Summary
A cashier is often the last person a customer talks to, and the one they remember. Cashiers ring up purchases, take payments, bag items and answer questions at the front of a store, shop or counter.
Say what you sell and how busy the register gets. A quiet boutique and a busy grocery lane are very different jobs.
Duties and responsibilities
- Greet customers and ring up their items accurately.
- Take cash, cards and other payments, and give the right change.
- Bag or wrap items, and handle returns and exchanges by store policy.
- Answer questions about products, prices and store policies, or find someone who can.
- Count the drawer at the start and end of the shift and report any difference.
- Keep the register area clean, stocked and organized.
- Follow store security and loss prevention steps.
Skills and qualities
- Friendly and patient, even in a line.
- Accurate with money and numbers.
- Quick learner on registers and point-of-sale systems.
- Calm when customers are upset.
- Honest and dependable.
- Able to stand for most of a shift.
Typical requirements
- No experience needed if you will train. Say so in the posting.
- Comfortable handling cash and using a computer or touchscreen.
- Ability to stand for long periods and lift the weight you name.
- Minimum age that meets your state’s rules. Some items, such as alcohol or tobacco, have age rules for the person who sells them.
- Availability for evenings, weekends and holidays if the job needs them.
Requirements differ by state, city and employer. Check the licensing, age, safety and pay rules that apply to your business before you post. This page is a starting point, not legal advice.
Schedule and conditions
Retail hours follow store hours, with busy periods on weekends and around holidays. Give the usual shifts, days and whether holiday work is required.
Say how schedules are posted and how shift swaps work.
Nice to have
- Earlier cash handling or customer service experience.
- Experience with the point-of-sale system you use.
- A second language, if your customers need it.
- Flexible availability.
Tips for posting this job
- Say what you sell and how busy the register gets.
- List the shifts and how far ahead schedules are posted.
- State your training plan for new cashiers.
- Mention any employee discount or other benefit you offer.
- Give the store location and entry details.
Put your real pay, schedule and location in the posting. Candidates skip posts that leave them out.
Sample job post
Copy this, then change the words in brackets to match your business.
Cashier: [store type] in [city]
[Store name] is a [grocery store / boutique / hardware store / convenience store] looking for a friendly cashier to help customers check out quickly and accurately. Our registers are busiest [weekends / evenings / mornings], and we will train you on our point-of-sale system.
Pay: [pay rate or range]. Schedule: [days and shifts], [full time / part time], including [weekends / holidays, or none]. Start: [start date].
- Greet customers and ring up their items accurately.
- Take cash, card and other payments, and give the right change.
- Bag items and handle returns and exchanges by store policy.
- Answer questions about prices and products, or find someone who can.
- Count your drawer at the start and end of each shift, and keep the register area clean and stocked.
- Requirements: [no experience needed / earlier cash handling experience], comfort with a touchscreen register, the ability to stand for a full shift, and [minimum age, if the job sells age-restricted items].
- We provide: [paid training, employee discount, flexible scheduling, other benefits].
Interview questions for a cashier
- Tell me about a time a customer was upset at the register. What did you do?
- The line is long and a customer has a price question. How do you handle it?
- Your drawer is off at the end of a shift. What do you do next?
- What register or point-of-sale systems have you used?
- How do you stay friendly and accurate when the store is busy?
- What would you do if you saw someone try to leave without paying?
- Which days, evenings and holidays can you reliably work?
Ask every candidate the same questions so you can compare answers fairly. HRGP keeps your questions, notes and scores with each applicant.
Questions and answers
What does a cashier do?
A cashier rings up purchases, takes payments and gives change, bags items and handles returns at the front of a store or counter. Cashier duties also include answering customer questions, counting the drawer at the start and end of each shift, and keeping the register area clean and stocked.
Do you need experience or training to be a cashier?
Many stores hire cashiers with no experience and train them on the register. Employers usually look for comfort with money, a friendly manner and dependable attendance. Some items, such as alcohol or tobacco, have age rules for the person who sells them, and those rules differ by state, so check locally.
What should a cashier job description include?
A good cashier job description says what you sell, how busy the register gets, the main cashier duties, the shifts and holiday expectations, and the pay. Add your training plan and any employee discount, so the right people apply.
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