What Does a Counter Do?

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Counter Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real counter resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Replace or attach bar code labels on every ammunition containers for identification and location.
Replace or attach bar code labels on every ammunition containers for identification and location.

Counter Job Description

Between the years 2018 and 2028, counter jobs are expected to undergo a growth rate described as "decline" at -4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So if the thought "should I become a counter?" Has crossed your mind, maybe you should take the growth rate into account. In addition, the number of counter opportunities that are projected to become available by 2028 is -138,700.

Counters average about $15.81 an hour, which makes the counter annual salary $32,875. Additionally, counters are known to earn anywhere from $23,000 to $46,000 a year. This means that the top-earning counters make $10,000 more than the lowest earning ones.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become a counter. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include an advanced repair agent, services clerk, fleet service clerk, and food sales clerk.

Learn More About Counter Job Descriptions

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Counter Jobs You Might Like

12 Counter Resume Examples

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Christina Parker Counter Contact Information New York, NY (550) 555-4658 cparker@example.com Skills New Things New Workers Service Department Greeting Customers Product Knowledge Menu Items Ice Cream Chipotle Deep-Fat Fryers Store Management Employment History Counter 2020 - Present Burger King New York, NY Greet customers and take their orders. Clean kitchen, counters, food preparation areas, and utensils. Greet customers entering establishments and resolve customer complaints Train new employees to take orders and handle payments. Wrapped menu items such as sandwiches, hot entrees and desserts for serving or for takeout. Provided customer service Managed inventory and daily cash flow Maintained a clean and organized work environment Counter 2019 - 2020 Giant Food Stores Philadelphia, PA Worked on the sales floor in multiple departments. Worked directly with customers to resolve hardware and software issues with any electronic device in an efficient and friendly manner. Keep a communication log book with customers information and follow-ups. Trained and served as a Physical Inventory Counter. Engaged with customers through smiles and greetings, offering product knowledge, and active sampling and always giving genuine thank you. Mcdonalds Crew Member 2017 - 2019 Burger King Philadelphia, PA Trained and managed other crew members. Worked at burger king in stafford va Tacoma Washington and front royal va Handled credits and currency quickly and accurately Followed procedures for safe food preparations, assembly, and presentation. Have worked at Burger King for a year now. 45177Maintained high standards of customer service during high-volume, fast-paced operations. Education High School Diploma 2017 - 2017


Steven Lewis Counter Contact Info Boston, MA (310) 555-7443 slewis@example.com Skills Service DepartmentComputer SystemTable SettingsATFClean RestaurantCounter ServiceGreeting CustomersPatienceFOHCounter Orders Employment History Counter 2020 - Present Dunkin' Donuts Northeast Distribution Center Boston, MA Keep accurate till Customer service Train new employees Keep store presentable Floater Medical Administrative Assistant Stock supplies and confirm needed supplies for everyday flow. Greet customers as they enter the building. Counter Checker 2012 - 2020 Dunkin' Donuts Northeast Distribution Center Boston, MA Prepare coffee, register, and customer service Front counter taking clothes in and retrieving customers cleaned clothes Busser 2007 - 2012 Jason's Deli San Antonio, TX Cleaned tables, took plates to be washed, reset tables for next service, helped dishwasher and server. Inspected kitchens to observe food preparation quality and service, food appearance and cleanliness of production and service areas. Run the dirty glasses in the dishwasher, so customers have clean glasses. Education High School Diploma 2007 - 2007


Jerry Ramos Counter Detroit, MI (230) 555-8828 jramos@example.com Experience Counter2011 - Present McDonald's•Detroit, MI Worked as a cashier, cleaning and customer service representative to guests Work with customers, have great customer service experience. Mastered Point of Sale (POS) computer system for automated order taking. Service Counter Cashier2010 - 2011 Kroger•Cincinnati, OH Process monetary and security transactions in Customer Service and the cash register. SalesOperated a POS systemAnswered Multi-Phone linesHandled the customer service desk, cash checks, lottery, money orders, refunds Understand the Point of Sale (POS) system. Resolved customer complaints, questions, needs and maintained politeness in dealing with customer. Work as a team with associates in monitoring sales floor for theft and 'AAA'. Food Service/Cashier (Part-Time)2004 - 2006 Sonic•Houston, TX Maintained own cash,ran drive-thru,prepared drinks,and cleaned and stocked area. Open Restaurant Kitchen at 6am Prepare, expedite, and charge orders Dishes, Trash, Cleaning Handled registers including drive-thru window orders & maintained efficient time management. Front Cashier, Drive-Thru Cashier, Burger Board, Whopper Board, Specialty Board, Kitchen Prep. Skills Front CounterCustomer ServiceSales FloorMenu ItemsService DepartmentSales GoalsSpecific Food ItemsRestaurant Safety StandardsFood PreparationCounter Service Education Doctoral Degree Liberal Arts2007 - 2010 Excelsior College•Albany, NY Master's Degree Management2006 - 2007 University of Massachusetts Boston•Boston, MA Bachelor's Degree Accounting2003 - 2006 University of Houston•Houston, TX

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Counter Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 18% of Counters are proficient in Basic Math, POS, and Math. They’re also known for soft skills such as Dexterity, Near vision, and Patience.

We break down the percentage of Counters that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Basic Math, 18%
Perform basic math functions to collect payments and make change.
POS, 17%
Operated POS register to make cash and card transactions.
Math, 13%
Perform math and computing weights and measures.
Pleasant Dining, 8%
Provided customers with a pleasant dining experience by assisting them with their choices of award-winning baked goods and sandwiches.
Cash Handling, 8%
Full access/responsibility of all cash handling (order payments, payouts, pay-ins, staff payroll and nightly cash outs).
Cleanliness, 8%
Assisted customers with all of their dry cleaning needs Cashier responsibilities Maintained appearance and cleanliness of store

Choose From 10+ Customizable Counter Resume templates

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Most counters list "basic math," "pos," and "math" as skills on their resumes. We go into more details on the most important counter responsibilities here:

Arguably the most important personality trait for a counter to have happens to be dexterity. An example from a resume said this about the skill, "cashiers use their hands to operate registers and scan purchases." Additionally, other resumes have pointed out that counters can use dexterity to "required large amount of customer service as well as lifting larger bags onto the belt behind the counter. "

Another trait important for fulfilling counter duties is near vision. According to a counter resume, "cashiers need to see well enough to scan items and process transactions accurately." Here's an example of how counters are able to utilize near vision: "clean display cases and replace near expiry baked products with fresh baked goods. "

Counters are also known for patience, which can be critical when it comes to performing their duties. An example of why this skill is important is shown by this snippet that we found in a counter resume: "cashiers must be able to remain calm when interacting with customers." We also found this resume example that details how this skill is put to the test: "gained skills: customer service, patience, planning, problem-solving, time management, and communication. "

In order for certain counter responsibilities to be completed, the job requires the skill "communication skills." According to a counter resume, "cashiers must pay attention to customers’ questions and explain pricing." As an example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies: "assisted customers in visualizing their desired cake orders operated pos packaged cakes for delivery handled all phone communications"

Yet another important skill that a counter must demonstrate is "customer-service skills." Cashiers must be courteous and friendly when helping customers. This is clearly demonstrated in this example from a counter who stated: "provide exceptional customer service be responsible for store operations"

See the full list of counter skills.

After discovering the most helpful skills, we moved onto what kind of education might be helpful in becoming a counter. We found that 31.1% of counters have graduated with a bachelor's degree and 2.3% of people in this position have earned their master's degrees. While some counters have a college degree, you may find it's also true that generally it's possible to be successful in this career with only a high school degree. In fact, our research shows that one out of every three counters were not college graduates.

Those counters who do attend college, typically earn either business degrees or criminal justice degrees. Less commonly earned degrees for counters include psychology degrees or general studies degrees.

Once you're ready to become a counter, you should explore the companies that typically hire counters. According to counter resumes that we searched through, counters are hired the most by Zippy's, Arden Group, and CACI International. Currently, Zippy's has 36 counter job openings, while there are 27 at Arden Group and 14 at CACI International.

If you're interested in companies where counters make the most money, you'll want to apply for positions at Jacobs Engineering Group, Steel Dynamics, and UPS. We found that at Jacobs Engineering Group, the average counter salary is $49,280. Whereas at Steel Dynamics, counters earn roughly $43,884. And at UPS, they make an average salary of $37,890.

View more details on counter salaries across the United States.

Some other companies you might be interested in as a counter include Panda Express, Napa Home & Garden, and Bruegger's Bagels. These three companies were found to hire the most counters from the top 100 U.S. educational institutions.

In general, counters fulfill roles in the hospitality and retail industries. While employment numbers are high in those industries, the counter annual salary is the highest in the transportation industry with $31,126 as the average salary. Meanwhile, the retail and professional industries pay $31,101 and $30,885 respectively. This means that counters who are employed in the transportation industry make 13.1% more than counters who work in the hospitality Industry.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious counters are:

Zippy's36 Counters Jobs
Arden Group27 Counters Jobs
CACI International14 Counters Jobs

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What Advanced Repair Agents Do

Advanced repair agents are skilled professionals who are responsible for creating a supportive environment for customers by offering technology-related and solution-based recommendations to solve their repair needs. These agents are required to ask their customers the right questions and listen to them carefully while taking detailed noted about their software and hardware issues. They must collaborate with other team members to diagnose technology issues by performing troubleshooting activities and using their specialty software. Advanced repair agents must also answer phone calls to assist customers in solving simple technology problems.

We looked at the average counter annual salary and compared it with the average of an advanced repair agent. Generally speaking, advanced repair agents receive $2,435 lower pay than counters per year.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between counters and advanced repair agents are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like phone calls, customer service, and computer system.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. A counter responsibility is more likely to require skills like "basic math," "pos," "math," and "pleasant dining." Whereas a advanced repair agent requires skills like "consumer electronics," "client devices," "geek," and "troubleshoot." Just by understanding these different skills you can see how different these careers are.

The education levels that advanced repair agents earn is a bit different than that of counters. In particular, advanced repair agents are 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a counter. Additionally, they're 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Services Clerk?

The main role of service clerks is to provide excellent service to customers. They are responsible for varied tasks, which include handling complaints from customers, processing register transactions, and promoting the company's services and products. It is also their job to take orders, maintain an organized and clean cash register, and scan information about bills and payments. To be qualified for this position, one should have a high school diploma, excellent communication, interpersonal and customer service skills, and attention to detail.

Now we're going to look at the services clerk profession. On average, services clerks earn a $1,629 lower salary than counters a year.

While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both counters and services clerks are known to have skills such as "basic math," "pos," and "math. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, several resumes showed us that counter responsibilities requires skills like "pleasant dining," "cash handling," "work ethic," and "phone calls." But a services clerk might use skills, such as, "patients," "slicers," "display cases," and "cross-selling."

On average, services clerks earn a lower salary than counters. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, services clerks earn the most pay in the retail industry with an average salary of $29,778. Whereas, counters have higher paychecks in the transportation industry where they earn an average of $31,126.

On the topic of education, services clerks earn similar levels of education than counters. In general, they're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Fleet Service Clerk Compares

The third profession we take a look at is fleet service clerk. On an average scale, these workers bring in lower salaries than counters. In fact, they make a $1,354 lower salary per year.

Some important key differences between the two careers are a few of the skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities. Some examples from counter resumes include skills like "basic math," "pos," "math," and "pleasant dining," whereas a fleet service clerk might be skilled in "service aircraft," "de-icing," "hand tools," and "safety procedures. "

Fleet service clerks make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $32,231. Whereas counters are paid the highest salary in the transportation industry with the average being $31,126.

Fleet service clerks are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to counters. Additionally, they're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Food Sales Clerk

Food sales clerks tend to earn a higher pay than counters by about $1,523 per year.

According to resumes from both counters and food sales clerks, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "pos," "customer service," and "inventory control. "

While some skills are shared by these professions, there are some differences to note. "basic math," "math," "pleasant dining," and "cash handling" are skills that have shown up on counters resumes. Additionally, food sales clerk uses skills like back room, food service, fryers, and sales floor on their resumes.

Food sales clerks reach similar levels of education when compared to counters. The difference is that they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree less, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Updated October 2, 2020