Getting into a sales type job.
Discussion
I have just finished university but I do need to retake one module over the summer as I have completely ballsed it up. What this means is that I will graduate (hopefully) in January with a pretty low class of degree in Mechanical Engineering.
People have said that I could possibly do quite well in sales, read car salesman, etc, but whenever these jobs come up it seems experience is compulsory. I have no experience but I have worked in the same shop for 7 years now and I really want a change as I'm only 21 and working in a gift shop selling buckets and spades is not what I want.
With jobs like these, Estate Agency oddly enough interests me, just a case of firing off CVs to employers or are they a little harder to get into than jobs like the one I currently have in a shop?
I hope this makes sense, it does to me.
Thanks for your help,
Bob
People have said that I could possibly do quite well in sales, read car salesman, etc, but whenever these jobs come up it seems experience is compulsory. I have no experience but I have worked in the same shop for 7 years now and I really want a change as I'm only 21 and working in a gift shop selling buckets and spades is not what I want.
With jobs like these, Estate Agency oddly enough interests me, just a case of firing off CVs to employers or are they a little harder to get into than jobs like the one I currently have in a shop?
I hope this makes sense, it does to me.
Thanks for your help,
Bob
I'd do some proper research before you choose a role/sector.
Estate agents work shocking hours and rarely earn the money to compensate.
Car sales is also something you may not feel pays for the pain.
If your IT or science savvy you may be better at looking at sales roles in software, hardware or services, or perhaps pharmaceuticals. Pay can be excellent and as you're generally selling to business your core time is usually 9-5 (ignoring the hospitality aspect).
I've found jobs by doing some research on a company and key individuals, calling in direct and pitching (relatively softly!) for a role - if you're really cut out for this type of job this is a relatively painless exercise and for me has always been productive.
Estate agents work shocking hours and rarely earn the money to compensate.
Car sales is also something you may not feel pays for the pain.
If your IT or science savvy you may be better at looking at sales roles in software, hardware or services, or perhaps pharmaceuticals. Pay can be excellent and as you're generally selling to business your core time is usually 9-5 (ignoring the hospitality aspect).
I've found jobs by doing some research on a company and key individuals, calling in direct and pitching (relatively softly!) for a role - if you're really cut out for this type of job this is a relatively painless exercise and for me has always been productive.
Why do you not want to stick with engineering?
I did an apprenticeship at European Gas turbines in Lincoln and then through a number of personal disasters left the trade. I fell into car sales and worked my way up to the be Assistant Group F&I Manager for one of the biggest dealer groups in the country. It just didn't float my boat and my heart lay in engineering. I am now only just getting back to engineering but loving every minute.
If you really want to get into car sales then just pick which brand you want to work for and hound the hell out of the dealer principal, while he will hate it he will also love you for it because that is what he wants his sales team to do to customers.
If you want any more advice then send me a PM.
JP
I did an apprenticeship at European Gas turbines in Lincoln and then through a number of personal disasters left the trade. I fell into car sales and worked my way up to the be Assistant Group F&I Manager for one of the biggest dealer groups in the country. It just didn't float my boat and my heart lay in engineering. I am now only just getting back to engineering but loving every minute.
If you really want to get into car sales then just pick which brand you want to work for and hound the hell out of the dealer principal, while he will hate it he will also love you for it because that is what he wants his sales team to do to customers.
If you want any more advice then send me a PM.
JP
Stupid question, but why not look for a job in sales that works with your nearly completed degree?
Try applying for a sales job with someone like Pipe Center or BSS. The job is mainly visiting clients, selling pipework, pumps, FCUs, valves etc. Your degree could actually help with the role as well, as most M&E companies dislike talking to sales guys who do not have real engineering knowledge.
Try applying for a sales job with someone like Pipe Center or BSS. The job is mainly visiting clients, selling pipework, pumps, FCUs, valves etc. Your degree could actually help with the role as well, as most M&E companies dislike talking to sales guys who do not have real engineering knowledge.
Im not saying this is a good idea but if you can hack it do some direct/door to door sales for 6 months or so.
I did it when i was 18,im 33 now and its still the thing most prospective employers pick up from the cv.
If you can sell to a stranger face to face on their doorstep everything later is pretty easy!
I did it when i was 18,im 33 now and its still the thing most prospective employers pick up from the cv.
If you can sell to a stranger face to face on their doorstep everything later is pretty easy!
If you must sell houses or cars to and do it at one of the big places, stick the horrendous hours for two years and move on.
Foxtons for estate agency, hard work, crazy hours but if you can stick two years of that you'll get interviews in most places after.
Something like Inchcape for cars, they train you hard but you will learn what to do, sell a volume brand, or a premium volume brand and go from there.
I did both and the hours eventually killed it for me, I couldn't stomach working every other Saturday in estate agency and every Saturday in car sales (and some Sundays).
Foxtons for estate agency, hard work, crazy hours but if you can stick two years of that you'll get interviews in most places after.
Something like Inchcape for cars, they train you hard but you will learn what to do, sell a volume brand, or a premium volume brand and go from there.
I did both and the hours eventually killed it for me, I couldn't stomach working every other Saturday in estate agency and every Saturday in car sales (and some Sundays).
As long as you have a pulse and can drive a car, any of the large direct sales home improvement companies will give you a job. It will be commission only and unsociable hours, but if you are living with parents it's worth risking. As someone else has already noted, any prospective employer will respect you for it when considering you for a sales role. You will also learn how to sell and soon realise that it's as much of a science as what you've been studying.
My main tip for applying for sales jobs is to make sure you sell yourself at application stage.
Don't just fire CVs off, but phone the person as well and make them interview you.
When our company is employing a sales person it's like a breath of fresh air when people do that as it shows in advance that they will be tenacious with their selling and simultaneously makes the other applicants look s
t at disinterested.
Make sure when you are talking to them you know at least the basics of what they do and make it clear that you specifically want sales and make it seem like that particular job interests you over and above other sales jobs.
Don't just fire CVs off, but phone the person as well and make them interview you.
When our company is employing a sales person it's like a breath of fresh air when people do that as it shows in advance that they will be tenacious with their selling and simultaneously makes the other applicants look s
t at disinterested.Make sure when you are talking to them you know at least the basics of what they do and make it clear that you specifically want sales and make it seem like that particular job interests you over and above other sales jobs.
HannsG said:
I know one CIMA qualified accountant who moved from business management in an Investment Bank to selling specialist technology for a retailer.
He has never been happier
He has never been happier
HannsG said:
I know one CIMA qualified accountant who moved from business management in an Investment Bank to selling specialist technology for a retailer.
He has never been happier
He has never been happier
HannsG said:
I know one CIMA qualified accountant who moved from business management in an Investment Bank to selling specialist technology for a retailer.
He has never been happier
Wow, he must have been happy!He has never been happier
http://www.pareto.co.uk/graduate-jobs/graduate-sal...
These guys are pretty reasonable, very Tech focused though.
You'll start out at the bottom of the pile, but if you're good at it, you'll progress very quickly. Know plenty of people who have used this company and either got placed directly with a big name like Hitachi or Dell or developed the kind of skills required to move to a place like that.
I would suggest the skills you'll learn will be more valuable than car sales? And to be honest, you might find this is easier to get into!
These guys are pretty reasonable, very Tech focused though.
You'll start out at the bottom of the pile, but if you're good at it, you'll progress very quickly. Know plenty of people who have used this company and either got placed directly with a big name like Hitachi or Dell or developed the kind of skills required to move to a place like that.
I would suggest the skills you'll learn will be more valuable than car sales? And to be honest, you might find this is easier to get into!
Having worked for Foxtons in the past, if you even remotely value spare time of any kind or the weekend then don't work for them.
I was working 60+ hours a week at their head office straight after Uni and hated every second I was there, made even worse by the worst line manager I've ever had in my working life so far.
Speaking from personal experience working somewhere like that WILL make or break you. It broke me in 4 months and I came running home back to Derbyshire (admittedly with a fair bit of money in my pocket).
Personally I now couldn't be happier. Sure right now I earn about 7k less a year than I was doing, but I now work 37.5 hours a week mon-fri, 38 days holiday with the bank holidays and stat closure days, commute is 30mins in the car, I've got my evenings free to play 5-aside, and weekends free to play for my local hockey team.
Perhaps might not be too helpful to you but a precautionary tale about working for Foxtons and similar companies.
I was working 60+ hours a week at their head office straight after Uni and hated every second I was there, made even worse by the worst line manager I've ever had in my working life so far.
Speaking from personal experience working somewhere like that WILL make or break you. It broke me in 4 months and I came running home back to Derbyshire (admittedly with a fair bit of money in my pocket).
Personally I now couldn't be happier. Sure right now I earn about 7k less a year than I was doing, but I now work 37.5 hours a week mon-fri, 38 days holiday with the bank holidays and stat closure days, commute is 30mins in the car, I've got my evenings free to play 5-aside, and weekends free to play for my local hockey team.
Perhaps might not be too helpful to you but a precautionary tale about working for Foxtons and similar companies.
If you are to succeed at foxtons then you should be laughing at the bloke above cursing his weak attitude. If so you'll do well!
Conversely a mate of mine manages a branch at 24/25, probably getting on for 6 figures, often gets the company lambo for the weekend and likes it. It's long hours but you can do very well if you are cut out for it. It wasn't for me after a year (and I did it properly, not working in Chiswick Park hq) but it helped get me interviews elsewhere I eventually moved on to Hamptons before deciding I liked my weekends and left completely.
Conversely a mate of mine manages a branch at 24/25, probably getting on for 6 figures, often gets the company lambo for the weekend and likes it. It's long hours but you can do very well if you are cut out for it. It wasn't for me after a year (and I did it properly, not working in Chiswick Park hq) but it helped get me interviews elsewhere I eventually moved on to Hamptons before deciding I liked my weekends and left completely.
ClassicCarless said:
http://www.pareto.co.uk/graduate-jobs/graduate-sal...
These guys are pretty reasonable, very Tech focused though.
You'll start out at the bottom of the pile, but if you're good at it, you'll progress very quickly. Know plenty of people who have used this company and either got placed directly with a big name like Hitachi or Dell or developed the kind of skills required to move to a place like that.
I would suggest the skills you'll learn will be more valuable than car sales? And to be honest, you might find this is easier to get into!
Worked for a couple of companies who have used these guys. Feedback has always been impressive and there training programme is supposed to be excellent, my current company have 6 people that have come through them at the moment.These guys are pretty reasonable, very Tech focused though.
You'll start out at the bottom of the pile, but if you're good at it, you'll progress very quickly. Know plenty of people who have used this company and either got placed directly with a big name like Hitachi or Dell or developed the kind of skills required to move to a place like that.
I would suggest the skills you'll learn will be more valuable than car sales? And to be honest, you might find this is easier to get into!
why take engineering as a degree if you have no interest in it? don't let the degree mark get you down [unless you also went to a st uni!] i know plenty of people with 2:2 and 3rds who earn very good money.
out of the group hung around with at uni, few went outside of engineering. one's a teacher, one was a cad monkey before becoming a tech. sales guy [bearings or some crap iirc] and now a weapons officer in the navy.
two others i know switched from eng. to commercial. both in aviation sales and both are high earners.
t uni!] i know plenty of people with 2:2 and 3rds who earn very good money.out of the group hung around with at uni, few went outside of engineering. one's a teacher, one was a cad monkey before becoming a tech. sales guy [bearings or some crap iirc] and now a weapons officer in the navy.
two others i know switched from eng. to commercial. both in aviation sales and both are high earners.
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