The AuctioneerThis person is the life and action of an auction. His job is to oversee the auction and keep it moving along as well as to keep the crowd focused and engaged. An auctioneer must play many different roles, and auctioneer schooling can help you learn the craft of being an auctioneer and running an auction. The most important aspect of the auctioneer job is marketing. Most items up for auction have a very specific audience that will be interested in bidding. A major part of an auctioneer’s job is knowing the methods to reach those audiences and knowing how to market the item to those people. Knowledgeable An auctioneer must be very knowledgeable about the items they are auctioning. They must know details about the merchandise, its value and who would be interested. The auctioneer also needs to be able to work well with many different people. An auctioneer will deal with the seller and all potential buyers. As a Career Most auction companies are small independent organizations. There are some positions at larger auction houses, but those jobs are scarce and difficult to get. Many auctioneers have become very wealthy through their business, but starting out and building a reputation is difficult. Becoming an auctioneer takes a lot of time, effort, skill and persistence. They work long hours and may actually have to hold down a second job for the first few years until they become established and reputable. Most of the time, budding auctioneers start out as clerks or bid callers at smaller, local live auctions. Other aspiring auctioneers choose to get experience being an apprentice to an established auctioneer. Apprentices typically help the auctioneer with organizing and running auctions. This is a great way to get experience and learn about the auction business from the inside. Auctioneer School For those who did not start out this way, there is schooling available to teach the necessary skills. Some of these schools are independent and others are affiliated with four-year universities or community colleges. Classes can last as little as a few weeks or as long as a full semester of college, and generally teach the auctioneer chant, marketing skills, sales and ways to get started. The National Auctioneers Association maintains a list of North American auctioneer schools. Licensing Many states require that the auctioneer must be licensed to conduct auctions in that particular state. Usually these requirements involve either some amount of schooling or proof that the applicant has successfully served as an apprentice under an experienced auctioneer. State government offices will be able to provide further information regarding their auctioneer licensing requirements.
References National Auctioneers Association Massachusetts Auctioneers Association: Becoming an Auctioneer! Return from The Auctioneer Page to Auction Know How - Homepage
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