought that it was a nice full-tie of marketing message through-out.

If you have an interesting story for your organization (and you should), it should be everywhere. Don't you want to give people the chance to learn it and interact with it at any opportunity?