Cashier Jobs in the United Kingdom

Cashier Jobs Overview

Cashier jobs play a large role in shaping a customer’s image of a business. When you work as a cashier, you also can make a difference in someone’s day by making the interaction a positive one.

As a cashier, you’ll process transactions and answer customer questions. Depending on how busy the workplace is, you could also help out with a variety of other tasks, such as organising and labelling merchandise, preparing orders, and more. You might enjoy this job if you have good interpersonal skills and are looking for a job that doesn’t require a formal education.

How to Find the Cashier Job That Fits You

You might associate cashier jobs with retail stores and restaurants, but many other businesses employ cashiers, for example museums and movie theatres. When looking for cashier jobs, first consider where you want to work. If you have a specific interest or hobby, a shop or place of interest focused on this can make the job more interesting. It can also mean that you have special expertise that can help you advance to a more senior position.

If you want to advance in your career, also consider a large company with a clear hierarchy. Retail chains, for example, often have a number of different leadership positions, from a team leader or shift supervisor all the way to a regional manager or head of stores.

Do you want to work typical office hours or will you take a job where you need to work weekends and evenings? If you want to avoid evening and weekend work, choose a workplace with 9-5 hours. Other workplaces may give you a say in the times of the day you can work, but limiting your hours can mean decreasing your chances of getting the job, or reduce the number of shifts you get.

How to Apply to Cashier Jobs

Before you apply to a new job, make sure to update your CV. If you don’t have previous job experience, prepare a CV that details skills you learned in school and your degree and education. If you have experience in sales, retail, or customer service, make sure to include that.

Here are some examples of what to highlight:

• awards and recognitions, such as Employee of the Month
• pending or existing certifications, such as cashier training programmes
• a list of relevant skills
• goals that you met or exceeded
• if you have participated in opening and closing procedures
• any additional responsibilities that you’ve taken on

Some positions will also ask for a cover letter.

Apply to Jobs

Ready to apply? Check out Monster’s cashier jobs. To get started applying to jobs on this page, create a free profileand upload your CV.

How to Follow up With an Employer

When choosing how to follow up, consider whether the people you’ll be following up with have hectic jobs. If they do, chances are they’ll appreciate a follow-up by email. If you know the business, you can also call during a slower time of the day, such as first thing in the morning. Calling during the lunch hour rush at a restaurant or during a holiday to a store is rarely a good idea.

Interviewing for Cashier Jobs

Preparing for your job interview is a process that includes several essential steps. The first part is to practice what to say.

Practice Answering Interview Questions

During your job interviews, employers may ask you about challenges that could come up on the job. You can get ready for this by thinking about common scenarios you may encounter. For example, they may ask what you would do if you notice a co-worker stealing money or if a sale falls through. You should also be prepared to answer specific scheduling questions, such as what hours you’re available, and if you can work evenings, weekends, and holidays.

What to Do When You Get an Offer

Getting a job offer is exciting but keep calm and evaluate the offer before you accept the job. Keep in mind that details such as hours and pay may be negotiable. If the offer isn’t what you expected, using common negotiation tactics might lead to a better offer.

How to Negotiate an Offer

When evaluating the offer, consider the complete package, including benefits and any other compensation, such as bonuses and commissions. Compare it to typical salaries in your industry and location. If you still think the offer is too low, practice a script for negotiating the offer. Your script should include a thank you for the offer, a reasoning behind why you think you’re worth more, and a specific number.

Decide beforehand what to do if the employer doesn’t accept the number you suggest or suggest a lower number. If you know in advance what salary you’ll accept, it will make the negotiation go smoother and faster, and will make you seem more professional and prepared.

When you get a job offer is also the time to discuss any other concerns you have about the job. If you don’t want to work weekends or start early mornings, for example, negotiating your schedule at this point is wise.

Cashier Career Paths

Cashier jobs usually don’t require a formal education. Often interpersonal skills will be more important than experience. Previous customer service or sales experience - even if it was in a different field, such as telemarketing or at a car dealership - can help you get a job as a cashier.

Larger retailers, however, may want you to start as a sales associate on the floor and transition to a position at the register after you demonstrate that you’re trustworthy, attentive, and have good customer service skills.

While cashier is often an entry-level position, it can be a starting point for a long career in the industry. These are some common career paths for cashiers:

• Leadership and management: As a cashier you can advance step-by-step to leadership positions, for example a team leader, associate manager, store manager, restaurant manager, or area manager.
• Sales: If you’re skilled in sales, a career as a sales associate can bring you as much money as taking on a leadership role. By aiming for sales jobs with high bonuses and commissions, such as car dealerships, you could have a great income. You can also move onto other sales jobs, such as selling insurance policies over the phone.

Similar Occupations

There are many other jobs in sales and retail that might interest you. For example, you can search for:

• retail jobs
• brand ambassador jobs
• merchandising jobs