Cooks, Fast Food
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone One: Little or No Preparation Needed
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.
Education
Some of these occupations may require a high school diploma or GED certificate.
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.
Examples
These occupations involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include food preparation workers, dishwashers, sewing machine operators, landscaping and groundskeeping workers, logging equipment operators, and baristas.
Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $17K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $19K
Median Salary: $24K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $27K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $31K
Demand
Core Tasks
Order and take delivery of supplies.
Cook the exact number of items ordered by each customer, working on several different orders simultaneously.
Operate large-volume cooking equipment, such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles.
Prepare specialty foods, such as pizzas, fish and chips, sandwiches, or tacos, following specific methods that usually require short preparation time.
Wash, cut, and prepare foods designated for cooking.
Clean food preparation areas, cooking surfaces, and utensils.
Prepare and serve beverages, such as coffee or fountain drinks.
Read food order slips or receive verbal instructions as to food required by patron, and prepare and cook food according to instructions.
Serve orders to customers at windows, counters, or tables.
Clean, stock, and restock workstations and display cases.
Maintain sanitation, health, and safety standards in work areas.
Cook and package batches of food, such as hamburgers or fried chicken, which are prepared to order or kept warm until sold.
Prepare dough, following recipe.
Take food and drink orders and receive payment from customers.
Verify that prepared food meets requirements for quality and quantity.
Measure ingredients required for specific food items being prepared.
Pre-cook items, such as bacon, to prepare them for later use.
Mix ingredients, such as pancake or waffle batters.
Schedule activities and equipment use with managers, using information about daily menus to help coordinate cooking times.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Administration and Management
67%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Transportation
66%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Communications and Media
64%
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Customer and Personal Service
63%
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.
Public Safety and Security
63%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
English Language
62%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Economics and Accounting
54%
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Sales and Marketing
50%
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Production and Processing
47%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Computers and Electronics
46%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
60%
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
60%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Coordination
55%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Social Perceptiveness
55%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
55%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
53%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring
53%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
53%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Time Management
50%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning
48%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
73%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Information Ordering
63%
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
63%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Recognition
60%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Deductive Reasoning
58%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Manual Dexterity
58%
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Oral Expression
58%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
58%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Selective Attention
58%
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Speech Clarity
58%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Top 10 Work Activities
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
60%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Getting Information
60%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Handling and Moving Objects
60%
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Performing General Physical Activities
60%
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
58%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Processing Information
58%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
57%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
57%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Thinking Creatively
56%
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
56%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Detailed Work Activities
Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
Cook foods.
Check quality of foods or supplies.
Process customer bills or payments.
Take customer orders.
Prepare foods for cooking or serving.
Measure ingredients.
Serve food or beverages.
Stock serving stations or dining areas with food or supplies.
Prepare breads or doughs.
Coordinate timing of food production activities.
Prepare hot or cold beverages.
Mix ingredients.
Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
Work Context
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
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?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
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?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Education
Interests
Realistic
96%
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.
Conventional
81%
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.
Enterprising
43%
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.
Social
39%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative
24%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
15%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Top 10 Work Styles
Integrity
76%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation
75%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
74%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Social Orientation
73%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Self Control
70%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
70%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Concern for Others
68%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Attention to Detail
67%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Independence
67%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
66%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Work Values
Relationships
62%
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
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
39%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Achievement
29%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
24%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
22%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
