Summary for:
Cooks, Short Order
Description:
Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.
Sample of reported job titles:
Sample of reported job titles: Cook, Line Cook, Grill Cook, Pizza Maker, Deli Cook (Delicatessen Cook), Prep Cook (Preparation Cook), Snack Bar Cook
Tasks:
- Clean food preparation equipment, work areas, and counters or tables.
- Plan work on orders so that items served together are finished at the same time.
- Grill, cook, and fry foods such as french fries, eggs, and pancakes.
- Take orders from customers and cook foods requiring short preparation times, according to customer requirements.
- Grill and garnish hamburgers or other meats such as steaks and chops.
- Complete orders from steam tables, placing food on plates and serving customers at tables or counters.
- Perform simple food preparation tasks such as making sandwiches, carving meats, and brewing coffee.
- Order supplies and stock them on shelves.
- Accept payments, and make change or write charge slips as necessary.
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. |
| Food Production ó Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques. |
Skills:
| Coordination ó Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
| 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. |
| Time Management ó Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
| Judgment and Decision Making ó Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| Service Orientation ó Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| Instructing ó Teaching others how to do something. |
| Learning Strategies ó Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things. |
| Troubleshooting ó Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it. |
| Active Learning ó Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
| Speaking ó Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
Abilities:
| Oral Comprehension ó The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. |
| Speech Recognition ó The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. |
| 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). |
| Speech Clarity ó The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. |
| 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. |
| Manual Dexterity ó The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. |
| Near Vision ó The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
| Oral Expression ó The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. |
| Selective Attention ó The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. |
| Time Sharing ó The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources). |
Work Activities:
| Getting Information ó Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| 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. |
| Performing General Physical Activities ó Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials. |
| Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings ó Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships ó Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| 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. |
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:
| Dependability ó Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Attention to Detail ó Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Integrity ó Job requires being honest and ethical. |
| Stress Tolerance ó Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations. |
| Cooperation ó Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
| Initiative ó Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. |
| Self Control ó Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. |
| Adaptability/Flexibility ó Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. |
| Concern for Others ó Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful 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:
| Independence ó Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. |
| 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. |
Median Wage 2008:
$9.26 hourly, $19,260 annual
Estimated Employment Total 2008:
195,000 employees
Projected Growth 2008:
Slower than average (3% to 6%)
Projected Need 2008:
62,000 additional employees
