Job in the Car industry

[CatfishCKY]

Hi all I'm new, so I will accept flaming if this is a stupid post!

After all the crap that I have had at work recently, I am starting to think Pension Administration is not my thing and would like to set my sights on a job - any job aside from driving tuition - that involves cars, or the car industry.
Trouble is, I did not take any mechanics/automotive courses in college and did not go onto Uni. I have no experience in the car industry, only administration and customer service experience. I know this obviously doesn't make me very appealing, but trouble is I know cars and I want to prove that to any prospective employers. I blame my dad for his influence on cars!

I've handed my CV in at a well-known tuning firm and said I'm willing to take on any jobs, but they don't have any jobs going currently.
Now is this chasing flying pigs or do I have a chance at anything?

Edited by CatfishCKY on Thursday 31st December 17:28

[okgo]

Sales?

[CatfishCKY]

I have had thoughts about sales, but really I would need to do a 'trainee sales' position considering my lack of experience. Is it mainly commission based?

[okgo]

CatfishCKY said:

I have had thoughts about sales, but really I would need to do a 'trainee sales' position considering my lack of experience. Is it mainly commission based?

Yeh, but you'll probably have a 10k salary to fall back on, not that most people can survive on 10k.

But if you can talk to people you will find its probably the easiest way in, that or parts apprentice. Know where I would rather be.

[CatfishCKY]

Hmm that's the only problem - I am on 12k net at the moment and I am having trouble paying the mortgage with that, let alone 10k
Parts adviser sounds good, but I'm guessing sales is the more lucrative field to be in? And the one you prefer?

[okgo]

CatfishCKY said:

Hmm that's the only problem - I am on 12k net at the moment and I am having trouble paying the mortgage with that, let alone 10k
Parts adviser sounds good, but I'm guessing sales is the more lucrative field to be in? And the one you prefer?

How old are you?

Well one would hope you can make 2k a year in sales, or its probably not for you

I had a £10k basic when I sold them for a year, I made a decent wedge from it, and I wasn't stuck in a hole in the workshop being treated like st.

[Antonio 82]

Your skills and experience in Pension Admin might be suited to a Sales/Vehicle Administrator role. It's basically looking after the vehicle stocks and doing all the vehicle paperwork (invoicing, logbooks, tax discs and HPI's etc) to assist the lazy busy sales people

I think the average salary is around £18k, but the large prestige dealerships might offer more.

[okgo]

Which to me sounds like low pay and a boring job, that goes unthanked.

But each to their own.

[CatfishCKY]

okgo said:

How old are you?

Well one would hope you can make 2k a year in sales, or its probably not for you

I had a £10k basic when I sold them for a year, I made a decent wedge from it, and I wasn't stuck in a hole in the workshop being treated like st.

I'm 22.
I would try my hardest to do a bit better than 2k
See that's another concern of mine - considering the car industry is very male-dominated, I would worry that a woman with car knowledge may not be taken too seriously?

[okgo]

CatfishCKY said:

okgo said:

How old are you?

Well one would hope you can make 2k a year in sales, or its probably not for you

I had a £10k basic when I sold them for a year, I made a decent wedge from it, and I wasn't stuck in a hole in the workshop being treated like st.

I'm 22.
I would try my hardest to do a bit better than 2k
See that's another concern of mine - considering the car industry is very male-dominated, I would worry that a woman with car knowledge may not be taken too seriously?

ahhh, you're a woman.

Yes, you would be right, its a very male world, especially in sales. However, some brands prefer women sales people, MINI for one and fiat like girls too. The two girls I worked with did very well out of it. When I left they got another girl!

[odyssey2200]

As someone who has been in the motor industry since leaving school and has worked for dealers and manufacturers my advise is simple.



DON'T DO IT!!!

[Frik]

I'd think of approaching some of the bigger companies involved in the industry. Send a speculative CV off and see what happens. There's plenty of roles for someone with your experience really.

There's the manufacturers of course, which all have a head office of some sort. The dealer network with companies like Inchcape, or even the test places like MIRA, TRL etc.

All depends where abouts in the country you are.

[CatfishCKY]

Antonio 82 said:

Your skills and experience in Pension Admin might be suited to a Sales/Vehicle Administrator role. It's basically looking after the vehicle stocks and doing all the vehicle paperwork (invoicing, logbooks, tax discs and HPI's etc) to assist the lazy busy sales people

I think the average salary is around £18k, but the large prestige dealerships might offer more.

See this doesn't sound too bad to me - and it's more money than I'm on!
Frik - I'm based down south so there is not a great deal down here really! I didn't think of the headquarters though admittedly!
So do you think a woman in sales might be more successful than I was originally thinking?
Odyssey - it can't be that bad can it? I would love to get in the car industry though, tis my most realistic dream at the moment

Edited by CatfishCKY on Thursday 31st December 18:34

[DKMsport]

Catfish, im in the same position as you. Would like a job in the motoring industry but dont have the experiance or qualifications. I dont know where to start really. Im 22 and Im earning nearly 19k which is hard wage to leave behind just because I hate my job.

Advice is much apreaciated.