Car sales are going up again in the UK so if you’re a bit of a petrol-head and think you have a flair for selling cars and vehicles, read on – a career in car and vehicle sales could be right up your street !

The automotive industry is plays a really important part in the UK economy, contributing over £10 billion pounds to it every year. Over 40 UK car companies manufacture all sorts of vehicles like vans, trucks and lorries as well as cars – and somebody has to sell them! Go to our dedicated automotive careers page for more information.

The job

You will basically be aiming to sell cars and vehicles to anyone who walks into the car showroom, dealership or on to the garage forecourt. But the job isn’t just about selling cars – you will have other duties to do behind the scenes, which include things like organising your diary –customers will call to make an appointment to view a car or arrange a test drive. You’ll be phoning new and existing customers to tell them about promotions or to organise a vehicle service. You will organise your sales area and be responsible for inputting sales data.

Hours and Earnings

You’ll work a 37-40 hour week, on average in a car and vehicle sales job. Holiday allowance will depend on where you work but it’s usually around 23 days a year. You may have to work shifts, some weekends and bank holidays. You’ll earn a basic salary of between £10-12,000 a year to begin plus commission on any cars and vehicles you sell, which can double that figure and make your on target earnings (OTE) around £20-25,000. A company car is sometimes included in the package.

Qualifications and training

Most employers prefer you to have at least maths and English GCSEs. Some sort of retail sales experience would be an advantage and customer service skills are vital. Training is given on the job and includes learning sales techniques and finding your way around the kind of cars and vehicles you’ll be selling.

Once you start, you could opt to do a Level 2 Certificate in Sales or a Level 3 Diploma in Sales Management, for example. Your employer will advise you on which qualifications they would prefer you to have.

Qualities and skills

Whilst formal qualifications aren’t compulsory, a job in car and vehicle sales requires you to have certain qualities. You should be confident and persuasive and you’ll need a good head for maths as you’ll be doing a lot of calculations and arranging loans and finance for your customers. To succeed in sales you should be a team player but be focused on your own goals and you should have great communication skills, be organised, efficient and smartly dressed - if you have what it takes to be a great sales person you could go far.

Apprenticeships

Many companies offer apprenticeships, which is a great way to earn as you learn. Find out more about apprenticeships in car and vehicle sales and jobs in the motor industry by going to the IMI website which has really useful information on careers in the automotive sector.