How Old Do You Have to be to Work at Publix?
To get a job at Publix as a cashier, floral clerk, or bagger, you must be at least 14 years old. All of the other entry-level jobs in the store require you to be either 16 or 18 years old.
Every Publix location is a multimillion-dollar enterprise, offering rewarding retail jobs and exciting earnings potential. There are many career opportunities, including full-time jobs for those seeking to advance their careers and part-time jobs for those needing flexible schedules to accommodate family and school activities.
Full-time, non-management associates earn more than $30,000 per year on average, depending on pay rate, hours worked, and experience. And there is a clear path leading to management for jobs in every department in the store.
Teen Jobs at Publix and Age Requirements
Cashier (Hourly)
Cashiers at Publix are the most visible associates to customers, so they play a critical role in providing premier customer service. Because they ring up groceries, they also play an essential role in profitability. Publix relies on the cashiers to ensure the correct price is charged for each item sold and provide the correct change to customers.
Job responsibilities include:
- Provide premier customer service, including greeting customers and answering their questions.
- Weigh and scan products.
- Accept payment and provide change when appropriate.
- Handle cash and other forms of tender accurately.
- Bag products when necessary.
- Maintain a neat and clean register area.
- Assist in other duties as assigned.
You must be at least 14 years old to work as a cashier at Publix.
Floral Clerk (Hourly)
If you love blooms and balloons, working at Publix as a floral clerk may be the entry-level job for you. The Floral Clerks ensure proper care and presentation of the flower and plant products and balloons, and provide friendly assistance to customers who visit the Floral department in search of just the right gift or expression.
The floral clerk provides premier customer service, including greeting customers and answering their questions, sells products by providing customers with information needed to make product-related decisions, and assists in ordering the proper amount of product for the department.
Other job responsibilities include:
- Fill and clean racks, displays, shelves, coolers, and refrigerated displays as needed.
- Create floral arrangements to display and sell.
- Perform plant maintenance tasks, including watering, trimming, and rotating product for best merchandising.
- Sweep and mop sales floor, stockroom, and coolers.
- Assists with other duties as assigned.
You must be at least 14 years old to work at Publix as a floral clerk.
Bagger (Hourly)
A bagger - AKA Front Service Clerk - helps distinguish Publix from their competitors by offering carryout service to customers’ vehicles. They interact with customers constantly, and often make a customer’s final impression of the store and their level of service. For this reason, Front Service Clerks are very important to ensuring complete customer satisfaction.
Job responsibilities are:
- Provide premier customer service, including greeting customers and answering their questions.
- Bag groceries.
- Take customer carts to the parking lot and unload groceries into customer vehicles.
- Carry bags to customer vehicles when necessary.
- Help customers locate products throughout the store.
- Restock bags.
- Retrieve shopping carts from the parking lot.
- Assist in cleaning duties as assigned.
- Assist in other duties as assigned.
To work as a bagger at Publix, you must be at least 14 years old.
Can a 15 Year Old Work at Publix?
Yes! 15-year-olds can work at Publix as a cashier, floral clerk, or bagger. We have a page on our website specifically for 15-year-olds if you would like to see other options.
Can a 16 Year Old Work at Publix?
Yes! 16-year-olds can work at Publix in a variety of entry-level positions. We have a page on our website specifically for 16-year-olds that you can view for other options.
How Much Does Publix Pay Part-Time Workers?
The hourly earnings for employees at Publix vary because of state and city minimum wage laws. However, we can give you a general idea of what the hourly pay is for each position.
Cashier (Hourly)
As a cashier at Publix, you will be making somewhere between minimum wage and $14 per hour. If you are coming in at entry-level without any prior experience, then you will most likely start at minimum wage.
The average hourly rate for a Publix cashier is $11.
Floral Clerk (Hourly)
The rate of pay for floral clerks is between minimum wage and $12 an hour. You will most likely start at minimum wage unless you have previous experience.
The average hourly wage for floral clerks at Publix is $10.
Bagger (Hourly)
Baggers at Publix make anywhere between minimum wage and $11 per hour. If this is your first job, you will most likely start at minimum wage.
The average hourly rate for a bagger at Publix is $9.
How Much Experience Do You Need to Work at Publix?
Publix is an entry-level, friendly company, so you can apply for a position without any experience and get hired as a cashier, floral clerk, or bagger. Working in an entry-level store job is a great way to get your foot in the door at Publix. And because they promote from within, Publix is a great place to grow your career.
What Should You Wear to a Job Interview at Publix?
Publix is a grocery store chain, so when you show up for your interview, you will want to be dressed in business casual attire. Consider something like a buttoned-down shirt with nice slacks and dress shoes. You do not want to show up too casual in a t-shirt and jeans, but you don’t need to be too formal and show up in a business suit.
Publix Interview Questions
The possible questions in a job interview are endless, and it always depends on the interviewer. There are some common questions that they have been known to ask most applicants.
A customer is clearly annoyed because when she went home she realized the strawberries she bought were all soiled. How do you react?
Why are they asking?
When it comes to life in customer service, you will come across your share of upset or difficult customers. They might ask you this question to see how you handle an upset customer because it does come up, and you need to handle it in the best way possible.
What’s the ideal answer?
If you don’t have any experiences with difficult customers, that’s okay. If you do, tell them the story (if you handled it well, and it had a positive outcome). If the situation ended up with you screaming and yelling or getting fired, that’s not a story you want to share.
They want to hear that you will do what it takes to make the customer happy. Tell them you would find them better strawberries or give them a refund. If you couldn’t fix the problem, you would get a manager and have them help you.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why are they asking?
If they ask you this question, they are trying to find out what job skills you can bring to the position, and what you need to work on.
Applicants are usually able to communicate their strengths, but when it comes to weaknesses, some think it’s best to say they don’t have any or can’t think of any. Don’t do this—that answer is a red flag.
What’s the ideal answer?
The hiring manager wants to know that you can accept feedback and develop your own skills. Give one or two strengths with examples to go with them. Then list one or two weaknesses, and describe how you’re working on them.
A good answer for a weakness would be something like, “I’ve been told I speak too quickly, so I’ve been practicing on slowing down when talking with customers.”
Why should we hire you?
Why are they asking?
If a manager asks you this question, they are trying to get you to sell yourself. A big part of your job at Publix is to give excellent customer service and to be able to drive sales with excellent communication and product knowledge.
They are wanting to find out how well you can communicate while being positive and professional. If you can sell yourself, you can sell their merchandise.
What’s the ideal answer?
Know your strengths. If you get asked this question, tell them how you will benefit their business. They want to hear that you are creative, have above average verbal communication skills, have a friendly and upbeat demeanor, and can successfully sell merchandise.
Tell them that you are a reliable worker who will show up to work on time for every scheduled shift. If you want a career with Publix, definitely let them know because there are opportunities for advancement.
Benefits of Working at Publix
Everyone who works at Publix is paid weekly, and the company has been on the list of Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for 22 years in a row.
Benefits include:
- Paid time off, paid holidays, and paid sick days
- Annual Bonuses
- Vacation
- 401K with company match
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Health, Dental, Vision, and Insurance
- Credit Union Membership
- Tuition reimbursement
- Free flu shots
