Cashier Career

Job Description: Receive and disburse money in establishments other than financial institutions. May use electronic scanners, cash registers, or related equipment. May process credit or debit card transactions and validate checks.


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What Cashiers do:

  • Receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits.
  • Issue receipts, refunds, credits, or change due to customers.
  • Answer customers' questions, and provide information on procedures or policies.
  • Help customers find the location of products.
  • Maintain clean and orderly checkout areas, and complete other general cleaning duties, such as mopping floors and emptying trash cans.
  • Assist customers by providing information and resolving their complaints.
  • Greet customers entering establishments.
  • Establish or identify prices of goods, services, or admission, and tabulate bills, using calculators, cash registers, or optical price scanners.
  • Offer customers carry-out service at the completion of transactions.
  • Stock shelves, sort and reshelve returned items, and mark prices on items and shelves.
  • Answer incoming phone calls.
  • Bag, box, wrap, or gift-wrap merchandise, and prepare packages for shipment.
  • Supervise others and provide on-the-job training.
  • Assist with duties in other areas of the store, such as monitoring fitting rooms or bagging and carrying out customers' items.
  • Request information or assistance, using paging systems.
  • Monitor checkout stations to ensure they have adequate cash available and are staffed appropriately.
  • Sell tickets and other items to customers.
  • Process merchandise returns and exchanges.
  • Issue trading stamps, and redeem food stamps and coupons.
  • Weigh items sold by weight to determine prices.
  • Compile and maintain non-monetary reports and records.
  • Sort, count, and wrap currency and coins.
  • Compute and record totals of transactions.
  • Cash checks for customers.
  • Count money in cash drawers at the beginning of shifts to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is adequate change.
  • Calculate total payments received during a time period, and reconcile this with total sales.
  • Post charges against guests' or patients' accounts.
  • Keep periodic balance sheets of amounts and numbers of transactions.
  • Pay company bills by cash, vouchers, or checks.

What work activities are most important?

Importance Activities

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Performing General Physical Activities - 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 materials.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Holland Code Chart for a Cashier