Career Advice for a Mystery Shopper

As a Mystery Shopper, you will be responsible for evaluating the quality of customer service and overall experience provided by businesses.

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How to Become a Mystery Shopper

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become a Mystery Shopper

Should you wish to work as a Mystery Shopper you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for a Mystery Shopper

  • No formal qualifications required, but excellent observational and communication skills are essential.

Key Responsibilities for a Mystery Shopper

  • Visiting businesses anonymously and evaluating the customer service and experience.
  • Providing detailed reports on your findings.
  • Communicating with your employer to discuss your observations and recommendations.
  • Maintaining confidentiality and professionalism at all times.
  • Adhering to the guidelines and instructions provided by your employer.

What to expect as a Mystery Shopper

As a Mystery Shopper in the UK, you can work for various companies and organisations, including retail stores, restaurants, hotels, and service providers.

Recommended Mystery Shopper Jobs

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How to get Mystery Shopper Jobs

Our advice on how to get a Mystery Shopper job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Mystery Shopper application. If you have not held a Mystery Shopper position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Mystery Shopper role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Mystery Shopper CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Mystery Shopper application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become a Mystery Shopper in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become a Mystery Shopper 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Mystery Shopper and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Mystery Shopper experience.

How to get Mystery Shopper Experience

What does it take to be a Mystery Shopper? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Mystery Shopper jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Mystery Shopper through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be a Mystery Shopper Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Mystery Shopper part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Mystery Shopper or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Mystery Shopper freelance work

If you have impressive Mystery Shopper qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.