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Working Abroad Job Vacancies Job Hunting Guide Voluntary Work Working Part-time and Temping Useful Job Hunting Resources Working in Somerset Wages and Employment Rights Mobile Phone Sales Assistants in Somerset CLCI: OE CRCI: SB If you’re buying a new mobile phone you’ll need advice about the best type and tariff. This is where the mobile phone sales assistant comes in. As a mobile phone sales assistant you’ll be advising customers about the latest models and answering their questions about features and tariffs. If you make a sale you’ll need to do some paper work and be able to handle cash and credit card transactions. You’ll probably be working in a small shop in the centre of town along with a handful of other people. To find out more look under the above CLCI/CRCI headings in your Careers or Connexions library THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MOBILE PHONE SALES ASSISTANTS IN SOMERSET Over the last few years there’s been a big growth in the number of mobile phone shops in Somerset. There used to be just one or two shops in a town but now you’ll find many more. This means there’s a lot of competition between shops and many customers shop around before deciding which phone to buy. Some shops are part of small, locally-owned businesses with just a few branches. Most are chains with shops all over the country (including three or four branches in Somerset). In some shops you might be selling a certain range of phones for just one network. In others you might be selling different phones for several networks HOW DO I GET STARTED?   Get work experience when at school to see if it’s the career for you   Start as a trainee – or apprentice – in a phone shop and go to college as part of your job (this is quite unusual)   Start working in a mobile phone shop after getting sales experience elsewhere. This is more common and might happen when you are 18 or older USEFUL QUALIFICATIONS   No particular GCSEs but being good in maths and English can help   Training courses and certificates awarded by mobile phone sales companies More about qualifications, courses and training can be found in Moving On (published by Connexions Somerset) DO YOU KNOW? The introduction of 3G technology – the “third generation” of mobile phones – will lead to even more types of phone and competition for sales WHAT IS THE PAY LIKE? Around £80 per week (maybe more) if starting as a new employed trainee or apprentice (this is unusual because few people under 18 do this work). Most people are paid a basic wage (often around £7-9,000) with extra “commission” depending on how many phones they sell. This could mean a total salary of between £14,000 and £20,000 per year FINDING A JOB   Connexions centres   Job centres   Through applying for work apprenticeships   School and college careers notice boards   Speculative letters/visits/emails   Newspaper and industry publications adverts   Adverts displayed at premises and on industry/company websites   Job offer after work experience   Word of mouth   A Guide to Job Hunting gives tips on CVs, interviews and job letters. To view click here OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER ABOUT THIS WORK   Many companies only employ people over the age of 18 (and sometimes look for people older than this)   You need to be keen on selling and be able to help and please customers   Teamwork is important. Most shops employ around four or five people who have to work together and get on well   You need to keep up-to-date with the latest phones and deals. As phones get more complicated there is more to know and remember   Most companies are still expanding with new branches opening all the time. This means there are good promotion prospects and opportunities to transfer to other towns   You need to put up with awkward and unpleasant customers   You need to be good at the job because your wages could depend on how much you sell WHO DOES THE WORK? Kirsty (26) was doing another job but was a keen mobile phone user and thought she could do well selling phones. Two years ago she got a job in a phone shop in Taunton and, after getting excellent sales figures, has just been promoted to assistant manager at her company’s Yeovil branch Russell (20) was always keen on working in a phone shop but was too young to do so when he left school. He decided to get sales experience by working in clothes and shoes shops. After plugging away with applications he managed to find a job in a phone shop in Bridgwater. He’s steadily getting better at the job and his wages are going up as he sells more phones More Info: A-Z Careers Careers information dates rapidly. Every effort has been made to ensure information is accurate but please check details before making firm decisions. Make text larger Make text smaller Text Only Display Privacy Policy/Terms of Use