Clerk vs. Cashier — What's the Difference?

Works in a variety of settings, including government and legal offices.

Primarily responsible for receiving payments and issuing receipts.

Role may involve scheduling, inventory management, and supporting staff.

Often the first point of contact for customer complaints and returns.

Often requires knowledge of office software and systems.

Needs to be proficient in cash handling and basic accounting.

May handle customer inquiries and provide administrative support.

An employee who handles customer transactions at the point of sale.

A clerk ( or ) is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service counters, screening callers, and other administrative tasks.

Works mainly in retail, supermarkets, and similar environments.

A person employed in an office or bank to keep records, accounts, and undertake other routine administrative duties

(transitive) To discard, put away.

A receptionist in a hotel

A retail cashier or simply a cashier is a person who handles the cash register at various locations such as the point of sale in a retail store. The most common use of the title is in the retail industry, but this job title is also used in the context of accountancy for the person responsible for receiving and disbursing money or within branch banking in the United Kingdom for the job known in the United States as a bank teller.

A member of the clergy.

The officer of a bank or business concern in charge of paying and receiving money.

A literate or scholarly person.

A store employee who handles cash transactions with customers.

Work as a clerk

To dismiss from a position of command or responsibility, especially for disciplinary reasons

A person who works in an office performing such tasks as keeping records, attending to correspondence, or filing.

To dismiss (someone, especially military personnel) from service.

A person who keeps the records and performs the regular business of a court, legislative body, or municipal district.

(transitive) To annul.

(Law) A law clerk, as for a judge.

To work as a cashier (at a till or receiving payment)

A person who works at a sales counter or service desk, as at a store or hotel.

One who works at a till or receives payments.

A cleric.

Person in charge of the cash of a business or bank.

(Archaic) A scholar.

One who has charge of money; a cash keeper; the officer who has charge of the payments and receipts (moneys, checks, notes), of a bank or a mercantile company.

To work or serve as a clerk

To dismiss or discard; to discharge; to dismiss with ignominy from military service or from an office or place of trust.

One who occupationally provides assistance by working with records, accounts, letters, etc.; an office worker.

To put away or reject; to disregard.

A salesclerk; a person who serves customers in a store or market.

An employee of a bank who receives and pays out money

A law clerk.

A person responsible for receiving payments for goods and services (as in a shop or restaurant)

An employee at a hotel who deals with guests.

Discard or do away with;

(Quakerism) A facilitator of a Quaker meeting for business affairs.

Discharge with dishonor, as in the army

(archaic) In the Church of England, the layman that assists in the church service, especially in reading the responses (also called parish clerk).

(dated) A cleric or clergyman (the legal title for clergy of the Church of England is "Clerk in Holy Orders", still used in legal documents and cherished by some of their number).

(obsolete) A scholar.

To act as a clerk, to perform the duties or functions of a clerk

A clergyman or ecclesiastic.

A man who could read; a scholar; a learned person; a man of letters.

A parish officer, being a layman who leads in reading the responses of the Episcopal church service, and otherwise assists in it.

One employed to keep records or accounts; a scribe; an accountant; as, the clerk of a court; a town clerk.

An assistant in a shop or store.

An employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

A salesperson in a store

Work as a clerk, as in the legal business

A clerk performs administrative and office tasks, including filing, record keeping, and handling customer inquiries.

Cashiers need to be skilled in cash handling, basic accounting, customer service, and often require knowledge of point-of-sale systems.

Important skills for a clerk include proficiency with office software, organizational abilities, and sometimes specific industry knowledge.

Yes, clerks and cashiers can work in similar environments like supermarkets or large retail stores, but their roles and responsibilities differ.

Cashiers can advance to supervisory roles, customer service managers, or even into administrative positions within retail environments.

A cashier handles financial transactions, receives payments, issues receipts, and manages customer transactions at the point of sale.

Yes, clerks often interact with customers, providing customer service, handling inquiries, and offering administrative support.

Yes, customer service is a central part of a cashier's role, as they interact directly with customers during transactions.

While many clerk and cashier positions are considered entry-level, some clerk positions may require specialized skills or knowledge.

Clerks contribute by ensuring efficient administrative operations, while cashiers directly impact customer service and sales transactions.