AccountancyISCO 3339

Auctioneer

An auctioneer is a person who conducts auctions by taking bids and declaring goods sold.

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Rate 5 of the 19 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

present items during auction

comply with legal regulations

initiate contact with sellers

perform auction chant

apply numeracy skills

About auctioneer

The auctioneer applies auctioning techniques: announcing the opening price, watching the room, taking bids in increments, the steps by which the price rises, recognising who is bidding and who has stopped, and closing when no further bids come. The auctioneer also knows the characteristics of different auctions, which differ by what is being sold and under which rules.

The auctioneer prepares the auction, works through the items of property to be sold at auction, and presents the lots during the sale, describing each item accurately: what it is, what condition it is in and what is known about where it came from. The description is based on product knowledge, and the auctioneer answers bidders' questions about individual lots.

Security of the goods consigned for auction is the auctioneer's responsibility between arrival and collection, which covers storage, viewing and handover. Resilience to stress is needed. Licensing requirements differ by country and by what is being auctioned.

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (19)

items specialty available for auctionitems specialty available for auctionNature of the items to be auctioned such as overstock furniture, real estate, livestock, etc.auction characteristicsauction characteristicsSpecifications of auctions and different auction types, e.g. open vs. closed auctions; bidding strategies such as chandelier bids, bid shading, etc.product comprehensionproduct comprehensionThe offered products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.present items during auctionpresent items during auctionDescribe auction items; provide relevant information and discuss item history and value in order to encourage bidding.comply with legal regulationscomply with legal regulationsEnsure you are properly informed of the legal regulations that govern a specific activity and adhere to its rules, policies and laws.initiate contact with sellersinitiate contact with sellersIdentify sellers of commodities and establish contact.perform auction chantperform auction chantPerform bid calling and develop an individual style with filler words and variable speed of speech.apply numeracy skillsapply numeracy skillsPractise reasoning and apply simple or complex numerical concepts and calculations.facilitate the bidding processfacilitate the bidding processSet the starting bid for items to be auctioned, and continue to ask for more bids; stimulate buying desire of bidders.prepare for auctionprepare for auctionIdentify and set up location for auction; prepare and display auctioned items; prepare the auction room by setting seats and microphones.arrange security of goods for auctionarrange security of goods for auctionArrange transportation, insurance, and safety and security regulations for goods to be sold at an auction.close sales at auctionclose sales at auctionOfficially declare the items sold to the highest bidder; obtain the buyer's personal details in order to close the contract after the auction.select items for auctionselect items for auctionResearch and select products to be auctioned.initiate contact with buyersinitiate contact with buyersIdentify buyers of commodities and establish contact.keep records of bid historykeep records of bid historyKeep records of all the bids made during or after an auction.advertise auction salesadvertise auction salesPromote auction sales on radio and TV, in trade magazines, online and via catalogue distribution and other channels.tolerate stresstolerate stressMaintain a temperate mental state and effective performance under pressure or adverse circumstances.build business relationshipsbuild business relationshipsEstablish a positive, long-term relationship between organisations and interested third parties such as suppliers, distributors, shareholders and other stakeholders in order to inform them of the orga...create auction cataloguecreate auction catalogueCompose auction catalogues with current items up for auction; include recent pictures and terms and conditions of the sale.

Optional (7) — show

art historyart historyThe history of art and artists, the artistic trends throughout centuries and their contemporary evolutions.apply conflict managementapply conflict managementTake ownership of the handling of all complaints and disputes showing empathy and understanding to achieve resolution. Be fully aware of all Social Responsibility protocols and procedures, and be able...speak different languagesspeak different languagesMaster foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.manage staffmanage staffManage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the wor...use different communication channelsuse different communication channelsMake use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.exude enthusiasm during the action sessionsexude enthusiasm during the action sessionsTransmit enthusiasm through words and attitude toward the present people to the auction towards the goods to be auctioned.identify new business opportunitiesidentify new business opportunitiesPursue potential customers or products in order to generate additional sales and ensure growth.

Related Occupations

Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.

Frequently asked questions

What does an auctioneer do?

Auctioneers conduct auctions by accepting bids and declaring goods sold.

What skills does an auctioneer need?

An auctioneer needs 19 essential skills, including items specialty available for auction, auction characteristics, product comprehension, present items during auction, comply with legal regulations.

Will AI replace auctioneer jobs?

The AI disruption score for auctioneer is 63/100 (high risk). Skills most exposed to automation: keep records of bid history, apply numeracy skills, advertise auction sales. Most resilient: tolerate stress, perform auction chant, exude enthusiasm during the action sessions.

AI Replacement Risk

63/ 100

High Risk

Low riskHigh risk

Skills most at risk from AI

keep records of bid history apply numeracy skills advertise auction sales

Skills resilient to automation

tolerate stress perform auction chant exude enthusiasm during the action sessions

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Quick Facts

SectorAccountancy

ISCO GroupBusiness and administration associate professionals

Essential Skills19

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