Photo: Wutthichai Charoenburi (CC BY 4.0)
Job description
Much of the interaction starts with a simple conversation: what a customer wants to rent, for how long, and what it's needed for, followed by explaining the relevant fees and policies. Clerks also inspect and adjust rental items to fit a customer's needs before handing them over, and field phone calls to take additional orders or answer questions. It's steady, team-based, customer-facing work, and demand is holding up, with nearly 46,000 projected openings.
Pros
- Faster than average job growth (3.2%) with pay potential up to $65k
- Low educational barrier: a high school diploma and on-the-job training is enough
- Team-based role with varied daily tasks, from explaining policies to inspecting equipment
Cons
- Entry-level pay is low despite decent upside for those who advance
- Regularly deals with frustrated customers over pricing, damage, or availability disputes
- Noise levels and exposure to contaminants can make the workplace uncomfortable
A typical day
Saturday at the equipment rental counter starts at 7am with contractors lined up: a plate compactor, two trenchers, and a scissor lift out the door in the first hour, each with a walkthrough — how it starts, what it must not do, when it's due back. The register work is layered: rental agreements, deposits, damage waivers explained in plain English, IDs checked. Mid-morning a customer returns a chainsaw that "stopped working" (chain's on backward — explained kindly). Phones ring all day with availability questions. Returns get inspected for damage, fuel, and hours before deposits release, and the afternoon closes with tomorrow's reservations staged by the door.
Tasks at the job
- Explain rental fees, policies, and procedures.
- Provide information about rental items, such as availability, operation, or description.
- Greet customers and discuss the type, quality, and quantity of merchandise sought for rental.
- Answer telephones to provide information and receive orders.
- Inspect and adjust rental items to meet needs of customer.
- Compute charges for merchandise or services and receive payments.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens indoors in a climate-controlled setting. Noise levels can be distracting or uncomfortable. The role involves regular exposure to contaminants.
You'll regularly deal with frustrated or upset people as part of the job, and almost all of the work is done as part of a team.
Education necessary or common
High school diploma; some on-the-job training or apprenticeship
Licenses & certifications
- Forklift certification (helpful at equipment yards)
Career path
Related fields
Courses to take
- Business Math — rates, deposits, and register accuracy
- Shop/Auto — knowing the equipment beats reading the manual to customers
- English — explaining policies clearly prevents disputes
- Marketing/Business electives
Clubs, activities & competitions
- Part-time retail or counter work — direct experience
- DECA — retail and customer service events
- School equipment manager for a sports team — checkout systems in miniature
First steps you can take now
- Apply at a rental center, hardware store, or party-rental company
- Learn the names and uses of 20 common power tools
- Practice explaining something technical simply, then more simply
- Get comfortable with point-of-sale basics at any retail job
