The Best Cashier Skills for Your Resume

Example of a cashier resume with relevant skills

Here’s a cashier resume example with relevant hard and soft skills in bold for reference:

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Best hard skills for cashiers

Hard skills are abilities you learn through experience or training, such as using point-of-sale systems, following company policies, and knowing the store layout, departments, and products.

1. Math skills

As a cashier, you’ll work with money and numbers all the time, so include your math and cash-handling skills on your resume.

As a cashier, you may face situations where you’re asked to

• Split payment between two or more credit cards
• Make change for customers in specific denominations
• Calculate coupons in percentages and dollar amounts
• Count the drawer at shift change and reconcile any differences to match the final count
• Calculate the total of a purchase before tax
• Provide quick calculations to stay below a certain amount
• Collect payments and receipts
• Scan coupons and promotion codes

Although cash registers often do the math automatically, you may still need to calculate totals or memorize prices.

2. Adherence to company policies and procedures

No matter if you work at a grocery store, a pharmacy, a food-service establishment, or an entertainment venue, you may need to:

• Follow age verification protocols for restricted items like alcohol, tobacco, certain medications, or entertainment with strict age limits
• Properly handle coupon stacking based on store policy – for example, knowing whether a store coupon can be combined with a manufacturer’s coupon
• Follow cash-handling procedures like having bills over $50 verified by a manager and keeping no more than $200 in the drawer at any time
• Apply return policy guidelines correctly – such as requiring a receipt for returns within 30 days and manager approval for returns over $50
• Follow opening and closing procedures precisely – counting the drawer with a supervisor present, securing cash in the right locations, and completing required paperwork at shift changes

If you can demonstrate your ability to follow procedures like these, it’ll tell employers that you’ll be easy to onboard as a new cashier.

3. Product knowledge

Cashiers need to have enough knowledge of store products to confidently assist customers with their purchase decisions at the checkout.

Examples of cashier product knowledge include:

• Knowing the key features and benefits of popular items in the store
• Understanding product locations
• Being able to answer customer questions about ingredients, sizes, compatibility, or usage of specific products
• Identifying sale items and giving basic information about product warranties or return policies
• Knowing which products are on promotion or on sale
• Knowing which products are best to cross-sell with others

4. Physical stamina

A cashier needs physical stamina to stand for long periods, do repetitive motions like scanning items and handling cash, lift small to moderate weights, and stay alert and focused throughout a shift. Specific examples of physical stamina required for a cashier role include:

• Repetitive hand movements such as scanning items, handling cash, and operating a point-of-sale system
• Occasionally lifting bags of merchandise or heavy change trays
• Bending and reaching for items on lower shelves or picking up dropped merchandise
• Mental focus and concentration while handling transactions, dealing with customers, and managing cash accurately

5. Knowledge of point-of-sale systems and cash registers

A cashier needs experience using point-of-sale (POS) systems and cash registers to process sales and keep the business moving efficiently.

Here are some examples of a cashier’s responsibilities using POS systems and cash registers:

• Accurately scanning items with a barcode scanner
• Processing different payment methods (cash, credit card, debit card)
• Applying discounts and coupons
• Managing the cash drawer, printing receipts, and handling returns
• Navigating the POS system to access customer information or inventory levels
• Entering item quantities and prices manually if needed
• Selecting the correct payment type and processing transactions
• Opening and closing the cash register drawer
• Printing receipts
• Utilizing loyalty programs or rewards points
• Applying promotional codes or discounts
• Handling returns and exchanges
• Checking inventory levels through the POS system
• Resolving customer payment issues
• Accessing different screens and menus on the POS system
• Searching for items by product name or code
• Understanding error messages and troubleshooting basic issues

If you have examples of cashier POS system knowledge like these, add them to your resume, like this:

6. Familiarity with returns, refunds, and exchanges

Returns, refunds, and exchanges support customer satisfaction and loyalty, and can even improve a brand’s reputation. They also give useful feedback for product or service improvements.

Knowing how to process returns, refunds, and exchanges smoothly makes you an asset in any in-person retail store.

7. Store layout knowledge

No matter the size of the place you work, a cashier needs some familiarity with the store layout to better assist with:

• Customer assistance and inquiries
• Locating a specific product, aisle, or section
• Inventory management and restocking
• Identifying potential shoplifting situations

8. Packaging and gift-wrapping purchases

Not all stores offer gift-wrapping services, but knowing how to package items carefully will always make a cashier resume stand out.

Here’s how to highlight your efficiency and care when packaging groceries or other items:

9. Cleaning and organizing

Keeping a store clean and organized is important for both efficiency and customer satisfaction. During slower periods, cashiers often do several tasks to stay productive and get ready for busier times.

Be sure to list your experience with:

• Tidying up the cash register and organizing receipts
• Ensuring all supplies like bags, change, coupons, and receipt paper are stocked
• Cleaning the work area, including wiping down surfaces and keeping the checkout area presentable
• Mopping and sweeping the floor when needed

10. Speed and efficiency

Employers value cashiers who can work quickly and keep purchases moving.

As a cashier, you need to focus on:

• Minimizing wait times in line
• Maintaining smooth store operations
• Processing transactions rapidly
• Accurately handling money and following proper procedures

Best soft skills for cashiers

Soft skills are non-technical skills that describe how you work and interact with others, such as patience, teamwork, and adaptability. They often develop through experience rather than formal education.

1. People skills

People skills are one type of soft skill — positive traits like being polite, empathetic, and respectful when interacting with others.

Because cashiers work directly with customers, hiring managers seek friendly, welcoming, and personable applicants.

Here are some other interpersonal skills you might be able to add to your resume:

• Patience
• Teamwork
• Conversation skills
• Charisma
• Flexibility

2. Customer service skills

Employers seek cashiers who speak respectfully to customers and create a friendly environment. Cashiers greet customers, answer questions on the phone and in person, explain product information, and direct customers to what they need so they have a positive in-store experience.

Here are some more customer service-oriented skills:

• Confidence
• Active listening
• Public speaking
• Strong memory
• Helpfulness
• Tactfulness

3. Communicating sales and promotions

Because you have to interact with hundreds of customers every shift, communication skills are a must-have.

Show on your resume that you’re familiar with products, promotions, and customers’ preferences and needs, and that you can make personalized recommendations and increase sales.

4. Time management skills

A cashier needs strong time management skills to balance customer service with operational speed.

Here are a few key reasons why cashiers should emphasize time management on their resume:

• Multitasking – cashiers often need to scan items, handle cash, give change, and interact with customers at once, which requires the ability to prioritize and switch between tasks quickly
• Meeting deadlines – keeping customers moving means sticking to expected transaction times to prevent lines from building up at the register
• Customer satisfaction – processing transactions efficiently supports customer satisfaction by reducing wait times
• Peak hours – during busy periods, good time management matters even more when handling a high volume of customers

Use these resume keywords to showcase your excellent time management skills:

• Accountability
• Agility
• Delegation
• Initiative
• Logical thinking

5. Dependability

Showing up to your shift on time and ready to work is essential to succeed as a cashier.

“Punctual,” “reliable,” and “trustworthy” are words you can use to positively describe yourself in your skills section to show your dependability.

6. Problem solving skills

To handle problems or emergencies as a cashier, you need to think fast and come up with solutions.

Whether you’re handling complex customer questions, damaged merchandise, or technical issues, you must work well under pressure and de-escalate difficult situations.

If your experience includes taking initiative to help someone resolve an issue or finding information to fix a difficult situation, list problem solving skills on your resume.

7. Organizational skills

Employers look for organized cashiers who can keep workstations tidy, shelve merchandise, and keep the store neat, so mention that you’re organized and won’t misplace documents such as purchase orders, inventory lists, and store receipts.

Here are some organizational skills you can mention:

• Attention to detail
• Self-motivation
• Coordination
• Focus

Generate skills for your cashier resume

Try our AI skills generator to find skills for your resume.

3 tips for adding skills to your cashier application

Follow these tips to clearly show your cashier skills on your resume:

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Use hard numbers throughout your resume

Hard numbers give employers clarity about how many customers you served or how long it took you to complete tasks.

Here’s an example of a cashier using hard numbers in their resume work experience section:

• Greeted and directed 400+ moviegoers daily to their correct theater screens across a 16-screen multiplex
• Processed over 600 concession transactions during peak 6-hour periods on Marvel movie premiere nights
• Won “Concession Star of the Month” by successfully upselling combo deals and promotional movie merchandise, resulting in $2,500 in additional revenue during summer blockbuster season

Use keywords in your cashier resume

Employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter applicants, so include the exact skills and duties listed in the job ad to help your resume get through the software. Include these keywords naturally throughout your resume in your skills section, introduction, and work experience bullet points.

Include a cover letter

Add a cashier cover letter along with your application to further highlight your relevant skills. A cover letter shows initiative, and employers value the effort you put into explaining your qualifications.

Additional skills-related resources

Here are additional skills-related resources to help you write your cashier resume.

• Best soft skills for your resume
• Skills-based resumes
• Transferable skills
• In-demand job skills
• Hard skills