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Updated 2010
Bright Outlook

Summary Report for:
35-3021.00 - Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food

Perform duties which combine preparing and serving food and nonalcoholic beverages.

Sample of reported job titles: Dietary Aide, Deli Clerk (Delicatessen Clerk), Crew Member, School Cafeteria Cook, Server, Car Hop, Deli Worker (Delicatessen Worker), Food Service Worker, Prep Cook (Preparation Cook), Counter Attendant

View report: Summary  Details  Custom

Tasks  |  Tools & Technology  |  Knowledge  |  Skills  |  Abilities  |  Work Activities  |  Work Context  |  Job Zone  |  Education  |  Interests  |  Work Styles  |  Work Values  |  Related Occupations  |  Wages & Employment  |  Additional Information

Tasks

  • Serve customers in eating places that specialize in fast service and inexpensive carry-out food.
  • Accept payment from customers, and make change as necessary.
  • Request and record customer orders, and compute bills using cash registers, multicounting machines, or pencil and paper.
  • Clean and organize eating, service, and kitchen areas.
  • Notify kitchen personnel of shortages or special orders.
  • Communicate with customers regarding orders, comments, and complaints.
  • Prepare daily food items, and cook simple foods and beverages, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, pizza, or coffee using proper safety precautions and sanitary measures.
  • Select food items from serving or storage areas and place them in dishes, on serving trays, or in takeout bags.
  • Relay food orders to cooks.
  • Prepare and serve cold drinks, or frozen milk drinks or desserts, using drink-dispensing, milkshake, or frozen custard machines.

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Tools & Technology

Tools used in this occupation:

Carbonated beverage dispenser — Carbonated beverage dispensers
Carts — Motorized food transportation carts
Commercial use deep fryers — Deep fat fryers; Deep wells; Fryers
Commercial use food choppers or cubers or dicers — Automatic dicers; Food choppers
Commercial use food slicers — Automatic slicers; Vertical cutters
Commercial use food warmers — Electric warming tables; Steam counters; Steam tables
Commercial use peelers — Automatic peelers
Point of sale POS terminal — Point of sale POS terminals; Point of service workstations

Technology used in this occupation:

Data base user interface and query software — Menu and nutrition database software
Point of sale POS software — ICVERIFY software; Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale; NCR Advanced Checkout Solution; NCR NeighborhoodPOS

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Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Food Production — Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

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Skills

Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Instructing — Teaching others how to do something.

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Abilities

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

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Work Activities

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

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Work Context

Spend Time Standing — How much does this job require standing?
Physical Proximity — To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People — How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Spend Time Walking and Running — How much does this job require walking and running?
Deal With External Customers — How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

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Job Zone

Title Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed
Education Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
Related Experience Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, a person can become a waiter or waitress even if he/she has never worked before.
Job Training Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few days to a few months of training. Usually, an experienced worker could show you how to do the job.
Job Zone Examples These occupations involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include taxi drivers, amusement and recreation attendants, counter and rental clerks, construction laborers, continuous mining machine operators, and waiters/waitresses.
SVP Range (Below 4.0)

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Education


Percentage of Respondents		 Education Level Required
70  Less than high school diploma
22  High school diploma or equivalent
9  Doctoral or professional degree

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Interests

Interest code: CRE

Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Enterprising — Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

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Work Styles

Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

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Work Values

Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

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Related Occupations

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35-3041.00 Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
35-9031.00 Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Bright Outlook
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41-2011.00 Cashiers Bright Outlook
43-5081.01 Stock Clerks, Sales Floor Bright Outlook

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Wages & Employment Trends

National

Median wages (2011) $8.76 hourly, $18,230 annual
Employment (2010) 2,682,000 employees
Projected growth (2010-2020) Average (10% to 19%) Average (10% to 19%)
Projected job openings (2010-2020) 1,146,500
Top industries (2010)

State & National

          CareerOneStop

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2011 wage data external site and 2010-2020 employment projections external site. "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2010-2020). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

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Sources of Additional Information

Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.

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