Summary for:

Cashiers

Description:

Receive and disburse money in establishments other than financial institutions. Usually involves use of electronic scanners, cash registers, or related equipment. Often involved in processing credit or debit card transactions and validating checks.

Sample of reported job titles:

Sample of reported job titles: Cashier, Sales Associate, Checker, Admissions Gate Attendant, Central Aisle Cashier, Toll Collector, Center Aisle Cashier, All Purpose Clerk (APC), Front End Assistant, Mutuel Cashier

Tasks | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Activites | Experience | Example | Education | Work Style | Work Values | Related Jobs | Wage | Employment | Expected Growth | Expected Need

Tasks:

  • Receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits.
  • Issue receipts, refunds, credits, or change due to customers.
  • Count money in cash drawers at the beginning of shifts to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is adequate change.
  • Greet customers entering establishments.
  • Maintain clean and orderly checkout areas.
  • Establish or identify prices of goods, services or admission, and tabulate bills using calculators, cash registers, or optical price scanners.
  • Issue trading stamps, and redeem food stamps and coupons.
  • Resolve customer complaints.
  • Answer customers' questions, and provide information on procedures or policies.
  • Cash checks for customers.

Knowledge:

Customer and Personal Service ó Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mathematics ó Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
English Language ó Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Education and Training ó Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Public Safety and Security ó Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Skills:

Active Listening ó Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Mathematics ó Using mathematics to solve problems.
Speaking ó Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Instructing ó Teaching others how to do something.
Social Perceptiveness ó Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation ó Actively looking for ways to help people.
Learning Strategies ó Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Critical Thinking ó Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities:

Oral Expression ó The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Number Facility ó The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
Oral Comprehension ó The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Clarity ó The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition ó The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Near Vision ó The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Information Ordering ó The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Problem Sensitivity ó The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Arm-Hand Steadiness ó The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Deductive Reasoning ó The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Work Activities:

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public ó Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships ó Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Getting Information ó Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
identifying Objects, Actions, and Events ó identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Processing Information ó Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates ó Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge ó Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Work Experience:

No previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a cashier even if he/she has never worked before.

Work Examples:

These occupations involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include taxi drivers, amusement and recreation attendants, counter and rental clerks, cashiers, and waiters/waitresses.

Education Requirements:

These occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate. Some may require a formal training course to obtain a license.

Work Style:

Integrity ó Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation ó Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability ó Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Self Control ó Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Attention to Detail ó Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others ó Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Stress Tolerance ó Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility ó Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Social Orientation ó Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Independence ó Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values:

Relationships ó Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support ó Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Achievement ó Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Related Jobs:

35-3021.00 Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food In-Demand
41-2021.00 Counter and Rental Clerks In-Demand
41-2022.00 Parts Salespersons
43-3021.02 Billing, Cost, and Rate Clerks In-Demand
43-4171.00 Receptionists and Information Clerks In-Demand
43-5051.00 Postal Service Clerks

Median Wage 2008:

$8.49 hourly, $17,660 annual

Estimated Employment Total 2008:

3,500,000 employees

Projected Growth 2008:

Decline slowly or moderately (-3% to -9%)

Projected Need 2008:

1,664,000 additional employees