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Cashiers

Under the title Cashiers, workers receive and disburse money in establishments other than financial institutions. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on service orientation, speaking, and social perceptiveness. You may also need to receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits. Its interest code is CER. Conventional leads at 6.2 out of 7, so expect orderly work with data, records and clear procedures, with Enterprising next at 3.6. A regular part of the work is to greet customers entering establishments. It tends to suit people who want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures, and it offers little for anyone seeking research, analysis and working through hard problems.

What they do

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.

Main tasks

  • Receive payment by cash, check, credit cards, vouchers, or automatic debits.
  • Greet customers entering establishments.
  • Issue receipts, refunds, credits, or change due to customers.
  • Assist customers by providing information and resolving their complaints.
  • Monitor checkout stations to ensure they have adequate cash available and are staffed appropriately.
  • Establish or identify prices of goods, services, or admission, and tabulate bills, using calculators, cash registers, or optical price scanners.

Skills

  • Service Orientation
  • Speaking
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on service orientation and speaking.

May not suit you if

  • You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
  • You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.0 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 CER takes the three highest, and Conventional 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

  • Cage Cashier
  • Cashier
  • Center Aisle Cashier
  • Central Aisle Cashier
  • Checker

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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.