What is a Cashier Clerk?

A cashier’s responsibilities include totaling the cost of items purchased, accepting payment, making change, and issuing receipts. Cashiers must be able to calculate the value of coupons, sales, and special promotions in relation to the total bill of the customer if applicable. A cashier clerk in an establishment that sells alcohol or cigarettes must remember to ask for identification in order to comply with laws prohibiting the sale of these items to minors. Cashier clerks may be required to assist with tasks such as inventory, returning unwanted merchandise to shelves, or counting money at the end of a shift, depending on the establishment.

Cashiers used to be expected to do their jobs with a pen and paper or an adding machine. Today, computerized bar codes and scanners make totaling a customer’s order much faster. Unfortunately, this does not imply that the cashier’s job has become any easier. Cashiers must be able to troubleshoot common technical issues with their equipment, memorize codes to perform specific system operations, and have a general idea of whether the scanned price for an item is correct.

Jobs as a cashier clerk can be found in a wide range of establishments. Cashier clerks are in high demand in fast food restaurants, discount stores, movie theaters, and gas stations. However, the working environment in these places can be very fast-paced. You might look for cashier clerk jobs at specialty boutiques or smaller family-owned businesses if you want a less stressful job.

While cashier clerk positions are plentiful, and many employers will hire people with no prior experience, these positions are typically part-time and low-paying. Cashier jobs, on the other hand, frequently lead to better opportunities. Many businesses try to promote qualified cashiers to supervisory or store management positions. The customer service skills and strong work ethic required to succeed as a cashier clerk can be transferred to a variety of other jobs.

Many people are concerned that stores implementing self-checkout lanes will reduce the number of available job opportunities for cashier clerks. It should be noted, however, that most stores must continue to employ people to maintain the self-checkout lanes and assist customers who are having trouble using the scanning equipment. Cashier positions are unlikely to completely disappear as long as the elderly, disabled, and shoppers with small children prefer to have someone else check out their purchases.