Many cashiers start at the Federal minimum wage, which was $5.15 an hour in 2003. Some State laws set the minimum wage higher, and establishments must pay at least that amount. Wages tend to be higher in areas in which there is intense competition for workers.
Median hourly earnings of cashiers, except gaming in 2002 were $7.41. The middle 50 percent earned between $6.51 and $8.73 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $5.86, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $10.97 an hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of cashiers in 2002 were as follows:
| Grocery stores | $7.57 |
| Department stores | 7.55 |
| Other general merchandise store | 7.27 |
| Gasoline stations | 7.18 |
| Health and personal care stores | 7.08 |
Benefits for full-time cashiers tend to be better than those for cashiers working part time. In addition to typical benefits, those working in retail establishments often receive discounts on purchases, and cashiers in restaurants may receive free or low-cost meals. Some employers also offer employee stock-option plans and education-reimbursement plans.
Supermarkets, department stores, gasoline service stations, movie theaters, restaurants, and many other businesses employ cashiers to register the sale of their merchandise. Most cashiers total bills, receive money, make change, fill out charge forms, and give receipts.
Although specific job duties vary by employer, cashiers usually are assigned to a register at the beginning of their shifts and are given drawers containing a specific amount of money with which to start—their "banks.Ó They must count their banks to ensure that they contain the correct amount of money and adequate supplies of change. At the end of their shifts, they once again count the drawersÕ contents and compare the totals with sales data. An occasional shortage of small amounts may be overlooked but, in many establishments, repeated shortages are grounds for dismissal.
In addition to counting the contents of their drawers at the end of their shifts, cashiers usually separate and total charge forms, return slips, coupons, and any other noncash items. Cashiers also handle returns and exchanges. They must ensure that returned merchandise is in good condition, and determine where and when it was purchased and what type of payment was used.
After entering charges for all items and subtracting the value of any coupons or special discounts, cashiers total the customerÕs bill and take payment. Acceptable forms of payment include cash, personal checks, credit cards, and debit cards. Cashiers must know the storeÕs policies and procedures for each type of payment the store accepts. For checks and charges, they may request additional identification from the customer or call in for an authorization. They must verify the age of customers purchasing alcohol or tobacco. When the sale is complete, cashiers issue a receipt to the customer and return the appropriate change. They may also wrap or bag the purchase.
Cashiers traditionally have totaled customersÕ purchases using cash registers—manually entering the price of each product bought. However, most establishments now use more sophisticated equipment, such as scanners and computers. In a store with scanners, a cashier passes a productÕs Universal Product Code over the scanning device, which transmits the code number to a computer. The computer identifies the item and its price. In other establishments, cashiers manually enter codes into computers, and descriptions of the items and their prices appear on the screen.
Depending on the type of establishment, cashiers may have other duties as well. In many supermarkets, for example, cashiers weigh produce and bulk food, as well as return unwanted items to the shelves. In convenience stores, cashiers may be required to know how to use a variety of machines other than cash registers, and how to furnish money orders and sell lottery tickets. Operating ticket-dispensing machines and answering customersÕ questions are common duties for cashiers who work at movie theaters and ticket agencies. In casinos, gaming change persons and booth cashiers exchange coins and tokens and may issue payoffs. They may also operate a booth in the slot-machine area and furnish change persons with a money bank at the start of the shift, or count and audit money in drawers
.
Opportunities for full-time and part-time cashier jobs should continue to be good, because of employment growth and the need to replace the large number of workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. There is substantial movement into and out of the occupation because education and training requirements are minimal, and the predominance of part-time jobs is attractive to people seeking a short-term source of income rather than a full-time career. Historically, workers under the age of 25 have filled many of the openings in this occupation—in 2002, one-half of all cashiers were 24 years of age or younger. Some establishments have begun hiring elderly and disabled persons to fill some of their job openings.
Cashier employment is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2012 because of expanding demand for goods and services by a growing population. The rising popularity of electronic commerce, which does not require a cashier to complete a transaction or accept payment, may reduce the employment growth of cashiers. However, electronic commerce will have a limited impact on this large occupation, as many consumers lack Internet access or still prefer the traditional method of purchasing goods at stores. The growing use of self-service check-out systems in retail trade, especially at grocery stores, may also have an adverse effect on employment of cashiers. This trend, however, will largely depend on the publicÕs acceptance of the new self-service technology.
Job opportunities may vary from year to year, because the strength of the economy affects demand for cashiers. Companies tend to hire more persons for such jobs when the economy is strong. Seasonal demand for cashiers also causes fluctuations in employment.
.Cashier jobs 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 often prefer applicants with high school diplomas.
Nearly all cashiers are trained on the job. In small businesses, an experienced worker often trains beginners. The trainee spends the first day observing the operation and becoming familiar with the storeÕs equipment, policies, and procedures. After this, trainees are assigned to a register—frequently under the supervision of an experienced worker. In larger businesses, trainees spend several days in classes before being placed at cash registers. Topics typically covered in class include a description of the industry and the company, store policies and procedures, equipment operation, and security.
Training for experienced workers is not common, except when new equipment is introduced or when procedures change. In these cases, the employer or a representative of the equipment manufacturer trains workers on the job.
Persons who want to become cashiers should be able to do repetitious work accurately. They also need basic mathematics skills and good manual dexterity. Because cashiers deal constantly with the public, they should be neat in appearance and able to deal tactfully and pleasantly with customers. In addition, some businesses prefer to hire persons who can operate specialized equipment or who have business experience, such as typing, selling, or handling money.
Advancement opportunities for cashiers vary. For those working part time, promotion may be to a full-time position. Others advance to head cashier or cash-office clerk. In addition, this job offers a good opportunity to learn about an employerÕs business and can serve as a steppingstone to a more responsible position.
.Cashiers accept payment for the purchase of goods and services. Other workers with similar duties include tellers, counter and rental clerks, food and beverage serving and related workers, gaming cage workers, Postal Service workers, and retail salespersons, all of whom are discussed elsewhere in the Handbook.
General information on retailing is available from:
For information about employment opportunities as a cashier, contact:
Main Duties Cashiers establish or identify the price of goods, services or admission and tabulate the bill using a calculator, cash register or optical price scanner. Employers may also require workers who are bondable (ie-who can pass a Criminal Record Check). They are often unable to leave their work station without supervisory approval, since they are responsible for large sums of money. More than one-half of all cashiers work part-time. In 2000 the average annual earnings for all workers in this occupation were $12,600, with the 22% who worked full-time for the whole year receiving $23,800 in earnings.
Summary of: http://www.workfutures.bc.ca/profiles/profile.cfm?print=true&lang=en&noc=6611&site=graphic
You've just imagined what it's like to be a cashier. Cashiers ring up purchases, take payment from customers, and make change. In some establishments, such as 24-hour gas stations and convenience stores, being a cashier can even be downright dangerous. These days, the process has become both more sophisticated and simpler. If self check-out catches on in a major way, there may be many fewer cashiers working at businesses around the country in the future.
Summary of: http://www3.ccps.virginia.edu/career_prospects/briefs/A-D/Cashiers.shtml
The occupation offers plentiful opportunities for part-time work. Nature of the Work Supermarkets, department stores, gasoline service stations, movie theaters, restaurants, and many other businesses employ cashiers to register the sale of their merchandise. An occasional shortage of small amounts may be overlooked, but in many establishments, repeated shortages are grounds for dismissal. Hours of work often vary depending on the needs of the employer. For example, full-time workers who work on weekends may receive time off during the week.
Summary of: http://guide.symplicity.com/resources/profession_article.php?id=147
The occupation offers plentiful opportunities for part-time work. Most cashiers total bills, receive money, make change, fill out charge forms, and give receipts. They must count their banks to ensure that they contain the correct amount of money and that there are adequate supplies of change. An occasional shortage of small amounts may be overlooked, but in many establishments, repeated shortages are grounds for dismissal. In addition to counting the contents of their drawers at the end of their shifts, cashiers usually separate charge forms, return slips, coupons, and any other noncash items.
Summary of: http://www.georgiajobwatch.com/arsales_cashiers.html
Most cashiers total bills, receive money, make change, fill out charge forms, and give receipts. Bank tellers, who perform similar duties but work in financial institutions, are discussed elsewhere in the Handbook. They must count their banks to ensure that they contain the correct amount of money and that there are adequate supplies of change. An occasional shortage of small amounts may be overlooked, but in many establishments, repeated shortages are grounds for dismissal. Working Conditions More than one half of all cashiers are on part-time schedules.
Summary of: http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/ooh9899/105.htm
Return to top Main Duties Cashiers establish or identify the price of goods, services or admission and tabulate the bill using a calculator, cash register or optical price scanner. Employers may also require workers who are bondable (ie-who can pass a Criminal Record Check). They are often unable to leave their work station without supervisory approval, since they are responsible for large sums of money. More than one-half of all cashiers work part-time. In 2000 the average annual earnings for all workers in this occupation were $12,600, with the 22% who worked full-time for the whole year receiving $23,800 in earnings.
Summary of: http://www.workfutures.bc.ca/profiles/profile.cfm?noc=6611&lang=en&site=txt
The occupation offers plentiful opportunities for part-time work. Most cashiers total bills, receive money, make change, fill out charge forms, and give receipts. An occasional shortage of small amounts may be overlooked, but in many establishments, repeated shortages are grounds for dismissal. In addition to counting the contents of their drawers at the end of their shifts, cashiers usually separate and total charge forms, return slips, coupons, and any other noncash items. For example, full-time workers who work on weekends may receive time off during the week.
Summary of: http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/ooh20002001/285.htm
Cashiers in retail stores tabulate bills, accept payment and pack purchased goods in bags or boxes. Theatre box office cashiers often do public relations work as well. Working Conditions Most cashiers stand in small booths or behind counters for long periods of time, sometimes near store entrances where they are subject to cold drafts in the winter. There are opportunities to move into positions in other store departments or to advance to supervisory positions. It is forecasted that 450 to 750 new positions will be created each year in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
Summary of: http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfile&format=html&OCCPRO_ID=71001580
Usually involves use of electronic scanners, cash registers, or related equipment. Often involved in processing credit or debit card transactions and validating checks. For example, a person can become a general office clerk even if he/she has never worked in an office before. Job Training Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Examples include bus drivers, forest and conservation workers, general office clerks,home health aides, and waiters/waitresses.
Summary of: http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/41-2011.00
Nearly one-half of all cashiers work part time. Good employment opportunities are expected because of the large number of workers who leave this occupation each year. Many cashiers start at the Federal minimum wage. An occasional shortage of small amounts may be overlooked but, in many establishments, repeated shortages are grounds for dismissal. Cashiers also handle returns and exchanges.
Summary of: http://www.collegegrad.com/careers/marke01.shtml