Entering Car Sales
Discussion
I'm looking for some advice regarding a career in Car Sales.
A little background - mid 40s former firefighter (17yrs) had to take early retirement due to serious injury. Haven't worked for 8 years due to around 6/7 years of disability. Now in better health and actively looking for a return to work.
I've always been car daft and even dabbled in some 'from home' car trading before my injury. Always been curious / interested in a job in car sales.
Having recently shopped for a couple of new cars the difference in the standard of salesmen was quite amazing, some shockingly poor some brilliant.
Living in west central Scotland there seems to be only one way into the Car Sales game, via a well know large dealer network named after its founder....
All other sales jobs at more prestige dealers or independents seem to require years of experience. It seems for a beginner there is only one option. I'm not quite sure about this, on one hand some of their salesmen i met recently were brilliant and i'd be happy to work in their dealership. Others were truly shocking and to be blunt I couldn't. The company seems to employ almost anyone with the view if you can sell cars great if you can't then bye bye. I'm 100% sure I could do better than some of the characters i've met but then again if I landed in a 'poor' dealership i might hate it and quit, probably ruining any future chance in the trade which would upset me.
Now the group I speak of actually have 5 vacancies locally across 4 dealers/brands. 2 of them I know quite well and would be delighted to work at, one i'm not sure, and one I definitely wouldn't want to work at.
So to summarise;
I'd like any opinions or advice on the above, or any general advice about ways of joining the car sales game. I'm aware of the salaries etc and am confident I could make a good car salesman in the right environment.
A little background - mid 40s former firefighter (17yrs) had to take early retirement due to serious injury. Haven't worked for 8 years due to around 6/7 years of disability. Now in better health and actively looking for a return to work.
I've always been car daft and even dabbled in some 'from home' car trading before my injury. Always been curious / interested in a job in car sales.
Having recently shopped for a couple of new cars the difference in the standard of salesmen was quite amazing, some shockingly poor some brilliant.
Living in west central Scotland there seems to be only one way into the Car Sales game, via a well know large dealer network named after its founder....
All other sales jobs at more prestige dealers or independents seem to require years of experience. It seems for a beginner there is only one option. I'm not quite sure about this, on one hand some of their salesmen i met recently were brilliant and i'd be happy to work in their dealership. Others were truly shocking and to be blunt I couldn't. The company seems to employ almost anyone with the view if you can sell cars great if you can't then bye bye. I'm 100% sure I could do better than some of the characters i've met but then again if I landed in a 'poor' dealership i might hate it and quit, probably ruining any future chance in the trade which would upset me.
Now the group I speak of actually have 5 vacancies locally across 4 dealers/brands. 2 of them I know quite well and would be delighted to work at, one i'm not sure, and one I definitely wouldn't want to work at.
So to summarise;
I'd like any opinions or advice on the above, or any general advice about ways of joining the car sales game. I'm aware of the salaries etc and am confident I could make a good car salesman in the right environment.
Edited by bigdavy on Sunday 13th October 15:04
good luck with that, its a similar position i found myself in, same age etc, couldnt even get interviews let alone a job, way to old and nobody willing to give me a try, they would much rather take on an easily impressionable 17/18 year old on crap money that they could get rid of at the drop of a hat.
it seems life experience means nothing to most nowadays!!!
it seems life experience means nothing to most nowadays!!!
Be aware that at many dealerships you will be on a very short leash and be very much a go between/sales clone between the sales manager and customer.
Im sure theyre not all like that but with several different types of mystery shopper,targeted everything inc shinyguard superjizz and inane sales courses its not someting i could hack!
I sell Motorhomes,no scripts,courses,mystery shoppers,prospecting or even targets,as long as we sell they leave us to it!
Im sure theyre not all like that but with several different types of mystery shopper,targeted everything inc shinyguard superjizz and inane sales courses its not someting i could hack!
I sell Motorhomes,no scripts,courses,mystery shoppers,prospecting or even targets,as long as we sell they leave us to it!
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