Include the right cashier skills in your resume to stand out from the competition

When you're seeking a job as a cashier, you need a compelling cashier resume that makes a great first impression on employers. Of course, that means your resume needs to include cashier skills that will demonstrate your qualifications and present you as the best candidate for the job. 

But how can you know which cashier skills will help you get the attention you need to land an interview?

In this cashier skills guide, we'll explain why these abilities are so important, examine the top skills for a cashier job, and offer some tips to help you add them to your resume.

Related reading: Make the Perfect First Impression with Your Resume

Why cashier skills matter

Your resume's main purpose is to help you secure an interview. To achieve that goal, a good resume needs to accomplish three main objectives: 

  1. Help you get past any ATS screening the employer is using

  2. Catch the employer's attention

  3. Effectively convey your core qualifications

Below, we'll explain how the right skills can help you achieve those goals.

Related reading: What Are Skills? (With Examples and Tips on How to Improve Them)

Get past the applicant tracking system

An applicant tracking system – otherwise known as an ATS – is a software system that scans submitted resumes to screen out unqualified applicants. The ATS accomplishes that objective by searching for specific keywords related to the job's requirements, including skills, education, and experience. To get past that screening, your resume should include vital keywords from the role's job description. We'll examine some of those relevant keywords later in the guide.

Capture the hiring manager's attention

Of course, it's not enough to get past the ATS. You'll also need to write your resume in a way that appeals to your second audience: the hiring manager at the company. 

The goal here is to capture that hiring manager's attention so they spend more than a few seconds reviewing your resume. By including the right skills – using the exact words you find in the job description – and achievements that show how you've used those skills to provide real value, you can capture the attention your resume deserves.

Demonstrate your cashier qualifications

The cashier skills you include in your resume can also be vital for showing employers you have the right qualifications for the job. Obviously, no employer is going to schedule you for an interview if your resume fails to convince them you have the basic skills needed for the role. Adding the right skills can help increase the odds that you earn that interview opportunity.

Related reading: 17 Resume Tips to Get Seen and Hired Faster

Core technical cashier skills

Technical skills include all those abilities you'll need to know to perform your job duties as a cashier. These are all considered hard skills, which require some type of training. 

In addition, most technical skills are measurable, unlike soft skills. It's also important to note that these skills are likely to be listed within any job description for this role, so make sure your resume closely aligns with the job's stated skill requirements. 

Let's explore a few of these vital technical abilities:

1.    POS systems expertise

Have you worked with retail Point of Sale systems in the past? If so, then you should include this cashier skill in your resume to demonstrate your qualifications. You don't need to include the exact systems you've used, of course, since employers are usually willing to help you become familiar with their chosen POS technology.

2.    Mathematical proficiency

Cashiers always need to have at least some practical math proficiency. Those skills include being able to add and subtract numbers, provide change to customers, or do a hard count of money in your drawer at the end of your shift.

3.    Basic computer skills

It's also helpful to include computer skills in your resume, since today's retail establishments employ a variety of technological tools. They include everything from computer software to systems that scan goods, create invoices, or process payments. Take note of any specific computer-related skills listed in the job description and include them in your list.

4.    Product knowledge

Cashiers are often called upon to answer customers' questions about products. A good cashier can usually provide some base level of assistance for those customers, thanks to their basic product knowledge. Listing this skill on your resume tells employers that you're willing and eager to learn about the goods and services they provide to their customers.

5.    Loss prevention techniques

Loss prevention skills can be vitally important in any retail environment, since they can help reduce transaction errors, minimize the risk of theft, and control unnecessary costs. Loss prevention is also one of those cashier skill sets that can help differentiate you from other candidates for the job.

Vital cashier skills

Naturally, technical skills are not the only abilities needed to succeed in a cashier role. Great cashiers also need a wide array of soft skills to effectively perform their duties. 

Below, we'll examine some of the most common soft and interpersonal skills you'll need to include in your resume if you want to make the right impression on employers.

1.    Interpersonal communication

As a cashier, interactions with customers, vendors, colleagues, and management are unavoidable. Strong interpersonal communication skills are vitally important for that engagement, so these abilities should be given a prominent place in your resume.

Related reading: The Essential Steps of Your Communication Process

2.    Attention to detail

Whether you're helping stock shelves, checking in vendors, or checking out customers, you need to be detail-oriented to avoid mistakes. Employers who evaluate your cashier skills will expect to see some evidence of your ability to pay attention to the details of your job.

3.    Conflict resolution

Conflict in the workplace can occur in a variety of ways. Your ability to manage disagreements with coworkers and superiors is a critical skill. Even more important is your ability to resolve customer problems and ensure their experience is satisfactory.

4.    Customer service

Customer service cashier skills are critical for any retail job. You'll need to have a positive mindset, a friendly and helpful demeanor, and a willingness to adapt to different types of customer personalities. Always make sure to highlight these vital skills in any cashier resume.

5.    Time management

A cashier's job typically involves a variety of tasks beyond managing the register. You may be asked to stock shelves, direct vendors, or help individual customers with their problems. To effectively juggle these diverse responsibilities, you'll need to be proficient in managing your time.

Tips for adding cashier skills to your resume

Now that we've considered some of the top cashier skills you should consider including in your resume, it's time to think about the best way to accomplish that task. The following tips can help you create a cashier resume that satisfies the ATS while also intriguing any hiring manager who reads it.

Identify job description keywords

Start by reviewing the job description to identify all the required skills you'll need to possess to qualify for the position. Create a list of skills and add those job description abilities to that list. 

Later, you can add other skills from this guide to create a master list of nine to twelve core competencies for your resume.

Add cashier skills to your resume profile

Regardless of whether you use an objective statement or a resume summary, your three to five-sentence profile should include some of these key cashier skills. For example:

Motivated Retail Cashier experienced in using a variety of POS systems to deliver exceptional customer service. Detail-focused customer support specialist, skilled in transaction management, product knowledge, and proven conflict resolution. Dedicated to driving sales through promotions management, cross-selling, and increased customer engagement. Documented 98% customer satisfaction rating over two years.

Related reading: Resume Profile Explained (with Examples)

Incorporate cashier skills into your skills section

Your skills or core competencies section needs to include a mix of vital cashier technical skills and key interpersonal talents. As noted above, aim for nine to twelve of these skills and present them in bullet point form beneath a heading that identifies the section. You should also consider formatting the section into two or three columns to save resume space and improve the document's aesthetic appeal.

Related reading: 17 Best Skills to Put on Your Resume (with Examples)

Demonstrate cashier skills in your work experience achievement bullet points

To really sell these abilities and demonstrate your competency, you should incorporate some of these skills into your work experience bullet point achievement statements. As you do so, try to use real numbers to quantify the results you achieved. For example:

  • Successfully maintained ongoing product engagement, increasing knowledge of new offers and promotion, resulting in 20% improvement in new product sales.

  • Maintained perfect record for credit card, debit card, and cash transactions over two years as cashier, with no balance sheet or drawer discrepancies.

  • Designed, proposed, and implemented a new transaction tracking process that contributed to a 33% reduction in store errors.

Related reading: 47 Accomplishment Examples for Your Resume: Expert Picks

Make sure employers recognize you're the right candidate for the job!

Your primary job search goal is always to convince employers you're the best candidate for their open position. By including the right cashier skills in your resume, you can demonstrate your qualifications, get past applicant tracking systems, and fully engage hiring managers – increasing your odds of landing a coveted interview that could lead to your next job offer.

Are you still not sure that your resume effectively conveys your hard and soft cashier skills? Get the reassurance and assistance you need by taking advantage of our free resume review today!

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