"But as the owner of Ladybug Organic Coffee Company, a coffee shop that serves pastry and other light fare, Angel O'Brien, 31, has managed to break new ground in Portland's hypercompetitive, hypercaffeinated coffee community — with a five-page job application form that includes 10 essay questions intended to weed out all but the most devoted and cheerful baristas and bakers.

'What is the most important thing that you have ever learned, and how has it changed your life?' one question reads. 'What is something that you do on a regular basis to make the world a better place?' And, 'What is one thing that you think would make Portland a better city?'

Since she opened Ladybug in May 2007, Ms. O'Brien said, more than 2,000 people have downloaded the application from her Web site. More than 150 people have completed it. But only about 25 applicants have been offered jobs."

Applications that make the Obama administration's look tiny by comparison? Lengthy training periods? If coffee gets treated anymore seriously in Portland local shops may actually have to start paying their baristas more than $8.00 an hour. Egads!

The rest of Beth Slovic's rundown on the Ladybug for the NYT can be found here.

Labels: coffee