Produce clerk is one of those thankless jobs that make a big difference at a grocery store that few people ever really think about. When you reach for ripe tomatoes, a head of lettuce or measure out a pound of bananas, a produce clerk had a hand in making sure those fruits and vegetables are fresh and available for you to purchase.
The primary job of a produce clerk is to provide customer service. Whether a customer needs directions to a bin of unshelled peanuts or help reaching products out of reach on top shelves, the clerk should provide prompt, friendly service. Good manners and a good attitude are a positive reflection on the grocery store as a whole and help generate repeat business and increase sales. People who are outgoing and good with people make a good fit for a produce clerk position.
The job requires someone who is comfortable doing manual labor for long periods of time. Produce clerical duties may include helping unload trucks and restocking shelves and refrigeration units. The clerk needs to be able to lift heavy boxes and spend most of the time standing, bending or moving around. Along with stocking shelves, culling out expired, damaged or wilted merchandise is instrumental to ensuring that the remaining produce is fresh and appealing to customers.
A basic knowledge of fruits and vegetables is necessary to maintain a fresh produce department. A clerk who can tell the difference between two types of tomatoes or how to identify a ripe avocado without cutting it open is better equipped to help customers make purchases. The produce clerk will also need to know the difference between a ripe item and one that needs to be discarded. The produce manager may even delegate inventory and purchasing decisions to a knowledgeable clerk.
The ability to adapt to the needs of the employer makes the produce clerk a valuable resource to both the employer and to customers. Produce clerks may be required to handle secondary duties, such as sweeping and mopping floors, running the cash register when the cashier is on break or taking inventory after normal store hours. The clerk may be asked to come in during a day off to cover for an absent employee or to bring in grocery carts during bad weather.
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