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Auctioneer
Auctioneers value items and organise and conduct auctions. Some specialise in one type of item, such as paintings or fine china. Read on to find out how to become an auctioneer.
Work activities
Auctioneers value goods that are to be sold at an auction and organise all aspects of the sale. The work involves:
- Identifying and booking suitable sales rooms.
- Arranging insurance, transportation and security of goods.
- Producing publicity material.
- Valuing goods including antiques, furniture, machinery and animals.
Some auctioneers specialise in one type of goods. For example, specialists in fine arts and chattels need to know about things such as jewellery, carpets, furniture, china and glass. Once an auction starts, the auctioneer needs to stay aware of all the bidders taking part. Some bids may be coming from people not in the auction room, by telephone or online. During the auction, the auctioneer will encourage bids and try to keep the bidding moving as quickly as possible. The auctioneer’s job is to make sure as many of the day’s sale items are sold at the best price possible.
Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.
Personal qualities and skills
As an auctioneer, you’ll need:
- The confidence to make yourself heard, and a clear speaking voice.
- Selling skills, as part of your job is encouraging sales by trying to get further bids.
- To be able to remain calm under pressure.
- Good writing skills for any publicity material you have to prepare.
- A good level of numeracy, as you’ll be using numbers a lot.
- Good negotiating skills.
Pay and opportunities
Auctioneers earn in the range of £21,000, rising to £45,000 with experience. Higher salaries are possible for more senior, high-profile positions.
Most work around 38-40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. However, you may have early starts, late finishes and some weekend work.
Demand for auctioneers is steady, however, entry to auction houses can be competitive.
Employers are firms specialising in auctioning, even in auctioning a particular type of property. Other employers combine this function with other work, such as estate agency or agricultural surveying. Opportunities for auctioneers occur with auction houses in towns and cities throughout the UK.
Where are vacancies advertised?
Vacancies are advertised on all the major job boards, and on the Government’s Find a Job service. Now you know what the role involves and where to find an opportunity, let's move on to the question of how to become an auctioneer.
How to become an auctioneer
There are no formal entry qualifications needed to become an auctioneer. Requirements vary from employer to employer. Some entrants are graduates. Auctioneers in fine arts and chattels, and plant and machinery, must be professionally qualified. Different types of auctioneering require different qualifications. You can enter some areas of the work by doing a relevant degree linked to subjects like art history. Alternatively, you can do a degree in any subject and then do an accredited postgraduate course.
For non-graduate entrants, training will be mainly on-the-job with part-time study. You may be able to do a part-time or distance learning course while in relevant employment.
Propertymark offers level 3 awards and certificates in auctioneering. Sotheby’s and Christie’s, the auction houses, offer courses relevant to people wishing to go into this career.
Experienced auctioneers can move into senior roles. Some auctioneers become self-employed.
Qualifications
So you know how to become auctioneer – what qualifications do you need? Well, you may be surprised to know that there are no formal entry requirements for this career. However, most employers will expect you to have a good standard of education. This could mean several GCSE (or equivalent) passes at grades 9-4, or even some passes at A level (or equivalent). To enter a relevant degree, you will usually need:
- Two to three A-levels.
- GCSEs at grades 9-4 in your A-level subjects.
- A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English and maths. A modern foreign language would be useful.
Other qualifications are often acceptable as alternatives to A-levels, for example:
- Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications.
- The International Baccalaureate diploma.
However, entry requirements for different courses vary, so check university prospectuses for more details.
Adult opportunities
Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.
Skills gained in work areas such as property or fine arts are useful. You can advance as a technical member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.
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