Cashier

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Work Tasks

CASHIERS total customer's purchases, take money from them, and give change. They also process charges and give receipts. Cashiers work in grocery and retail stores, restaurants, movie box offices, hotels, casinos, and other sales places. They are assigned to a cash register, and given a drawer with a certain amount of money. They must count this money to make sure they have the correct amount. At the end of their shift, cashiers must count money again and balance out with the totals of sales. Most stores use scanners and computers to total customer's purchases and enter the price of each item bought.

Salary, Size & Growth

• $24,000 average per year ($11.50 per hour)
• A very large occupation (3,354,200 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow slowly (0.4% per year)

Entry Requirements

CASHIER positions tend to be entry-level positions requiring little or no previous work experience. Although there are no specific educational requirements, employers filling full-time jobs prefer to hire applicants with high school diplomas. Nearly all cashiers are trained on the job. In small businesses, an experienced worker often trains beginners. In larger businesses, before being placed at cash registers, trainees spend several days in classes. No special licensing or certification is required for cashiers.