Job Descriptions

  
Job description: Database Administrator

A database administrator oversees the databases within an organization. You’ll oversee the performance and security of databases, and report and fix any bugs to ensure long term optimal performance.

What you’ll be doing

Working with a variety of DBMS (Database management software), an administrator will make sure that everything is working clearly and consistently. You may well be asked to develop and regulate aspects of a database depending on the organization you work for. The database administrator accesses from both the front and back end of the DBMS, as well as creating and overseeing user privileges and access. The work is mostly 9-5, with options to work part-time or flexi hours depending on the industry of choice.

Salary

IT skills are a must, and can be obtained either through practice or formal training from any post-secondary institution. Due to the sensitive nature of the information stored on some databases (for example within a bank), you may well need to have some education regarding implementing security measures and data recovery. Starter salaries range from £22,000 and £26,000, but can jump significantly after just three years of experience.

Who is it for?

If you’re tech savvy, your skills would come in useful as a database administrator. You should feel comfortable working within a team or independently, as the role can call for both depending on the company’s specific requirements. Communicating errors is important as is troubleshooting and fixing them swiftly. As mentioned before, sensitive data can be stored on databases and you have to be willing and able to go to the right lengths to keep it secure! Something also worth mentioning is the locale. According to Total Jobs, over 65% of database administrator jobs are in the South East, so if you’re not in the area you may want to consider if you’re willing to locate. Candidates interested in becoming a database administrator should be skilled at problem-solving, scrupulous and thoroughly organized. If you’re analytical, practical and enjoy working with both people and computers, consider a role as a DBA.

  
Job Description: Customer Assistant

If you live by the adage that the customer comes first, then this job could be the perfect fit. If you’re great with people, leave a lasting impression, have a positive attitude and go a step beyond what’s expected of you, you might just be the perfect customer assistant.

What you’ll be doing

Being a customer assistant is primarily a client-facing role, but there is interaction required between other staff team members and management. This role entails providing information and answering questions, performing exchanges or refunds where applicable, offering help and ensuring the customer leaves your desk a happy one. Essentially, you should pride yourself on the ability to retain customers and keep them coming back. A great deal of patience is needed, as the role often encompasses having to deal with disgruntled patrons. If you can handle angry customers and still provide service with a smile, then this ideal for you!

Salary

On average, you can expect to earn between £9,000 and £13,000 annually working as a customer assistant, and there are lots of part-time positions within this field allowing you time to work elsewhere to supplement your income or pursue other interests should you desire to do so. The role calls for the ability to be the go-between from policies and orders coming from the top to your customer basis.

Who is it for?

If you’re not a fan of sitting in an office, you’ll enjoy being a customer assistant as most of these roles require you interacting with clients on shop floors or behind a customer services desk.
A customer assistant should be personable and knowledgeable, happily dealing with every query whether it be over the phone, via email correspondence or face to face. Because you’re representing your company or brand, you should be clean and presentable and take pride in offering help and assistance. Some basic IT skills may be needed depending on where you work as a customer assistant. There’s no official training necessary to do the job, but you can work your way up to the role within most organizations. You should have excellent communication skills and tact to deal with tricky situations and ensuring the customer stays happy without causing the company a loss. If you value flexibility, a challenge and working with people on a day to day basis, a customer assistant role could be perfect for you.

  
Job Description: Buyer (retail)

A retail buyer selects the merchandise to be sold at a retail location. They are an intrinsic part of the marketing team, as buyers ensure that product is on trend, appealing to consumers, high quality and within budget. If you’ve got a passion for fashion and wondered how shop fronts choose the items on display, this occupation could be right up your alley.

What you’ll be doing

Instead of shopping for yourself, you’ll be shopping for, well, shops! You’ll be responsible for choosing the merchandise that’s on sale in a retail location. Seasonal variety means you’ll be kept busy all year round, meeting with suppliers, ordering stock, exploring new products, predicting quarterly sales and finally buying product at a reasonable price point.

Salary

Beginners can expect to make in the region of £18,000 and £25,000 a year, while experience buyers at a more senior level can make up to £70,000 a year. This of course depends on your industry, should you want to focus on high-end markets the salary can be significantly high – but so can the pressure.

Retail buying is as much about choosing what looks nice and is in fashion as it is about choosing what will sell and make a profit. If you love clothes, this should be accompanied by a business-savvy ethic to be a successful retail buyer. You should be aware of market trends as well as consumer demand. There’s a fair bit of responsibility involved in the role, as your choices will reflect and shape the brand and impact sales, which will impact quarterly and annual budgets.

Who is it for?

If you pride yourself on being a step ahead of the latest fashions, this is a great starting point when considering a career in retail buying. The role calls for constant liaising with stockists, suppliers, management and other staff, so possessing strong organizational skills is key. A great retail buyer should be able to blend creativity with business and sales acumen, so some training in business –while not mandated – would certainly be beneficial. The hours can be long and varied, and the nature of the role calls for lots of travel. Make sure you’re committed to both of those things before considering a career in buying. Essentially the trick to succeeding as a retail buyer is the ability to multitask. The role is multifaceted, and you are responsible for numerous things from choosing products to ordering them, marketing them and presenting the results of sales performance and customer reactions. If you like something that keeps your finger on the pulse of the latest trends whilst keeping you constantly busy, this could be right for you.

  
Job Description: Auditor

An auditor quite simply conducts an audit – meaning they go through the books of an individual or organization to determine the effective use of resources. An audit is primarily financial, but can also be in other areas such as energy usage and natural resource management. As an auditor, it’s your job to conduct them.

What you’ll be doing

Your role encompasses going over company expenses and records with a fine tooth comb. You’ll be responsible for analysing the data, and then the findings are then either presented via a written report or presentation, so you should feel comfortable in your communication skills and knowledge. There are jobs available in both the public and private sectors, making the odds finding work as an auditor even in a tough economy high. With numerous and frequent federal policy changes to keep on top of, you’ll be responsible for keeping abreast of updates and keeping clients in the loop. There’s a fair amount of admin involved as well, so you should feel comfortable with this and be deft at using the appropriate software and programs such as Microsoft Excel. 
A lot of what you’ll be doing is determined by whether you’ll be practicing as an internal or external auditor. As an internal auditor, your role will be to examine the company policies, whereas the latter of the two requires going through every invoice and financial statement in impeccable detail, verifying there’s no fraud or mismanagement and mitigating financial risk.

Who is it for?

You should consider being an auditor if you can work under pressure. As organizations are mandated to subject to an annual audit, there is air-tight job security that comes with the role, but this pro is offset by the con of having to be meticulous, accurate and sometimes the bearer of bad news.

Salary

Another pro is the annual salary, the starting point of which is £18,000-£22,000 per annum. You should be mathematically minded and adept at problem solving, with a minimum of two A-levels under your belt and ideally an accountancy qualification and practicing certificate. Being an auditor isn’t for everyone, especially if you consider yourself a people pleaser. Sometimes presenting findings of an audit can leave a boardroom of executives feeling anything but pleased! If you prefer data over drama, this could be the career for you. Candidates interested in being an auditor should boast great organizational skills, strong communication skills and be strong with numbers all round.

  
Job Description: Hairdresser

A hairdresser is responsible for cutting and styling client’s hair. From trims to fades to updos, your expertise will be called upon to advise and carry out numerous different styles and cuts. Beginning with a consult, a hairdresser will go on to perform services such as washes and treatments, cutting, styling and colouring.

What you’ll be doing

Snipping, cutting and chatting just about sums it up! You’ll be on your feet all day, talking with a variety of clients and creating hair masterpieces. If you have bundles of creativity, this is an excellent role to consider. That said, adhering to clients wishes and demands is important, as a botched dye job or wonky cut can cost you a paying client. Each cut counts, and there can be lots of pressure to give clients what they want – make sure you’re prepared to handle it!

Salary

The starting salary can sometimes be fairly low, but according to PayScale, hairdressers with between 10-19 years experience can expect to earn £12,208 – £26,400 a year. Of course the better the service the higher the tips, which can contribute to your annual earnings. You can choose to work in a salon or work independently depending on your personal preferences and ability to market yourself.

Qualification

While there is no official designation for hairdressing, almost all hair stylists undergo training. NVQ Qualifications in Hairdressing, Barbering and Combined Hair Types are available at several salons and through private institutions. The very lowest NVQ level that accredited hairstylists have is a level 2.

Who is it for?

Hairdressing is ideal for people who don’t crave the 9-5 structure. The nature of the work calls for hours worked in the evening and on weekends, so if you value a rigid weekday schedule, this may not be for you. It’s also an ideal vocation if you’re a ‘people person’, as you’ll be spending lots of time chatting with clients sat in the chair, which can add up to about 8 hours of gossip if you’re fully booked through a shift! Hairdressing is also a good choice if you like variety. On peak times like the weekends you may be run ragged, but downtimes or on days with bad weather causing cancellations can result in a slower workday. If you love fashion and beauty, have a great work ethic, are personable and creative, than a career in hairdressing might be on the cards.

  
Roles will vary from company to company depending on the industry they are in but if you are looking for some guidance about the kinds of things that you can expect to see in a job description related to skills and tasks then the below information may help you.

Job Description: Social Media Executive

Job responsibilities and general experience required for this role is as below:
You will be responsible for defining a social media strategy for the company.Using Facebook, My Space, Twitter, You Tube and other social media.Manage social media marketing campaigns and day to day activities.Writing editorial Content.Write, publish and maintain current content on Facebook etc with a view to keeping the audience engaged. Design, create and manage promotions and ad campaigns from Facebook etc.Gain exposure to new and emerging channels such as Instagram.To communicate and explain clearly during client meetings, especially explaining technical information to non technical users.You must have a proven background in Marketing and or PR and some working knowledge of social media.You must be organised, pay great attention to detail and keep up to date with the latest technology.You must be able to write with great design and flair that is filled with technical terms.Working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design etc.Excellent people management skills include where possible some account management skills.Monitor effective benchmarks for measuring social media programs.Ability to build and maintain sales relationships face to face and over the telephone.Experience with WordPress an advantage.Ability to translate marketing content into interesting and engaging, social friendly content copy.Twitter – Monitor how effective individual posts are?Maintain the social media content calendar adding to it as necessary.You must have excellent communication skills and be able to communicate at all levels.Although this is just a sample of what you could be asked during an interview, it gives you an idea and depending on your different skills you can think of other questions that may be relevant to the expertise you currently have. Related:

Social Media Executive Covering Letter
Social Media Executive CV Example

  
As with any role, the job will vary between companies and locations, however the basic principles of teaching people to drive is ultimately the same. If you would like an example of this please see below job description for some of the tasks you could be required to do.
Organising and planning lessons according to the pupil and how many lessons they have had previouslyMaintaining the cars used for learning in, ensuring they are kept to the company’s standardsKnowing basic mechanics, such as changing a wheel, basic engine problemsTeaching pupils the highway code and about traffic signals ensuring they know fully how they work and how the rules of the road workProviding advice and criticism to pupils to improve their skills whilst maintaining their confidence to learningEnsuring that pupils know what to do in an emergency and just how they would deal with a situationEnsuring that you understand the theory accurately to be able to explain to pupilsRemaining calm and patient for long periods of timeHaving excellent driving skills/ qualifications and passing this onto your pupilsExcellent communication skillsReferrals and new business to ensure that you keep busy teachingGood knowledge of the area of which you teach and ability to explain this carefully to your pupilsGood written skillsEnsuring that pupils are prepared for their driving test mentally and physicallyPre test lessonsAdvanced driving lessons, motorway driving etc once initial test has been passedAs well as the practical skills and duties of a Driving Instructor, it is very important to remember that you cannot do any of these duties without being a very calm and patient person who is prepared to take sometimes a long time to achieve results.

Related: Driving Instructor Covering Letter Example

  
A journalist role with vary from company to company and from town to town depending on whether you are working for a regional paper or magazine or a national one. However the basic principles of the role are the same and below you will find some of the duties that an employer will be looking for you to do in your work as a journalist.
Attending meetings to plan the content of the magazine, newspaper or radio programmeMaking sure that you suggest ideas for articles that would interest the readers or listeners as applicableInterviewing different people at different locations and different circumstances and researching to collect information for articlesCreatively writing articles to suit the magazine’s/newspaper’s style/toneEnsuring that you are up to date with developments and trends in the magazine’s /newspaper’s subject area.Following story ‘leads’, or generating story ideasThorough research of stories, using sources such as the internet, archives and databases and through interviewingEnsuring that you know of the locations and deciding on the best way of presenting a story prior to it being liveWriting scripts, website or social media content as necessary in conjunction with your teamPreparing interview questions to use and conducting live and pre-recorded interviews where you must be able to think on your feetGood presenting skills in TV or radio studios or on location and recording voiceovers for recorded materialCommunicating effectively by asking questions at briefings and press conferences to get the information you needBeing aware of how camera’s and sound crew’s work and if possible operating the equipment as necessaryEditing stories to fit scheduled timingsPlan and decide on the best running order for bulletinsMaking quick changes to bulletins as new stories break Networking and building contacts to maintain a flow of news, for example, police and emergency services, local council, community groups, health trusts, press officers from a variety of organisations, the general public, etc as necessary depending on the role you are in to allow you to find new newsVaried attendance at a variety of events, such as council meetings, magistrates’ court proceedings, football matches, talent contests, as relevant to the news in your roleDealing with general queries and answering the phones on the news desk and reacting to breaking news storiesWorking closely with the news team, photographers and editors of the teamWorking to strict deadlines and producing concise and accurate copy according to the newspaper’s styleEnsuring that the news is live by creating and uploading news content for the newspaper website sometimes several times a day.Related: Journalist Covering Letter Example

  
As a Car Valet you will have different roles depending on a number of factors such as:
Mobile car valetFixed locationOnly deal with cars?Mix of cars, wagons etc?Whatever the situation, the basic duties are still the same.  To give you an idea of some of these, please see below:
Being able to use high-pressure hoses to clean vehiclesCleaning windows, wheels, door handles and mirrors and any interior items as required by the clientGeneral Hoover and shampooing upholstery and carpets depending on the package that is requiredWaxing and polishing cars including T Cut as applicableBeing aware of different products and gels and other finishes to bumpers and trimsOffering a steam cleaning service including the engine, frame and wheel archesCollecting and delivering vehicles if you work from a fixed locationLearning about different vehicle types and how best they can be cleaned including the length of time they take etc. EG: a Wagon would take a lot longer than a carConfident driver with clean driving licence not only to get to client locations but also for collecting or delivering cars as necessaryAble to communicate with clients and discuss prices, offers, services etc in terms of marketing and getting repeat customersFlexible hours – working evenings (if you are able to see, depending on location and time of year) and weekends as the busiest times for clients. Hours in some days could be longer than others depending on bookings and frequency of callers at a site Team player as well as being able to work on own initiative. Each place will be slightly different but the above gives you a general idea of the type of tasks and person you will need to be to do this role well.

Related: Car Valet Covering Letter Example

  
The role of a Forklift Truck Operator is a very varied one. As well as the obvious role of driving and being responsible for a Forklift truck, usually employees also get involved in a warehouse role maybe picking stock, packing stock, following health and safety guidelines etc.

To give you a general idea of tasks you could be doing in this role, please see below description:
Taking delivery of goods, products, supplies and loading and unloading goods from vehicles such as lorries, vans, containers, aircraft etc (depending on where you work)Making sure that you move the goods packed on pallets or in crates around the storage facility or warehouse ready for storageEnsuring that you stack goods in the correct storage bays, following stock control instructions as per the guidelines in the warehouseMaking sure and checking that the loads are secure before leaving them to prevent any accidents or disasters in line with Health and SafetyStacking empty pallets ready to be collected and used againDaily equipment checks, to make sure that everything you need works to full capacityGeneral warehouse duties such as performing other warehouse tasks such as packing, pickingChecking for damaged or missing items and logging and reporting these as applicableMoving goods around by hand or with a fork lift truck and storing goods in the correct locations as requiredGetting deliveries ready for dispatching ensuring they are marked with the correct labels, weight etcKeeping accurate stock records and reporting to the warehouse manager including any other paperwork that is under your remitEnsuring that work areas are left clean and tidy.Ensuring that stock is replenished to help with packing goods eg: protective materials, such as bubble wrap and polystyrene chips, glue, staples etcWorking closely with any supervisors or managers and reporting back to them as required. Related: Fork Lift Truck Operator Cover Letter Example