How To Become A Store Worker: What It Is and Career Path

What is a store worker and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Store workers serve customers in retail establishments. They welcome clients and assist them in finding the items they desire, providing the information they need to make informed choices. They stock shelves, work the cash register if necessary, and make sure the store is neat and organized.

Working in a store, you should expect to be on your feet most of the day. It will be your job to organize merchandise in an attractive way. You will be responsible for keeping track of inventory and maintaining the storage room in order. Building good relationships with customers will also be an essential duty of yours.

No specialized education is necessary to get started here, a GED is usually the minimum requirement. Your appearance as well as your attitude needs to be spotless, as you will be representing your establishment. You will follow the lead of a manager, but knowing how to prioritize your tasks will still be important. You can expect to earn around $14.36 per hour working in this position, which adds up to $29,862 a year on average.

ScoreStore WorkerUS Average

Salary

2.1

Avg. Salary $26,528

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.4

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.30%

Asian 5.92%

Black or African American 13.61%

Hispanic or Latino 20.32%

Unknown 5.61%

White 53.22%

Gender

female 40.71%

male 59.29%

Age - 39

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 - 39

Stress Level

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.7

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.4

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a store worker

Explore store worker education requirements

Most common store worker degrees

High School Diploma

34.7 %

Bachelor's

32.5 %

Associate

19.8 %

Start to develop specific store worker skills

Skills	Percentages
Safety Rules	17.12%
Strong Work Ethic	17.02%
Customer Service	15.83%
Stock Shelves	12.41%
Basic Math	9.13%

Complete relevant store worker training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New store workers 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 store worker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real store worker resumes.

Research store worker duties and responsibilities

Utilize the POS system for accurate inventory.
Perform first-in, first-out (FIFO) procedures in merchandise storing coolers.
Use cardboard baler, electric hydraulic/hand-operate pallet jacks, weigh scale, POS.
Process debit, credit, checks, WIC, and food stamp transactions.

Prepare your store worker resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your store worker 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 store worker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Store Worker Resume templates

Build a professional Store Worker 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 Store Worker resume.

Apply for store worker jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a store worker 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

How do store workers rate their job?