Car rental agent

You could start by doing a customer service practitioner intermediate apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

You could apply directly to work as a car rental agent. Employers may ask for GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in maths and English. Experience in customer service, office administration or sales work could give you an advantage.

Career tips

Having the right personality and good communication skills can be more important than formal qualifications.

Further information

You can find out more about working as a car rental agent through Autocity.

You'll need:

• the ability to work well with others
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• to enjoy working with other people
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• customer service skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• active listening skills
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

You'll need to:

• have a full driving licence

Foreign language skills could be useful if you want to work at airports, ports or tourist destinations.

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

• dealing with customer enquiries about the availability and cost of vehicles
• taking bookings and explaining the terms of rental or leasing agreements
• completing paperwork with the customer and taking payments
• showing customers to their vehicle and pointing out any bumps, scrapes or special features
• checking mileage and inspecting for damage when vehicles are returned
• providing ongoing service and sales support, if you deal with regular business leasing accounts

You could work in an office or at an airport.

You may need to wear a uniform.