Is being a cashier a bad job?

If you were hiring for a job at a restaurant or store as a waiter or cashier or someone who stocks the products on shelves and one of your candidates was someone who was 22 and never had a job other than volunteer work, would this person be a good candidate for the job?

• I am trying to get a job.  I have never had one.  I fear that the fact that I have never had a job is hurting; people are thinking that if I have never had a job by age 22, then maybe there is someone wrong with me. Here is my resume: Objective: To obtain a position where I can utilize my skills and knowledge to work in customer service Volunteer Work History: South Suburban College Television Department Volunteer – January 2013 – July 2013 • On a weekly or during the summer, bi-weekly basis, I would volunteer with the news programs that my college's television department would produce performing various tasks • Operating cameras • Listening through headphone to make sure that unwanted sounds are not picked up by the microphones • Running the teleprompter Boy Scouts of America Troop 490/409 Fundraising Concession Stand Server – 2002 - 2007 • Served food and drink to people in the community • Maintained service area to ensure that is was clean and well kept Boy Scouts of America Troop 490/409 Volunteer Project: Putting Flags on the Graves War Veterans at Oakland Memory Lanes in Calumet City, Illinois • This happened every Memorial Day from 2002 to 2007 • Deceased war veterans were honored with American flags put besides their graves Boy Scouts of America Troop 490/409 Volunteer Project: Helping the Patrons on an Elderly Home That Was for but Not Exclusive to War Veterans 2006-2008 • Patrons were helped to and from their rooms • Patrons were assisted during a game of bingo Boy Scouts of America Troop 490/409 Fundraising Concession Stand at Adventure Day (a fair for Cub Scouts, the precursor to Boy Scouts) Server – 2006 • Served food and drink to people in the community • Maintained service area to ensure that is was clean and well kept Education: Governors State University, University Park, IL – August 2011 to Present • Major: Communication Studies • Expected Graduation Date: May 2015 South Suburban College, South Holland IL, - January 2011 to Present• Major: Associate of Arts in Communications • Expected Graduation Date: May 2014 • GPA: 2.59 Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL – August 2009 to December 2010 • Major: Communication Studies Thornwood High School, South Holland IL • 2009 – High School Diploma • Graduated Top 10% Skills: • Filing • Answering telephone calls and taking messages • Internet Searches • Cooking foods such as burgers, chicken, pancake, and the like (gained from my time in the Boy Scouts) Computer Skills: Experienced in the following computer programs and software: • Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) • Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator

• Answer:

  A good candidate for the job is someone who would do the job well.  So you need to convince them you're that person.  You want to target your resume towards the job you want.  With jobs like cashier/store/waiter, you'll really want to show them that you're sociable and friendly by dropping by in person and making an impression.   On your resume, I'd highlight social activities like being in a club, volunteering, etc. Back in the day I really wanted to get a job at a local clothing store.  I knew they were looking for friendly people who would be a good culture fit, so I swung by a few times after dropping off my resume to chat with the employees and talk to them about the job.  This eventually convinced them to to give me an interview despite my lacking experience (I was 16), and I got the job over some people with way more experience. Also, I think your volunteer experience looks great and can substitute for the lack of a job!  Good luck.