Table 1Transition record

shelf fillertosales assistant

A shelf filler already meets 24% of what the sales assistant role asks for. The move turns on 20 required skills not yet in the profile.

From shelf filler

24%

Overlap1

To sales assistant

9 Skills carried over

20 Required, not held

79.6 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 79.6

This move: 79.6 of 100 · career change

1 Share of the sales assistant role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the shelf filler profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 9 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A sales assistant role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a shelf filler background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held ensure stock storage safety assisting and caring
already held prevent shoplifting assisting and caring
already held stock shelves handling and moving
already held examine merchandise information skills
already held maintain store cleanliness handling and moving
already held characteristics of services business, administration and law

All 9 carried skills, including the 7 the sales assistant role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 32 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 communication, collaboration and creativity 9 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held carry out active selling required
required, not held carry out order intake required
required, not held demonstrate products' features required
required, not held identify customer's needs required
required, not held maintain relationship with customers required
required, not held maintain relationship with suppliers required
required, not held organise product display required
required, not held provide customer guidance on product selection required
required, not held ensure client orientation required

optional, not held arrange ordering of products for customers optional
optional, not held supervise merchandise displays optional
optional, not held listen actively optional
optional, not held order supplies optional

02 management skills 4 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held Order products required
required, not held operate cash register required
required, not held plan aftersales arrangements required
required, not held process refunds required

optional, not held issue sales invoices optional
optional, not held organise storage facilities optional
optional, not held perform multiple tasks at the same time optional

03 assisting and caring 4 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held follow up orders for customers required
required, not held guarantee customer satisfaction required
required, not held ensure compliance with legal requirements required
required, not held provide customer follow-up services required

optional, not held ensure store security optional

04 business, administration and law 2 required

required, not held company policies required
required, not held product comprehension required

05 information skills 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held prepare sales checks required

optional, not held keep records of merchandise delivery optional

06 handling and moving 3 supplementary

optional, not held carry out cross merchandising optional
optional, not held carry out specialised packing for customers optional
optional, not held package purchases in bags optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a sales assistant role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 9 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held characteristics of products knowledge
already held characteristics of services knowledge
already held ensure stock storage safety skill
already held examine merchandise skill
already held monitor stock level skill
already held prevent shoplifting skill
already held stock shelves skill
already held maintain store cleanliness skill
already held teamwork principles knowledge

12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held arrange ordering of products for customers optional
optional, not held carry out cross merchandising optional
optional, not held carry out specialised packing for customers optional
optional, not held ensure store security optional
optional, not held issue sales invoices optional
optional, not held keep records of merchandise delivery optional
optional, not held package purchases in bags optional
optional, not held supervise merchandise displays optional
optional, not held listen actively optional
optional, not held order supplies optional
optional, not held organise storage facilities optional
optional, not held perform multiple tasks at the same time optional

8 held skills the sales assistant role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role assess shelf life of food products skill
not needed by the target role carry out stock rotation skill
not needed by the target role change shelf labels skill
not needed by the target role check price accuracy on the shelf skill
not needed by the target role communication principles knowledge
not needed by the target role comply with food safety and hygiene skill
not needed by the target role handle sensitive products skill
not needed by the target role numerical sequences knowledge

2 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held company policies required
required, not held product comprehension required

Index

Other moves recorded from shelf filler

Full index of moves from shelf filler

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.