Retail, Sales and Customer Service - Pet Shop Assistant
Retail, Sales and Customer Service - Pet Shop Assistant
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Pet shop assistants sell things that pets need such as food, toys, cages, and flea treatments. Many pet shops also sell animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, fish, and birds. Customers often ask the pet shop assistant about pet care. Pet shop assistants look after any animals that are for sale in the shop. They make sure they are fed, have fresh water to drink and are kept clean. When customers want to buy an animal, the pet shop assistant tells them how to look after it properly.
- Helping customers to choose the things they need for their pets
- Giving customers advice about pet care
- Weighing out things like pet food
- In some shops, selling pets and caring for them before they are sold
- Using a till and taking payment from customers
- Ordering items for customers
- Keeping the shop tidy
- Unpacking deliveries
Some pet shops are very small and others are very large. Many shops are in the high street or side streets of towns and villages.
Pet shop assistants generally work between 35 and 40 hours a week if they are employed full-time. This may include some evening and weekend working.
Starting salary: £14,500
You may not need any formal qualifications to apply to work in a pet shop. It'll help if you've got experience of working with animals or a background in retail customer service. You could also apply for an apprenticeship. If you have an EHCP you may be able to apply under the DfE exemption which allows the apprentice to use Entry level 3 English and Maths qualifications.
The apprentice would have to be component enough to successfully achieve all other aspects of the apprenticeship requirements, become occupationally competent and achieve Entry Level 3 in English and Maths before the end of their apprenticeship.