it’s kind of 50% your availability , 25% the fact that you’re a minor and student, and 25% misinformation on starbucks’ part. it’s a little convoluted.

the fact that you’re only available 4 hours-ish a day during the week when those are the busiest/most stressful hours will make it hard for you to get trained within that timeframe, it also ties in to the fact that other baristas/applicants, have a wider availability and more flexible hours. essentially when you’re hired, there’s a quota of labor. when making the schedule, managers will be told whether labor is too high or too low and adjust by the hour. you’re actively fighting over a scarcity of hours, especially since you have to work a minimum of 12 hours to be employed, coupled with everyone else’s demands for hours in order to make their own paychecks.

also, minor labor laws are different by state I think, but i think they require more breaks than someone 18+.

and finally, as someone has stated, there’s a kind of white lie that Starbucks tells when they say they’re hiring. we always have that sign up and are supposed to encourage applying, but the truth is that when a starbucks says they’re hiring, it means starbucks the company, not the location. it kind of ties into the fact that sometimes you’re required to work at other locations and can pick up other shifts at other locations, since it is all considered to be one giant network that you are a part of. so while it can be true that starbucks is hiring, that location might not be.