How to hire a retail cashier

How to hire a retail cashier, step by step

Here's a step-by-step retail cashier hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a retail cashier job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new retail cashier
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a retail cashier do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a retail cashier, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a retail cashier to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a retail cashier that fits the bill.

   This list presents retail cashier salaries for various positions.

   Type of Retail Cashier	Description	Hourly rate
   Retail Cashier	Cashiers process payments from customers purchasing goods and services.	$11-16
   Cashier/Host	A cashier/host is responsible for facilitating the cash register processes and managing financial transactions. Cashier/hosts process reservations and online payments, respond to customers' inquiries and concerns, escalate high-level complaints, update customer's account information on the database, and perform various administrative and clerical tasks as needed... Show more	$7-17
   Box Office, Cashier	A box office cashier is primarily in charge of selling admission tickets to customers, ensuring fast and efficient procedures. They process cash or credit card payments, balance out the cash drawers, maintain accurate records, use automated systems, and produce progress reports as necessary... Show more	$12-14

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Cleanliness
   • Front End
   • Math
   • Basic Math
   • Retail Sales
   • Cash Handling
   • Customer Inquiries
   • Customer Returns
   • Customer Transactions
   • Retail Environment
   • Cash Registers
   • Sales Floor
   • Stock Merchandise

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage jewelry stock and inventory balances accurately.
   • Display knowledge concerning cash, checks, EBT, WIC, debit and credit card transactions.
   • Assist customers in getting groceries to cars and everyday transactions, such as cashiering and maintenance.
   • Follow procedures handling cash, checks, coupons, gift certificates, food stamps and WIC vouchers.
   • Install sound systems, steering systems, port-holes, hatches, swim decks, ladders, and windshields.
   • Perform POS transactions as a front-end operations cashier, as well as credit card and extend product services enrollment.

   More retail cashier duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your retail cashier job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A retail cashier can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, retail cashiers' average salary in louisiana is 43% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level retail cashiers 34% less than senior-level retail cashiers.
   • Certifications. A retail cashier with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a retail cashier's salary.

   Average retail cashier salary

   $13.95hourly

   $29,009 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level retail cashier salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average retail cashier salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$36,288	$17
   2	Massachusetts	$34,770	$17
   3	Oregon	$34,179	$16
   4	Minnesota	$31,480	$15
   5	Arizona	$31,319	$15
   6	New Jersey	$31,118	$15
   7	New York	$30,655	$15
   8	Colorado	$30,185	$15
   9	Illinois	$29,391	$14
   10	Nebraska	$29,343	$14
   11	Nevada	$29,295	$14
   12	Michigan	$29,218	$14
   13	Texas	$28,119	$14
   14	New Mexico	$28,026	$13
   15	Utah	$27,556	$13
   16	Wisconsin	$27,115	$13
   17	Iowa	$27,036	$13
   18	Missouri	$26,740	$13
   19	Oklahoma	$26,011	$13
   20	North Carolina	$25,542	$12

   Average retail cashier salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Il Fornaio	$34,670	$16.67
   2	Riverdale Elementary School	$33,933	$16.31	1
   3	Cintas	$33,126	$15.93	2
   4	Radisson Hotels International Inc	$32,960	$15.85
   5	Hudson Group	$31,655	$15.22	1
   6	Compass Group USA	$31,421	$15.11	327
   7	Southcoast Health	$31,038	$14.92	1
   8	Wegmans Food Markets	$31,032	$14.92	93
   9	del Lago Resort & Casino	$30,977	$14.89
   10	ALDI USA	$30,667	$14.74	1,080
   11	energyby5	$30,551	$14.69
   12	Room & Board	$30,364	$14.60	3
   13	Osage Casino	$30,362	$14.60	1
   14	Office Depot	$30,298	$14.57	385
   15	Northern Quest Resort & Casino	$30,101	$14.47	1
   16	Vail Resorts	$29,933	$14.39	61
   17	Delaware North	$29,542	$14.20	22
   18	Nordstrom	$29,435	$14.15	399
   19	Magellan Health	$29,216	$14.05
   20	Radisson	$29,195	$14.04

4. Writing a retail cashier job description

   A retail cashier job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a retail cashier job description:

   Retail cashier job description example

   Exciting career opportunity with a growing company! Busy Beaver, Your Neighborhood Home Improvement Center is looking for talented individuals who want to grow with the company!
   
   All staff must be available to work evenings and weekends. After submitting your information on this page, you will be asked which position you are most interested in.
   
   Responsible for all store sales and day-to-day operations. Management directs, monitors and assures the implementation of operational processes and customer engagement policies in order to achieve sales, profit and customer service objectives as well as inventory, shrink and controllable budget objectives. Management works closely with merchandising staff to ensure program implementation, providing feedback on program success and merchandising needs. If applying for a management position, please complete the questionnaire and include a resume with cover letter.
   
   Receive and process payments from customers and package products. Provide store and product location information to customers in the store and on the phone. Direct sales associate to customers entering in the store to provide assistance to them. Maintain product displays in cash register area. Open and close registers daily following policy, procedure for Point-Of-Sale (POS) system. Other duties as assigned. Must be customer service oriented with excellent communication skills, honesty and courtesy.
   
   Provide proactive sales assistance, excellent customer service and problem resolution to customers. Provide product knowledge, recommendations and advice to customers with questions and/or project needs. Maintain knowledge of current sales and promotions. Other duties as assigned. Prior retail sales and/or DIY experience preferred but not required. Must be customer service oriented with excellent communication skills, honesty and courtesy.
   
   Unload trucks, load customer pick-ups, pack and unpack items to be stocked. Examine and inspect stock items for wear or defects, reporting any damage to supervisors. Clean and maintain areas in-store and in warehouse. Must be able to lift and physically move merchandise. Assist and provide excellent customer service as necessary including but not limited to assisting sales on floor and loading customer vehicles. Must have ability to take direction, communicate and manage time effectively.
   Busy Beaver was founded in 1962 with three lumber yards located in Clairton, Verona and Carnegie, PA. The company expanded into full-line home improvement centers and currently operates 25 stores, including three True Value locations, in three states: Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Since September 2013, Busy Beaver has been operating under new, local ownership and has committed to providing legendary customer service in all of its neighborhood home improvement centers. Under the strategic pillars, Engage, Enhance, and Expand, Busy Beaver will continuously improve its customer experience and seek out new neighbors to serve.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find retail cashiers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any retail cashiers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level retail cashiers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your retail cashier job on Zippia to find and recruit retail cashier candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit retail cashiers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new retail cashier

   Once you've decided on a perfect retail cashier candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a retail cashier?