How to Become an Auctioneer

The Exciting World of Bid Calling

Are you interested to make a living as an auctioneer? A combination of training, skills and determination are essential to the success of an auction business like any other business venture. In addition, auctioneers should adhere to a standard of professional conduct and often need to meet local and state licensing requirements.

Auctioneers run auctions - public sales where items are sold to the highest bidder. These professionals assess the valuables of potential clients, handle the consignment arrangements, oversee advertising and other auction preparations, and do the bid calling.

The most common public opinion of an auctioneer is that of a man or woman, holding a gavel, rattling off a large amount of tongue twister sounding words before finally shouting "Sold!" as one lot after another crosses the auction block. The chant, the often impossible to read string of words, is an exciting, but minor aspect of an auctioneer's job. From the moment they have been contracted, an auctioneer fills several roles such as office manager, public relations manager, accountant, traffic coordinator and janitor to name a few.

If you haven't been involved in a family auction business, there are two other ways to learn the trade. First, there are lots of auction schools and programs, either independent institutions or programs that are affiliated with a community college or trade school. The second option is to gain practical experience as an apprentice under an experienced auctioneer.

Your choice of education could largely depend upon the licensing requirements for auctioneers in your state. Many states that require licensing for auctioneers only accept educational credit from specific auction schools or programs. Often licensing boards will waive the educational credits if an applicant served as an apprenticeship under a licensed auctioneer. Required apprenticeships can range in length from conducting a few auctions under an auctioneer's guidance to one or more years. Determine if your state has auctioneer licensing laws and educational requirements by calling your state government offices.