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Butchers and Meat Cutters

Butchers and Meat Cutters is the O*NET name for people who cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments. On the six-type interest model it reads RCE, meaning hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. The preparation level is some preparation, typically a few months to a year of learning on the job. O*NET’s skill data points to active listening, time management, and speaking as the ones to build. The job can ask you to prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter to appear attractive and catch the shopper's eye. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need research, analysis and working through hard problems, it may feel thin.

What they do

Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.

Main tasks

  • Prepare and place meat cuts and products in display counter to appear attractive and catch the shopper's eye.
  • Wrap, weigh, label, and price cuts of meat.
  • Cut, trim, bone, tie, and grind meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and fish, to prepare in cooking form.
  • Prepare special cuts of meat ordered by customers.
  • Receive, inspect, and store meat upon delivery to ensure meat quality.
  • Estimate requirements and order or requisition meat supplies to maintain inventories.

Skills

  • Active Listening
  • Time Management
  • Speaking
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Service Orientation
  • Reading Comprehension

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on active listening and time management.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.4 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCE takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Butcher
  • Meat Clerk
  • Meat Cutter
  • Meat Specialist
  • Meat Wrapper

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.