How do I Become an Auctioneer?

If you are interested in finding out how to become an auctioneer, you should understand that this type of work involves a lot more that simply learning how to speak rapidly and run the bidding part of the process. There is more than one way you can get the necessary training. One of them is to get a job at an auction house and learn on the job, and another one is to take a course at a school or at the college level.

The first thing you should do if you want to get a job as an auctioneer is to find out what the requirements are in your state to do this kind of work. Some states require that all auctioneers be licensed and pass a written exam before they can work as auctioneers. You may also need to be bonded and pass a criminal record check.

An advantage of learning to become an auctioneer by getting a job at an auction house is that you find out what the work is like from the ground up. Many firms offering this type of service are family-owned businesses, but that doesn't mean that you can't apply for an entry-level job in one of them. Your dream of being able to work as an auctioneer may start off by doing some of the work involved in preparing items for sale. These types of functions will likely take up the bulk of your time after you have become an auctioneer, since the events that take place on the day of the sale is only a small part of what an auctioneer does.

The other option available to people who want to become an auctioneer is to take a course in the subject. Along with learning how to run an auction sale by taking bids in a rapid manner, a good course will also teach you something about sales and marketing techniques. Without a steady stream of potential customers bringing you items or properties for sale, the business will not be able to sustain itself for very long.

Some colleges offer courses that will prepare you to become an auctioneer. They range in length from a few weeks to a full semester. Being comfortable in front of a crowd is an important part of the job, and you would benefit from training in public speaking if you want to pursue this line of work.