Simple and detailed guide on building a competitive cashier resume and passing cashier interview in 2021
Super useful tips to note and silly mistakes to avoid
Part 2: Cashier Interview Preparation
Part 1: Cashier Resume Guide
Brave enough to work as a cashier during pandemic? Here’s how to write a resume to get offers from top companies who will take care of your safety.
This cashier resume guide is divided into 6 parts.
Summary
In this opening section you have to make it crystal clear that you have strong intention to work as a cashier. You can also mention your motivation behind it.
Important: you can also use it to preclude the interviewer from asking “how long do you want to work in this position?” and “who do you see yourself in 1 year?” If you already have answers to these questions your answer should look similar to the example below.
Yes: “to provide a 1 year of professional cashier services that will formulate a base of loyal and regular customers, and to use cashier experience to supportively coordinate new workers.”
This answer shows your goal-oriented attitude, the fact that you care about the reputation of the place where you see yourself working and it tells about your plans in 1 year perspective.
No: “to get a position of cashier.”
The second answer is a waste of letters. It is too short, too obvious and it does not add up to information about your candidacy.
Education
There is no such thing as the wrong type of school to graduate from. But there is always such a thing as wrong format. Make sure you get it perfectly right to make it impossible to pick on.
Yes: Bowie High School, Bowie, AZ
Graduation: 2020
No interviewer will have any questions if you present a comprehensive answer like this.
No: Bowie High School, 2020
A picky interviewer will have to ask whether “2020” stands for the year of your graduation. By choosing this format you also risk to get an image of a bad textual communicator who also may have the same problem while talking to customers.
Experience
If you are not sure whether you want to share this information or you had no experience check out our detailed instructions on how to write a resume with no experience.
If you do have experience and you are open about it – write it down by following the example below.
Job Position: *your previous job title*
Job Experience: *years and/or months*
Responsibilities:
- *responsibility 1*
- *responsibility 2*
- etc.
Notable Achievements:
- *achievement 1*
- *achievement 2*
- etc.
Important Skills and Advantages
III. Physical Cashier Advantages
I. Basic Skills
· Compliance with Pandemic Measures
It is no secret to anyone that pandemic has bankrupt millions of businesses. Therefore, in conditions of such a shaky era for business it is very important for every responsible cashier to follow the proper rules of common hygiene. Mentioning this skill will give you a huge advantage over the rest of the candidates.
· Communication
This is one of the most important skills in any position at any company. The main reason why communication skills are so significant is that being able to talk to everyone on the team and provide constructive feedback helps to solve problems faster and more effectively.
· Respectfulness
Although respectfulness almost always goes hand in hand with communication, highlighting it in a separate bullet point will make it very clear for a recruiter that your manners play a huge role in your behavioral code. Which will make it impossible for any client to make a “cashier complaint” on your watch.
· Sense of Humor
Being funny or even being able to cause one to make a sincere, genuine smile has always been one of the most effective tools to disarm someone’s anger and make that person want to see you again. This skill is extremely useful in any job. Especially in a cashier’s job, where s/he has to communicate with constant flaws of different customers.
· Foreign Languages
It is obvious that the more foreign languages you speak, the more career opportunities you will have. Besides, having this hard skill will come in handy no matter what field you want to work in next as you may be the candidate who has the advantage due to your ability to speak a few languages.
· Basic Computer Knowledge
It implies your ability to use Microsoft Office packs and your readiness to study new software and apps that may be necessary for your cashier duties.
II. Cashier Skills
· Concentration
It means that your percentage of mistakes is probably far less than everyone else’s.
· Sociability
It means that your open-mindedness will not make it extremely difficult for you to be friendly to your customers.
· Basic Math Skills
It means that you are not dependent on a calculator.
· Basic Accounting Knowledge
It means that they won’t have to waste their time and energy to explain to you how accounting works in case they have a need. It can also win for you some chances to become their accountant someday.
· Safety Rules Awareness
It means that you will not let them down in case of emergency, where your actions will be filmed by a security camera and potentially published in the news.
· Face-name Memory
It means that you are likely to create a loyal customer base, since your ability to remember them will make them feel special.
III. Physical Cashier Advantages
· Radio voice
It means that customers will have a much more pleasant experience being served by you. Thus, it will make it more likely for them to come back.
· Good posture
It means that customers will have extra confidence in the professionalism of your services.
· Great peripheral vision
It means that you have better chances to spot an emergency.
Interests
Feel free to include anything that has a healthy and positive impact on your productivity.
1) Any branches of science (the more the better)
It means that:
– You are curious;
– Your mind is not lazy;
– You are more likely to make wise decisions.
2) Foreign language(s)
It means that:
– You can serve more customers;
– You are likely to make foreign customers your regulars.
3) Exercises, fitness, physical activities, sports
It means that:
– You have plenty of energy;
– You are not lazy when it comes to your body.
4) Law (sales)
It will mean that you have a huge advantage over the rest of the candidates. It will add a lot of points to your candidacy, since it will create an image of a person who is aware of Return and Refund Laws and capable of putting them into practice.
P.S. If you do decide to write it – make sure to at least read through Return and Refund Laws. Because if they find out that know nothing about this topic you you risk get rejected by them with the reputation of a resume liar.
5) Painting, weaving, miniature building, pottering, anything that has to do with working on small objects
It means that:
– You are patient;
– You have flawless fine motor skills.
Customize Your Resume
Having great content on your resume means 50% of success. The other half comes down to how it looks at first sight. Customizing it in order to make it original will increase chances for it to be picked first over the rest of the resume. If you are short on time, our group of professional resume writers and editors can always do it for you.
Part 2: Cashier Interview Preparation
Once you receive the interview offer you have to be completely aware of how to successfully pass it. That is why the best thing you can do for yourself to maximize chances to get a cashier job is to prepare yourself in advance (simply because you may not have time later).
The second part of this guide is divided in 2 sections.
1. Before the Interview: Preparation
I. Get Your Information
Studying a company or a store that offered you an interview is just as important as showing up to the interview.
If it is a big company – make sure to check out:
- Their website
- Their social network pages
- Their “map” section in Google
- Their “news” section in Google
If it is a small business – make sure to check out:
- Their address
- Their social network pages
II. Dressing Tactics
There are two types of dressing tactics you can choose from in order to pass a cashier interview successfully: universal and original.
Universal Dressing Tactic
The universal dressing tactic states that you should wear whatever makes you feel the most confident and good about yourself.
Of course, in some cases your successes can depend on the job you are looking for. But if the interviewer or the whole company is not approving of your style or find it repulsive and you are not okay with that – consider their message as a huge timesaver. Once you find people who accept you the way you are – you will find yourself in a win-win situation.
Original Dressing Tactic
You can simply dress as a cashier. It will show them that not only you have an exceptional dedication in terms of your professionalism, but that you also have a good sense of humor. Both of which are crucial features of a perfect cashier that every mass client business is looking for. A T-shirt and kitchen apron will do it.
If you want to take it to the next level you can print out the logo of the company that is interviewing you and attach it to your “uniform.” By representing yourself with their symbols and their colors (you can paint their logo with crayons) you will automatically formulate their opinion of you as someone who has great respect for their culture and their essence.
If you want to increase your chances to get the job to the sky-high level – you can also attach their logo to the side of your face mask. In super rare cases by following all these original cashier interview dressing tactics you can get this job within less than 10 or even 5 minutes.
P.S. If you ever are going to have an acting audition, note that the very same trick of dressing as the character that you play can help you a lot in getting the role.
III. Interview Mindset
Remember: an interview is not a friendly conversation. It is a chess alike mental battle.
It is an attempt of the interviewer to break you, and your willingness to disarm him or her when s/he approaches you with appropriate tools. It is your willingness to deflect the interviewer and hit back when it is necessary.
You should expect two types of questions:
1) Provocative questions
Example: “How will you be if this job is not given to you?”
Aim: to scare you and make you feel like they need you more than you need them
2) Tricky questions
Example: “Who was the most unpleasant colleague you have ever had?”
Aim: to find out whether you are hateful gossipmonger or not
The main thing to keep in mind at all times is that you have to be aware of what is going on, and find a perfect balance between playing too rough and too too aggressive.
2. During the Interview: Questions & Answers
The final section of this guide is divided into 4 parts. Each part includes 4 F.A.Q. and answers.
II. General Things [abstract questions]
III. Big Things [emergency questions]
IV. Little Things [specific scenarios]
I. COVID Topic Questions
1. “Will you work if the number of cases will rise like never before?”
That totally depends on your personal preferences. Nevertheless, replying “yes” right away will give you more chances to get this job.
2. “What are your actions if a customer comes without a mask?”
It all depends on the official pandemic rules in your country or state. You have to check them for yourself and act in accordance with the official instructions.
If you live in the area that follows pandemic rules:
“I would say to the customer ‘Sir/ma’am, please put your mask up.’ And if there would be no reaction I would add ‘Sir/ma’am, we are not allowed to serve customers without a mask.’ And if there still would be no reaction – I would not serve this customer and would never see that person in the store.”
If you live in the area that has “no mask” policy:
“I will not say anything to this customer, since the government has allowed our citizens to not wear masks in public places.”
3. “What will you do if a customer who refuses to wear a mask comes up with a package of groceries to your cash box?”
“I will not serve that person and therefore we would not have to see this customer again. Plus, the word of mouth will also magnet customers who wear masks and repel customers who don’t.”
4. “What will you do if a coughing customer without a mask won’t leave?”
“I will quietly ask security to take a person out. After the conflict is solved, I will ventilate the whole place and I will change my mask if that person was coughing less than 10 feet away from me.”
II. General Things [abstract questions]
1. “Are you ready to handle angry customers?”
First of all, it is important to consider that you are a cashier, not a bouncer. You have to answer this tricky question wisely.
“I will do my best to prevent a customer from getting angry in the first place. If a customer has got angry because of some unknown factors I will not bother that person with requests to calm down, nor I will bother him/her with coupons and special offers. But if the situation gets out of control it is not within my professional competence to handle angry customers physically, since I am hiring for a cashier position. Nevertheless, I will act on a situation.”
2. “What does excellent customer service mean to you?”
“Ability to serve customers the way that will make them want to come back. It comes down to treating everyone with respect, unobtrusiveness and making sure that our store sparkles everywhere our customer looks.”
3. “What do you consider the most difficult thing about this job?”
“Getting along with difficult customers. Not everyone is having a great day and my responsibility to make sure that I will not make it worse for my customers. Although it may not be easy, eventually it makes me a better communicator. Which is important for any type of job.”
4. “Who do you see yourself in one year?”
It all depends on your personal future plans. If you don’t have the answer to this question you can always paraphrase the example below.
“It is hard to make plans in the future in such fragile conditions like the one we have on our planet right now. I think at this time short-term goals are especially more important than long-term ones. For that reason, in order to succeed my main goal is to focus on what is going on at this moment and avoid looking too far ahead.”
III. Big Things [emergency questions]
1. “What are your actions if our client collapses on the floor?”
1. Try to catch a customer;
2. Hit the emergency button;
3. Quietly ask a colleague to watch the cashbox and the rest of the customers;
4. Loudly ask whether there is a doctor among customers;
5. Spread everyone around that person so that s/he has more air to breathe;
6. Follow the principle “first, do no harm” and make sure everyone else follows it too;
7. If it doesn’t look that customer broke his back – roll that person on the side;
8. Call the ambulance (even if some of the customers said they already did it);
9. Hope that the record from the security camera gets to the news, which will make a free commercial for our business.
2. “What are your actions in case of the fire?”
1. Hit the emergency button;
2. Empty cash box to eliminate chances of theft;
3. Show and open the emergency exit for customers who are too far from the main entrance;
4. Use fire extinguisher;
5. Wait for the firemen.
3. “What are your actions in case of the robbery?”
1. Prevent the robber from getting angrier;
2. If it is an armed robbery – open the cashbox and hand money to the criminal;
3. Call the police when situation gets safe and stable;
4. Make sure that none of the customers leaves and if they do – ask for their contact information for further witness testimony.
4. “What are your actions in case of the riots on the streets?”
No: “My actions would be the same as if there were no riots. I have to work no matter what.”
Yes: “The goal of any business is to make a profit. Having the store opened during riots creates good chances for rioters to commit a chaotic collective crime. That is why the smartest thing to do in this case is to close it. If the manager is against this sensible decision then I am not interested in working at this place.”
Being honest is extremely important during an interview. But being wise is important as well. This wise and honest answer will make you feel as a true professional. And that is the only type of workers successful businesses want to work with.
IV. Little Things [specific scenarios]
1. “How would you deal with an impatient customer who is in a hurry?”
No: “I would serve that customer as fast as possible.”
Yes: “I would not speed up too much in order to avoid mistakes and I would not offer this customer coupons and special offers.”
This answer will add up to your image as a professional who knows how to act on the situation without reflecting the nervous behavior of the customer.
2. “Which customer is more important to you, the one who came to our store or the one who is calling you? Why?”
No: “The one who is calling me. Because everything goes online.”
Yes: “The one who came to my store. Because despite the fact that business goes online our hunter-gatherer tribe habits shaped by millions of years are not going anywhere.”
We are humans and we have a biological need for complete, not partial human interaction. In sales sound interactions would not do as much in formulating strong business relationships than sound, visual and tactile interaction would. Therefore, creating a mental bond with “physical customer” will more likely make that person loyal to this store than creating this bond with “faceless audio customer.”
3. “What if the manager asks you to work on your day-off?”
No: “If I have to – I will do it.”
Yes: “It all depends on the situation. I would agree if I needed more money and if I had time and energy for this shift. But if I had neither – I would disagree.”
By giving this answer you will let them know that you are not an easy manipulated worker. And if they are looking for one – you will save your time by diplomatically stating that you are not one of them.
4. “What if a coworker calls out sick and you’re on your own?”
No: “So be it. I can handle everything by myself.”
Yes: “I will ask whether that person informed our management. I will let my management know that me being on my own reflects on the quality, safety and success of our business. It may work once or twice, but in order to make maximum profit I need a partner as it says on the paper in the ‘staff’ section. Otherwise, we risk decreasing the amount of our earnings.”
That way you will make it clear that you think not only about yourself, but about the success of the whole group.
For more super useful and detailed information on resume and interview check out BWritings Blog.
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