Sales Assistant

Typical Salary

£12,500 To £25,000

Typical Hours

39 to 41 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota

How To Become a Sales Assistant

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
volunteering
applying directly

College / University

You can learn some of the skills you need for this job by doing a:

Level 2 Certificate or Diploma in Retail Skills
Level 3 Diploma in Retail Skills Sales Professional

2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You could get into this job through a retailer intermediate apprenticeship.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You could apply for permanent jobs after getting some experience from:

a temporary job in a store at Christmas
a weekend job

You can apply directly for jobs. Employers may ask for some GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths. Retail or customer service experience will also be helpful.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

customer service skills
the ability to work well with others
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
sensitivity and understanding
the ability to use your initiative
excellent verbal communication skills
the ability to sell products and services
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Day To Day Tasks

In this role you could:

serve and advise customers
unpack and sort new stock deliveries
arrange goods in displays and on shelves
rotate and replace stock
promote products
take cash and card payments and make sure the till balances
deal with customers wishing to return items, refund payments and log details manually or electronically
meet sales targets
keep the store clean and tidy

Working Environment

You could work at a store, in a stock room, at a garden centre or at a garage.

Your working environment may be physically demanding and crowded.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career Path & Progression

With experience you could become a retail supervisor, manager or departmental manager.

You could specialise in customer services or buying merchandise. You could also set up and run your own independent shop or stall.

Volunteering Opportunities

Getting experience volunteering in a charity shop could lead into paid work.

Tips & Information

Career tips

It will help if you:

are confident about selling
have a positive, helpful attitude
can get on well with a wide range of customers

Some stores, like mobile phone or DIY shops, may expect you to have good knowledge of their products before you apply.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

be over 18 to sell alcohol and other restricted goods