How To Become A Deli/Bakery Clerk: What It Is and Career Path

What is a deli/bakery clerk and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

A deli/bakery clerk often responds to the questions and complaints of customers. Aside from this common task, a deli/bakery clerk is also expected to distribute samples of products, assist customer in meat and cheese selection, and slice, package, and price items for purchase.

A college degree is not needed to be a deli/bakery clerk. The skills are what's important when one applies for this job, and that is the aspect employers often look into. A deli/bakery clerk is expected to be knowledgeable in operating equipment, navigating through a computer, and having good communication and math skills.

In addition to the skills listed above, a deli/bakery clerk should also be excellent in customer service and should be able to respectfully follow company regulations and procedures in relation to food handling and sanitation.

With an average salary of $28,746 and a job growth rate of 8%, there are 69,100 job opportunities expected to be opened between 2018 and 2028 in the US.

ScoreDeli/Bakery ClerkUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $31,612

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.8

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.99%

Asian 6.36%

Black or African American 12.28%

Hispanic or Latino 16.90%

Unknown 4.97%

White 58.50%

Gender

female 79.53%

male 20.47%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Stress Level

4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.2

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a deli/bakery clerk

Explore deli/bakery clerk education requirements

Most common deli/bakery clerk degrees

High School Diploma

44.5 %

Associate

20.6 %

Bachelor's

19.3 %

Start to develop specific deli/bakery clerk skills

Skills	Percentages
Food Preparation	20.52%
Food Safety	20.34%
Product Knowledge	18.40%
Customer Satisfaction	17.99%
Basic Math	5.03%

Complete relevant deli/bakery clerk training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New deli/bakery clerks learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a deli/bakery clerk based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real deli/bakery clerk resumes.

Research deli/bakery clerk duties and responsibilities

Aid in daily bakery operations by conducting opening procedures, and preparing products utilizing deli slicers, ovens and other equipment.
Front cashier, stocking shelves, unloading truck, and bagging groceries.
Use all equipment in deli such as the refrigerators, freezers, slicers, and ovens according to company guidelines.
Clean the store, operate the cash register, answer the phones, bag groceries, and prepare packaged meals.

Prepare your deli/bakery clerk resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your deli/bakery clerk resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a deli/bakery clerk resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Deli/Bakery Clerk Resume templates

Build a professional Deli/Bakery Clerk resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Deli/Bakery Clerk resume.

Apply for deli/bakery clerk jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a deli/bakery clerk job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

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