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Retail & Customer Service

Sales Assistant

View this career for different education levels:

Primary Secondary Post-16

Sales assistants work in retail environments such as shops, supermarkets, and department stores. Their main role is to help customers find what they need, answer questions about products, process sales at the till, and ensure that shelves are stocked and displays are attractive. A typical day might involve helping customers choose items, handling payments, dealing with returns, and keeping the shop tidy. This role requires good communication skills, patience, and a friendly manner. Some sales assistants may also have the opportunity to progress to supervisory or management roles with experience.

Sales Assistant

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📊 Statistics

Average Salary

The average salary for a sales assistant in the UK is around £18,000 to £22,000 per year, depending on experience and employer.

Number of Positions

There are approximately 900,000 people employed as sales assistants across the UK according to the Office for National Statistics.

Working Hours

Sales assistants often work shifts, including evenings and weekends, with many positions offering part-time or flexible hours.

🚀 Careers in this path

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Retail Fashion Advisor

Helps customers choose clothing and accessories in fashion stores, offering style advice and maintaining displays.

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Electronics Sales Consultant

Assists customers in electronics shops, providing expertise on gadgets, phones, and home technology.

Customer Service Assistant in Supermarkets

Supports shoppers with queries, helps at the tills, and ensures shelves are well stocked in a supermarket environment.

Gain Basic Education

Achieve GCSEs or Equivalent

Most employers require at least basic qualifications such as GCSEs in English and Maths.

While formal qualifications are not always mandatory for entry-level sales assistant roles, many employers prefer candidates who have achieved GCSEs, especially in English and Maths. Good communication and numeracy skills are important for handling customer queries and processing sales.

Develop Communication Skills

Work on verbal and written communication, as these are key for assisting customers and working with your team.

You can develop communication skills through school activities, volunteering, or part-time jobs. Being able to listen, explain products, and respond to customer queries professionally will help you succeed in this role.

Gain Work Experience

Apply for Part-Time or Voluntary Roles

Look for work experience or part-time jobs in shops or supermarkets.

Many employers offer weekend, holiday, or after-school positions for students. Volunteering in charity shops can also provide valuable experience and help you build your CV.

Learn Store Operations

Get familiar with using tills, stocking shelves, and basic customer service routines.

On-the-job training is often provided, so take the opportunity to learn about cash handling, stock rotation, and health and safety procedures. Ask experienced colleagues for advice and observe how they interact with customers.

Develop Customer Service Skills

Complete Customer Service Training

Some employers offer in-house customer service courses or you can look for accredited online training.

Completing customer service training can make your application stand out and help you feel more confident when dealing with customers. There are free and paid courses available online, covering topics such as handling complaints and creating positive shopping experiences.

Build Confidence Handling Customers

Practise dealing with different types of customers, including those with complaints or special requests.

Experience is the best way to build confidence. Remember to stay calm and polite, even in challenging situations. Ask for feedback from supervisors to improve your approach.

🎯 View Apprenticeships

Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Sales Assistant. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.

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Career Progressions

No career progressions found for

Sample Qualifications

A Sales Assistant and a Sales Representative both engage in sales activities, interacting directly with customers, understanding their needs, and promoting products or services. While Sales Assistants typically work in retail environments assisting customers on the shop floor, Sales Representatives often operate in a broader capacity, reaching out to clients and securing sales, making the roles closely related in terms of qualifications and skill sets.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly

University

You could do a degree before applying to join a company's graduate training scheme in sales. Most subjects are acceptable, for example business and marketing.

If you want to work in a specialist area of sales, you may need a degree related to that field, such as:

  • information technology
  • biomedical engineering
  • pharmaceutical science

Languages could also be useful, especially if you want to work with a company that sells worldwide.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

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Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship, such as:

  • Customer Service Practitioner Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • IT Technical Salesperson Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Sales Executive Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Business to Business Sales Professional Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships in marketing or retail may also give you useful skills for this career.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

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Work

You could start as an administrator in a sales office and move into a sales position after doing an apprenticeship or in-house training on the job.

Direct Application

You can apply directly for sales jobs.

Employers will set their own entry requirements but will expect applicants to have confidence, enthusiasm and excellent communication skills. Sales or customer service experience will also be very useful.

More Information

Career tips

You can forge a sales career in many different sectors from vehicles, property and medical equipment to financial services and digital technology.

In job vacancies, the advertised salary may include on-target earnings (OTE), which depend on meeting individual or company sales targets. You should check what proportion of the salary is made up of OTE.

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