Stores and public places are finally beginning to reopen more and more! Restaurants have people dining in, events are being held with high attendance, and stores are opening to obtain more business. For example, my husband goes to our local Home Depot all the time and we had to make a trip there a few weeks ago to pick up a couple of bathroom towel hangers. While we were there I noticed it was packed full of people. After seeing this we picked up our items and went to the get in line to pay. While were paying I noticed the system the cashier was using and it sparked an idea that I wonder if job seekers are asking.
And that question is this: Is being a cashier hard? Since stores are reopening I assume job seekers are applying for cashier jobs. Cashiers play a crucial role in retail stores, restaurants, bars, etc. Not only do cashiers receive and give money, but they also handle and account for cash.
If you step back and think about the fundamental purpose of the cashier, their primary objective is to optimize, or streamline cash transactions. In addition, cashiers have to do their best to maintain accurate records of a transaction, safeguard the business cash, and even in some cases they have to prepare reports. But more importantly, good cashier is a good customer service representative.
I love this quote from Tricia Gross when she writes:
Cashiers should know how to listen well and respond with empathy and understanding.
Tricia Gross
Knowing the focus is important so now lets look how difficult it is to be a cashier.
Is Being Cashier Hard?
It depends on your skills and experience, but the short answer is: no, being a cashier is not hard. If you know how to handle cash and record transactions, you can easily carry out day-to-day tasks. However, if you don't have experience, starting a cashier job may feel like a daunting task. It means you will have to work hard and make efforts to stay productive.
What skills are required to become a cashier?
A cashier must have an excellent customer service orientation. Most businesses require candidates to have effective communication and problem-solving skills. You must also operate and will likely be required to train others to use the Point-of-Sale (POS) system, computers, and phone system.
A good cashier reads, interprets, and follows safety rules, operating and maintenance documents. In some stores cashiers may be required to have good knowledge of inventory and order processing systems.
A cashier may even be required to have basic computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, or Outlook. (These skills typically are not required for a cashier in the retail industry though.) You must also know how to perform data entry, basic accounting, check payments, and cash balancing. Most businesses require a cashier to convey information to customers clearly and settle disputes.
When you focus on learning these skills, you can become a productive cashier who accurately carries out various tasks in a non-retail setting such as:
- Updating contract pricing for business accounts
- Maintaining records for accounts paid monthly
- Helping customers with questions and addressing phone inquiries
- Ordering and maintaining restaurant or retail supplies
- Following the business quality control policy
- Performing other administrative tasks
What level of math skills do cashiers need?
This question of math skills is typically asked as it pertains to a retail specific cashier. A cashier does requires basic math skills, such as calculations of sizes, amounts, and measurements. Computers cannot do everything and we are still required to use our brain. These basic math skills focus on addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, and percentage. You must also know how to apply these mathematical operations to decimal numbers.
Besides, a cashier has excellent number sense and mathematical representation abilities through symbols, pictures, or words. Estimations, measurements, patterns, and problem-solving are also helpful when working to resolve a customer issue or dealing with a complex transaction.
How to apply for a cashier job posting
Landing a cashier job can be rewarding and is one that people typically stay in long term. Remember, recruiting managers and employers always look for the best candidates and hiring cashiers is no different. Think about it who you would want to handle your money. Would you like a knowledgeable and helpful person working with your debit card? I know I would. So to be considered for a cashier position it is crucial to follow our standard step-by-step approach to streamline your job application.
Step 1: Analyze the job requirements and take notes
Step 2: Prepare a professional resume that highlights your education, qualifications, relevant skills, and work experience
Step 3: Your application must also showcase your current developments, standards, and benchmarks
Step 4: Write an excellent cover letter by searching for the right keywords
Step 5: Create a compelling narrative
If you don't know how to write a resume and cover letter, you can use templates. Make sure you use an easy template that offers easy customization. That way when you apply for a cashier job you will be able to focus on selling yourself to your potential employer. Take a look at my resume and cover letter template bundle here to start on your resume immediately.
Cashier specific resume pro tip: In your bullet points highlighting your experience use action verbs, such as delivered, produced, transformed, organized, managed, streamlined, etc., because they demonstrate your action. If you don't know much about these, that's ok. Go read through my guide on crafting your perfect resume bullets so you can edit the template to tailor it according to the job requirements.
Conclusion
Is being a cashier hard? No, it is not difficult and you only need to know how to perform the day-to-day tasks adequately with basic math skills. Being a cashier can certainly be an excellent job experience, allowing you to learn something new. It enables you to meet new people daily and improve your social skills.
Remember, a successful cashier has creativity, interpersonal communication abilities, planning, organization, and teamwork skills. So if you are searching for a cashier job make sure you craft a professional resume and include all the relevant information.
