7 answers
Voc
Student
Landrum, South Carolina
42
Questions
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What Is It Like Being A Cashier?
I Am Interested In Being A Cashier #food
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7 answers
Patricia Mulligan
Manager - Digital Experience Management
9
Answers
Irvine, California
Updated
Patricia’s Answer
Hi Voc!
My first job was as a cashier at an amusement park in Southern California called Knott's Berry Farm. It was in a restaurant and we actually got to shift around alot from being in food prep to cashier to working at carts in the park. Your employers should provide you with cash handling training of some kind and if you stick with it you will be able to help your customers and keep your till even! At the end of your shift you will count it out (usually with a manager) and they will run your receipts against what you have in the till to make sure they match up.
I was able to transfer to another restaurant in the park with my cashier experience I eventually helped train new employees on cash handling. My cashier experience was also a big help when I went on to become a bank teller while in college. At the bank I learned a lot more about customer service and that all helped me when I graduated to get a job in Customer Service at Verizon.
The warnings about being on your feet all day and the basic tenets of customer service are all true as well. Something else was that I made a lot of great friends at my cashier jobs. It is really fun to meet people that have different life experiences and are not the usual folks you know in school.
If you are interested in a big chain restaurant check their website in the "Careers" section to see if they have any opportunities for tuition assistance to help you with paying for college.
When and if you go to a place you like and speak with a cashier ask what kind of experience they had before getting the job and any advice they have for you.
Good luck!
To get some initial cashier experience look for volunteer opportunities at either school , church or town events where you could provide assistance and get some experience. You could start building your work experience and possibly use the volunteer coordinators as a reference when you apply for your first paying cashier job.
Check out some cash handling videos on Youtube. There are a lot of highly educational videos that companies make to help train their new employees on cash handling. You could teach yourself how to handle cash and count back change before you even start working.
My first job was as a cashier at an amusement park in Southern California called Knott's Berry Farm. It was in a restaurant and we actually got to shift around alot from being in food prep to cashier to working at carts in the park. Your employers should provide you with cash handling training of some kind and if you stick with it you will be able to help your customers and keep your till even! At the end of your shift you will count it out (usually with a manager) and they will run your receipts against what you have in the till to make sure they match up.
I was able to transfer to another restaurant in the park with my cashier experience I eventually helped train new employees on cash handling. My cashier experience was also a big help when I went on to become a bank teller while in college. At the bank I learned a lot more about customer service and that all helped me when I graduated to get a job in Customer Service at Verizon.
The warnings about being on your feet all day and the basic tenets of customer service are all true as well. Something else was that I made a lot of great friends at my cashier jobs. It is really fun to meet people that have different life experiences and are not the usual folks you know in school.
If you are interested in a big chain restaurant check their website in the "Careers" section to see if they have any opportunities for tuition assistance to help you with paying for college.
When and if you go to a place you like and speak with a cashier ask what kind of experience they had before getting the job and any advice they have for you.
Good luck!
Patricia recommends the following next steps:
Jim L
student
10
Answers
Monterey Park, California
Updated
Jim’s Answer
You learn how to use a POS system (depending on what type of cashier), how to handle money, and people skills. Not all customers will be happy customers, so it's important to be patient and be calm.
Emily Nguyen
19
Answers
Goleta, California
Updated
Emily’s Answer
being a cashier is fun but you need to have a lot of customer service abilities (strong communication, empathy, patience
Danielle Dull
Digital Merch and Process Engineering
4
Answers
Madison, Wisconsin
Updated
Danielle’s Answer
When I was younger, I was a cashier at McDonalds. I loved it actually. I then moved to the drive thru which was my favorite part. Yes, it can be exhausting and you do need to be on your feet the entire time, but with the shortages of employees in so many places, your hard work can pay off to get you promotions.
If the food industry is where you want to be, you could own a franchise one day. Learn all you can in all the positions. Good luck! You got this!
Pick a place you like to go to and watch the employees work. Do they look happy, how are they treated by management, how are they treated by customers, etc. Many places today will give on the spot interviews so be prepared.
If the food industry is where you want to be, you could own a franchise one day. Learn all you can in all the positions. Good luck! You got this!
Danielle recommends the following next steps:
Carl Manson Jr., PMP
5G Program Manager - Verizon
76
Answers
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Updated
Carl’s Answer
Hi Voc. Being a cashier can be an exhausting job. You are required to stand on your feet for hours, greet customers as they purchase their items, recognize when there is a problem with a purchase and call for assistance, be literate on technology associated with purchasing items and be knowledgeable of the organization's product. Working conditions can vary depending on where you work. You can work at a fast-food establishment in cramped quarters or a restaurant that has a little more room. Whatever your situation is, it is a demanding job.
The next time you stop by a fast food establishment, ask the cashier what their job is like. Be mindful if there are customers behind you. If it is a slow day, they may have a couple of seconds to talk to provide you with some insight.
Carl recommends the following next steps:
Lori DeFrias
Digital Experience Manager
8
Answers
Updated
Lori’s Answer
Voc,
It is great that you are researching possible employment opportunities when you become of age to work. By doing this you are getting a broad understanding of what will be expected of you.
Your job is to ring out your customers quickly and efficiently while ensuring that you are also providing excellent customer service. Being a cashier at a grocery store, you can expect to be on your feet for your entire shift. You will be dealing with many personalities but keeping a positive outlook will help not only create a positive experience for the customer but yourself as well. Smiling and greeting your customer sets the tone for your transaction.
Working with money you also need to be diligent in ensuring you are collecting the appropriate amount and giving back the correct change. If you are also required to bag the groceries, use common sense - keep all cold foods together, make sure you are not making the bags too heavy, ensure you are being mindful of delicate items such as bread and eggs, and if there are any chemicals, ensure the caps are on properly and bag them separately.
Even though being a cashier is entry-level, you also have the opportunity to learn and try different positions within the store as you increase your knowledge and skills.
Good Luck!
When you are at a grocery store pay attention to the cashier ringing you out, watch how they handle your transaction and try to take away and learnings.
Also, pay attention to how your items are bagged - you learn what makes sense in stacking groceries into bags so that you will make a great experience for your future customer.
It is great that you are researching possible employment opportunities when you become of age to work. By doing this you are getting a broad understanding of what will be expected of you.
Your job is to ring out your customers quickly and efficiently while ensuring that you are also providing excellent customer service. Being a cashier at a grocery store, you can expect to be on your feet for your entire shift. You will be dealing with many personalities but keeping a positive outlook will help not only create a positive experience for the customer but yourself as well. Smiling and greeting your customer sets the tone for your transaction.
Working with money you also need to be diligent in ensuring you are collecting the appropriate amount and giving back the correct change. If you are also required to bag the groceries, use common sense - keep all cold foods together, make sure you are not making the bags too heavy, ensure you are being mindful of delicate items such as bread and eggs, and if there are any chemicals, ensure the caps are on properly and bag them separately.
Even though being a cashier is entry-level, you also have the opportunity to learn and try different positions within the store as you increase your knowledge and skills.
Good Luck!
Lori recommends the following next steps:
Patricia Brodde
Experience Manager
6
Answers
Milford, New Jersey
Updated
Patricia’s Answer
Hi Voc,
It's great that you're asking many questions in this forum! You seem really motivated to get going in the world! I was a cashier at a supermarket in High School and college and my daughter was recently a cashier at a supermarket as well. The basics don't really change. Carl is right, you need to be prepared to stand on your feet for a long period of time. If you can physically do that, I think the next best quality is to have a positive attitude and want to help people. You really can gain excellent customer service experience as a cashier by interacting with people every day. Framing things in a positive light can help you with some customers who may be difficult.
The experience my daughter gained by being a cashier definitely helped her get her next job as an Administrative Assistant. All jobs have value and provide experience.
I will you good luck!
It's great that you're asking many questions in this forum! You seem really motivated to get going in the world! I was a cashier at a supermarket in High School and college and my daughter was recently a cashier at a supermarket as well. The basics don't really change. Carl is right, you need to be prepared to stand on your feet for a long period of time. If you can physically do that, I think the next best quality is to have a positive attitude and want to help people. You really can gain excellent customer service experience as a cashier by interacting with people every day. Framing things in a positive light can help you with some customers who may be difficult.
The experience my daughter gained by being a cashier definitely helped her get her next job as an Administrative Assistant. All jobs have value and provide experience.
I will you good luck!