Cashier interview questions, with a scoring guide
Handles payments accurately and quickly, keeping lines moving and customers happy. Here are 18 questions for a cashier interview. Each comes with a follow-up and a 1 to 5 scoring guide so you can compare candidates fairly.
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Questions specific to the cashier role
Role-specific
At the end of your shift your till is $20 short. What do you do?
1 WeakHides it or makes it up from their own pocket.
3 SolidReports it.
5 StrongRecounts, checks receipts and voids, reports it honestly, and suggests a cause if found.
Role-specific
The line is ten people deep and the card machine is slow. How do you keep things moving?
1 WeakGets flustered.
3 SolidKeeps working, no communication.
5 StrongAcknowledges the line, calls for backup, and keeps each customer informed.
Role-specific
How would you handle a customer buying an age-restricted product who looks underage and has no ID?
1 WeakSells it anyway.
3 SolidRefuses, awkwardly.
5 StrongRefuses politely, explains the rule, and stays firm.
Behavioural questions by skill
Behavioural questions ask about something the person actually did. Past behaviour is a better guide than "what would you do" answers alone.
Attention to detail
Gets the small things right.
Tell me about a time you caught a mistake before it caused a problem.
Follow-up: How did you spot it?
1 WeakNo example.
3 SolidCaught one by chance.
5 StrongCaught it because of a habit or check they always do.
Walk me through how you check your own work before calling it done.
Follow-up: Has that check ever caught something?
1 WeakThey don't.
3 SolidA quick look over.
5 StrongA clear routine that fits the task.
Describe a task where getting the small details right really mattered.
Follow-up: What would have happened if they were wrong?
1 WeakCan't name one.
3 SolidNames one, but light on how.
5 StrongExplains the details, why they mattered, and how they got them right.
Customer service
Keeps customers looked after, even when it's hard.
Tell me about a time a customer was upset with you or your business. What did you do?
Follow-up: How did the conversation end?
1 WeakArgued, passed them off, or avoided the customer.
3 SolidStayed polite and followed the rules, but the customer left unhappy.
5 StrongListened, owned what they could, fixed it or offered a real option, and stayed calm.
Describe a time you went beyond what was expected for a customer.
Follow-up: How did you know the extra effort was worth it?
1 WeakNo example, or the 'extra' was the basic job.
3 SolidA good example with little thought for the business side.
5 StrongWent the extra step in a way that also made sense for the business.
Tell me about a time a customer asked for something you couldn't give them. How did you handle it?
Follow-up: What did they do next?
1 WeakJust said no.
3 SolidSaid no politely and explained why.
5 StrongExplained, offered an alternative, and made sure they had a way forward.
Honesty and integrity
Does the right thing, including when nobody's looking.
Tell me about a time you were asked to do something at work that you felt wasn't right.
Follow-up: What happened afterwards?
1 WeakDid it without question.
3 SolidDid it but felt uneasy.
5 StrongRaised it respectfully and did the right thing.
Describe a time you handled cash, stock or private information. How did you keep it secure?
Follow-up: Did anything ever go missing?
1 WeakVague answer.
3 SolidFollowed the basics.
5 StrongSpecific precautions and an example.
Tell me about a time you admitted you didn't know something.
Follow-up: What did you do next?
1 WeakNever has.
3 SolidAdmitted it when pressed.
5 StrongAdmitted it early and found the answer.
Working under pressure
Stays steady when it gets busy.
Tell me about your busiest shift or tightest deadline. How did you handle it?
Follow-up: What did you do first?
1 WeakFell apart or can't describe one.
3 SolidGot through it.
5 StrongPrioritized, stayed calm, and kept quality up.
Describe a time you had too much to do and not enough time. What did you drop or delay?
Follow-up: Who did you tell?
1 WeakTried to do everything and missed things.
3 SolidDropped things without telling anyone.
5 StrongPrioritized and told the right people what would slip.
Tell me about a time you stayed calm when people around you didn't.
Follow-up: What did you do to help?
1 WeakNo example.
3 SolidStayed calm themselves.
5 StrongStayed calm and helped settle others.
Reliability and follow-through
Shows up, keeps commitments, owns mistakes.
Tell me about a time you committed to something at work and it became hard to follow through. What did you do?
Follow-up: What was the result, and what would you do the same next time?
1 WeakLet it slide without telling anyone.
3 SolidFollowed through, but only after reminders or with a late heads-up.
5 StrongFlagged the risk early, adjusted the plan, and delivered or arranged cover.
Describe a stretch where you had to be consistent with early starts, long shifts or a tight schedule. How did you manage it?
Follow-up: What did you do on the days it was hardest?
1 WeakVague answer with no clear routine or example.
3 SolidShowed up reliably but relied on luck more than planning.
5 StrongSpecific habits that kept them on time, with an example to back it up.
Tell me about a time you made a mistake that affected someone else's work. What happened next?
Follow-up: How did the other person find out?
1 WeakHid it, blamed others, or can't recall any mistakes.
3 SolidOwned it when asked and fixed the immediate problem.
5 StrongRaised it right away, fixed it, and changed something so it wouldn't happen again.
Prescreen questions for cashier candidates
Ask these on a five-minute phone call or send them as a form before you book interviews.
- Are you legally entitled to work in Canada? (Yes / No)
- Which days and times are you available to work?
- When could you start?
- What pay are you looking for?
- What interests you about this job?
- Have you handled cash and card payments before? (Yes / No)
How to score the answers
- Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order. That's what makes scores comparable.
- Write down what they did, not your impression. "Closed alone on a Saturday and restocked for the morning" beats "seems reliable".
- Score each answer from 1 to 5 against the guide under the question. A 3 is a solid, acceptable answer.
- Average the scores and read the notes behind any big gap between interviewers.
- Check references on the areas where you're least sure.
Questions to avoid
In Canada, hiring questions should be about the job. Human rights laws protect people from being treated differently because of things like their age, family status, disability, religion, race, place of origin, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity. Stay away from questions like these:
- "How old are you?" or "When did you finish high school?"
- "Do you have kids?" or "Are you planning a family?"
- "Where are you from originally?" (You can ask: "Are you legally entitled to work in Canada?")
- "Do you have any health problems?" (You can ask: "This job involves [a real duty]. Can you do that, with or without accommodation?")
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules vary by province.
Questions
What should I ask in a cashier interview?
Ask about the parts of the job that matter most: attention to detail, customer service, honesty and integrity, working under pressure, plus role-specific questions such as "At the end of your shift your till is $20 short. What do you do?" Ask every candidate the same questions so you can compare them fairly.
How do I score a cashier interview?
Score each answer from 1 to 5 against a short guide that describes a weak, solid and strong answer. Score what the person actually did in their example, not how confident they sounded. Then average the scores and read the notes behind any big differences.
What should I ask before interviewing a cashier?
Use a short prescreen: work eligibility, availability, start date, pay expectations and the must-haves for the role, such as "Have you handled cash and card payments before?"
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