Trainee Optical Assistant
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
So, you're a proactive people person, passionate about retail and offering the best customer service? Sounds like you'd be a great fit here. So, if you've ever considered a career in optics, this Trainee Optical Assistant role could be perfect for you.
As a Trainee Optical Assistant, you don't need to have previous experience, you just need to be prepared to create an outstanding store environment for both our customers and our team, making sure every patient receives the best care in our stores.
Our store
Based in Burnley, our store has off-site parking and is easy to get to via public transport
Our team
We have a wonderful team of dedicated people in our store ready and waiting for you to meet.
What's on offer?
As well as all the support you need and great training and development opportunities, we have a whole load of benefits on offer for you to enjoy. These include:
- £10.85 - £12.71 per hour - Depending on experience
- Full time - 37.5 hours
- We will auto-enroll you into the pension scheme with an employer contribution when you contribute too
- Specsavers Perks - a portal to a world of great everyday discounts and savings
- WeCare - our employee support service to help you and your immediate family when you need it most
- On street parking
What we're looking for?
If this is still sounding like a bit of you, we do need you to have a few skills to get started as a Trainee Optical Assistant.These include:
- Passion for providing excellent customer service and making customers' lives easier
- Great teamwork
- A good initiative
- Confidence in using IT systems
- Excellent communication and listening skills
- Prepared to step out of your comfort zone and try something new
- Able to receive feedback and be open to development, knowing we'll be there to support and guide you throughout your process (with your openness and our guidance, your opportunities will be endless).
Find out more
If you've got all these skills, we'd love for you to apply, but there's also some desirable experience that could set you apart from the competition if you have it. This includes:
- Previous experience in a fast-paced customer service environment
- Experience in optics or Audiology business
- Basic knowledge/experience of optical and/or Audiology terminology.
Checked all the boxes? This job will close when it's filled, so don't delay, apply today!
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Emphasise your customer service experience at the top of your CV, even if from non-optical retail—Specsavers explicitly values "passion for providing excellent customer service".
📊 Quantify your retail impact: "Served 50+ customers daily with 95% satisfaction feedback" or "Resolved 12 customer complaints weekly with positive resolution".
🌐 Highlight any IT system experience (tills, stock systems, databases) as the advert stresses "confidence in using IT systems".
🎯 If you have any optics or audiology exposure (even basic knowledge), feature it prominently—listed as desirable and sets you apart.
🤝 Demonstrate openness to development and feedback in your personal statement: "Eager to learn optical terminology and grow within a supportive team environment."
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Delivered customer service to 40+ customers weekly in retail environment, maintaining positive feedback and repeat visits through attentive listening and problem-solving.
- •Operated point-of-sale and stock management IT systems daily, processing transactions accurately and supporting inventory control with 98% accuracy.
- •Collaborated with 8-person retail team to maintain store standards and resolve customer concerns within 24 hours, contributing to team satisfaction scores.
Free to copy — tailoring requires a 30-sec CV upload.
Your cover letter is ready
We've drafted a cover letter for Specsavers. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.
Letter preview — tailored to Specsavers
Dear Hiring Manager,
I am writing to apply for the Trainee Optical Assistant position at Specsavers in Burnley. With a strong passion for customer service and confidence in using IT systems, I am eager to launch my career in optics within a supportive retail environment. Your emphasis on teamwork and development resonates with my commitment to learning and growth.
My background in customer-facing roles has equipped me with excellent communication and listening skills. I am prepared to step outside my comfort zone, embrace feedback, and develop the optical knowledge needed to deliver outstanding patient care in your store.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›What IT systems have you used in previous roles, and how quickly did you become proficient?
- ›Describe your experience with retail point-of-sale or stock management systems.
- ›Have you any knowledge of optical or audiology terminology, and how did you acquire it?
- ›Walk us through how you would use IT systems to support customer service in a busy store.
- ›What training or certification have you completed related to customer-facing retail?
Behavioural
- ›Tell us about a time you provided exceptional customer service in a fast-paced environment. What made it exceptional?
- ›Describe a situation where you received critical feedback. How did you respond and what did you learn?
- ›Give an example of when you showed initiative in a retail or customer-facing role.
- ›Tell us about a time you had to work as part of a team to solve a customer problem.
- ›Describe a moment when you stepped out of your comfort zone at work. What was the outcome?
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell us about a time you provided exceptional customer service in a fast-paced environment. What made it exceptional?
Describe a situation where you received critical feedback. How did you respond and what did you learn?