What it takes to be a Cashier
The retail world would not be able to function without someone behind the counter. Cashier jobs are an essential ingredient to making any store run. They are the people who take your money after you have made a purchase and the last people you interact with before leaving the store. For anyone looking for a job that doesn’t really require any qualifications, these jobs are very common and they can be very rewarding too. This article will expand on what it takes to comfortably handle cashier vacancies.
Cashier job description
Cashier duties essentially involve anyone who facilitates a transfer of money from a person to a store via a cash register. These transactions can be in the form of physical cash, cheques and credit or debit card transfers. After the transfer has taken place, you will then deal with receipts and give the client change if need be.
You will have to deal with a large sum of money every day and will need to be honest and trustworthy as not all retail stores have proper security measures or retail software that stops theft from taking place. You will also be in constant contact with the public so no day will be the same and there is always someone to talk to. Some cashiers jobs might involve you having to deal with people returning items when a customer isn’t satisfied with the product that they have bought.
It should be noted that there are both part time and full time cashier jobs. The part time jobs will mean that you earn a higher hourly wage but you will only work for limited hours. In a full time cashier position, you will earn a salary or permanent wage and you will have more responsibilities like cashing up the till at the end of your working day.
Where can I work as a cashier?
A cashier is anyone working behind a till, there are so many industries that will have cashier vacancies. Let’s look a bit closer at some of these:
Restaurants: Cashier jobs at restaurants will have to be extra client orientated as a great meal can be spoiled by an unruly cashier. You are not only the last point of contact but you are also the face of the restaurant because those working behind the till will often have to take bookings and speak to clients, who may not be in the store, on a regular basis.
Supermarkets: Supermarket cashiers need to be very quick as you have a huge volume of people moving past your till. So you will have to be efficient and know how the till point software works like the back of your hand. A good example are Spar jobs. Spar has a large amount of people going through its stores at any given time. Think of the queues you sometimes see at a Spar counter. You have to be able to manage this without losing your cool.
Retail Stores: Retail stores probably employ the most cashiers when compared to any other industry. This is similar to supermarket cashiers in the sense that you will have a high volume of people across your till but there are a few differences. These cashier jobs will require you to be more client orientated as people are mostly buying something they don’t use up, unlike a supermarket. This means that you have to treat the merchandise with extra care. You will also have to look out for people trying to steal things as a lot of retail stores don’t have security on the same level as big supermarkets.
Petrol stations: Cashier duties at petrol stations are a little more safety orientated as you will most likely have to work at strange hours and as a petrol station deals with a lot of money in a day, you have to be vigilant and safety conscious.
Casinos: When you work behind the cashier counter at a Casino, it’s quite different than most cashiers jobs. Here security and honesty are paramount. You don’t have to worry about client satisfaction or watching people for stealing, that’s handled by other people. Here your job is to take large amounts of money and give the customers gambling chips or credits to be used in the casino. Then if they have any winnings, you take the chips or credits back and pay them out the equivalent value of money. You are closely watched and monitored for any illegal activities so you really do need to be a very honest person or you won’t last long here.
Hotels: The hospitality industry is probably the most client orientated industry that a cashier could possibly work in. Here it isn’t so much about taking clients’ money but more about making sure their stay was enjoyable and that they are happy and content. You are the face of the hotel and the last point of contact so you have to be very courteous and well spoken.
From here you can quite easily go into a different career. If you are a cashier at a hotel, this will give you a very good understanding of the hospitality industry as an example. Or if you work in a retail store where you are selling things to customers then a career in promotions or marketing might be the next step for you. Cashier jobs open you up to a very wide range of industries and skills.
Training to be a cashier
Formal education isn’t really needed for cashier vacancies but it’s a good idea to have a good grasp of basic mathematics. Most cashiers will receive on-the-job training which can last from a few days to a few weekends, depending on what you need to learn. This training will include how to speak to customers, how to deal with disputes and how to use a credit card or debit card machine. Then you will have to learn the software that the tills use and how to comfortably use this system when under pressure.
Due to the fact that a lot of the point of sale tills use the same software in a given industry, there are courses, that you can go on that normally last about two weeks, that will teach you about everything from how to use the point of sale software to communication and customer service skills.
What kind of skills or traits will you need?
Now that you know all about the training and the cashier job description, let’s start off with the obvious, you will need to be able to effectively count money as this will be your main job at the end of the day. A good understanding of basic mathematics is very important.
Then good communication skills are also very important as you will be dealing with client’s everyday on a face-to-face basis. You can’t be short tempered either as you will have to deal with difficult people at some stage. You can’t get angry or the place you are working at will gain a bad reputation.
Lastly, the ability to stand for prolonged periods of time and being able to work at night will be beneficial. You will not get the opportunity to sit behind your till counter.
If you think you are the perfect fit for cashier jobs then you should have a look at the Job Mail website. There are always new cashier vacancies and other cashiers jobs available. You will find part time and full time cashier jobs so go and have a look. Make sure to register your CV on www.JobMail.co.za as it is definitely the best way to stay informed of any new vacancies on the job market.
