Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
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.
Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $22K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $26K
Median Salary: $30K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $35K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $40K
Demand
Core Tasks
Use knives, cleavers, meat saws, bandsaws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting and trimming.
Weigh meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
Process primal parts into cuts that are ready for retail use.
Inspect meat products for defects, bruises or blemishes and remove them along with any excess fat.
Cut and trim meat to prepare for packing.
Clean, trim, slice, and section carcasses for future processing.
Prepare ready-to-heat foods by filleting meat or fish or cutting it into bite-sized pieces, preparing and adding vegetables or applying sauces or breading.
Separate meats and byproducts into specified containers and seal containers.
Prepare sausages, luncheon meats, hot dogs, and other fabricated meat products, using meat trimmings and hamburger meat.
Remove parts, such as skin, feathers, scales or bones, from carcass.
Obtain and distribute specified meat or carcass.
Produce hamburger meat and meat trimmings.
Clean and salt hides.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Production and Processing
81%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Food Production
80%
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Mathematics
72%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Public Safety and Security
72%
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.
Administration and Management
68%
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.
Mechanical
66%
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Personnel and Human Resources
66%
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Transportation
66%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Education and Training
63%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language
60%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
63%
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.
Critical Thinking
60%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making
60%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
60%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking
60%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination
58%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Social Perceptiveness
58%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management
58%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Service Orientation
55%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Instructing
53%
Teaching others how to do something.
Top 10 Abilities
Arm-Hand Steadiness
68%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Control Precision
65%
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Near Vision
65%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Manual Dexterity
63%
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
63%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Selective Attention
63%
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Trunk Strength
63%
The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
Finger Dexterity
60%
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Information Ordering
60%
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).
Multilimb Coordination
60%
The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Top 10 Work Activities
Getting Information
85%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
85%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Handling and Moving Objects
84%
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
82%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
78%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Processing Information
78%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
77%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
76%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Controlling Machines and Processes
75%
Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
74%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Detailed Work Activities
Cut meat products.
Mark products, workpieces, or equipment with identifying information.
Weigh finished products.
Inspect food products.
Prepare meat products for sale or consumption.
Sort materials or products for processing, storing, shipping, or grading.
Process animal carcasses.
Distribute supplies to workers.
Work Context
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
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?
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
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?
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Education
Interests
Realistic
100%
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
29%
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
19%
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.
Investigative
19%
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.
Social
15%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
89%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail
88%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Achievement/Effort
81%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Integrity
79%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Independence
78%
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
77%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Stress Tolerance
76%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Persistence
75%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Cooperation
73%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Leadership
73%
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Work Values
Support
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships
53%
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.
Working Conditions
31%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
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.
Independence
29%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
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.
