Food Handler

In a lot of ways, a job as a Food Handler is pretty close to that of a Retail Clerk. For one thing, most of your friends have probably, at one point or another, held this position. And for another, the job calls for a lot of customer service.

Food Handlers are the people who work behind the counter at fast food restaurants, delis, and cafés. As a Food Handler, you work with customers, preparing food of all kinds from sandwiches to sushi.

This is an entry-level position, and it doesn’t require a lot of skill or any cooking experience. The work you do is taught through on-the-job training, so don’t stress if you’ve never worked in a kitchen, or don’t know the difference between a steak knife and salad tongs.

No matter where you work, you should like being around people, and enjoy helping them get what they’re looking for. When customers come in and order food, they might have questions regarding the ingredients. It’s your job to answer those questions, and give recommendations for people with food allergies.

Once an order has been placed, you prepare the food. Most of the time, the food is prepackaged. Otherwise, you have specific instructions as to how it’s prepared. This means every meal you make is going to be exactly the same as the next one.

When you finish, you clean and sanitize your work area. Depending on where you work, you might be given some Cashier duties as well.