What career chances do I have? am I doomed?
Discussion
Hi,
I'm looking for some career advice from a more experienced peer group tbh, and I see there are a lot of older and tbh more successful members than myself on here! (no disrespect intended)
I am currently wanting/needing to leave my current employment due to the long unsociable hours and general misery at the way I am treated and the way the organisation is now run.
I was previously a prison officer and then a sales negotiator at an estate agents, rising to senior sales neg within just over a year, a position I loved but unfortunately had to leave due to the changing of my commision structure being made massively unfair and frankly unobtainable( Im not unrealistic by the way,it was a company wide policy that didnt take into account our office)
I then took a role as a favour to a friend whilst I was looking for another sales/ account manager job working in security for a charity...a move I now massively regret! since the recession hit I have been stuck here ever since and I suppose I am worried that although I was successful EA and had 2.5 years experience in a sales based role, future employers would be put off by the fact I have been working in security the last 3 years
I genuinely want a job that challenges me and gives me some form of job satisfaction,and also the chance for advancement which I currently don't have. My only concern is that I now have a mortgage and a partner with a little one and NEED to earn at least £20k to survive.
What would be your opinion? I am willing to listen to any advice out there
Am I unlikely to find a sales position with around 20k basic in the cambridgeshire area?
I'm looking for some career advice from a more experienced peer group tbh, and I see there are a lot of older and tbh more successful members than myself on here! (no disrespect intended)
I am currently wanting/needing to leave my current employment due to the long unsociable hours and general misery at the way I am treated and the way the organisation is now run.
I was previously a prison officer and then a sales negotiator at an estate agents, rising to senior sales neg within just over a year, a position I loved but unfortunately had to leave due to the changing of my commision structure being made massively unfair and frankly unobtainable( Im not unrealistic by the way,it was a company wide policy that didnt take into account our office)
I then took a role as a favour to a friend whilst I was looking for another sales/ account manager job working in security for a charity...a move I now massively regret! since the recession hit I have been stuck here ever since and I suppose I am worried that although I was successful EA and had 2.5 years experience in a sales based role, future employers would be put off by the fact I have been working in security the last 3 years
I genuinely want a job that challenges me and gives me some form of job satisfaction,and also the chance for advancement which I currently don't have. My only concern is that I now have a mortgage and a partner with a little one and NEED to earn at least £20k to survive.
What would be your opinion? I am willing to listen to any advice out there
Am I unlikely to find a sales position with around 20k basic in the cambridgeshire area?
Forgot to add, between leaving the EA and joining the charity I was unemployed for 9 months, although 4 months of that I spent travelling new zealand and helped on my fathers farm for the other 5 months as he was ill.
No doubt another potentially off putting string to my bow in the eyes of an employer!
No doubt another potentially off putting string to my bow in the eyes of an employer!
Honestly, get your CV om a sales based job board, you'll be HOUNDED by recruiters, granted a lot of the work will be in a big city, but you never know what might come up.
I've done all sorts of sales jobs including estate agency, and I've never had an issue moving between industry's, as long as you can cross sell your knowledge and make it relevant, then you should be ok? I recently managed to secure a new role at one of the best places to be for my area without ever having done the job in question, they thought from my interviews that I'd pick it up quick, and I have, I now look after a patch of accounts that will bill over a million a year, which is a lot for us.
With regards to money, its a weird one, 20k basic in estate agency is pretty hard to come by as a neg, but then another industry it may be the entry level (like advertising is, for example).
Good luck!
I've done all sorts of sales jobs including estate agency, and I've never had an issue moving between industry's, as long as you can cross sell your knowledge and make it relevant, then you should be ok? I recently managed to secure a new role at one of the best places to be for my area without ever having done the job in question, they thought from my interviews that I'd pick it up quick, and I have, I now look after a patch of accounts that will bill over a million a year, which is a lot for us.
With regards to money, its a weird one, 20k basic in estate agency is pretty hard to come by as a neg, but then another industry it may be the entry level (like advertising is, for example).
Good luck!
Thankyou OKGO, I am not looking at getting back into estate agency at all!! I am more aiming towards account management or similar sales jobs where the basic seems to be more reasonable.
I had not considered advertising tbh, but will look into it now I am in the process of writing my C.V at the moment,a computer crash unfortunately eradicatedmy last one from the face of the earth and tbh, a fresher more up to date one was needed anyways.
I'm glad to hear you managed to find employment cross sector based on your ability and previous experience, it gives me some hope!! I'm just worried that being out of the sales environment completely for 4 years would be a put off.
I had not considered advertising tbh, but will look into it now
I am in the process of writing my C.V at the moment,a computer crash unfortunately eradicatedmy last one from the face of the earth and tbh, a fresher more up to date one was needed anyways.I'm glad to hear you managed to find employment cross sector based on your ability and previous experience, it gives me some hope!! I'm just worried that being out of the sales environment completely for 4 years would be a put off.
Edited by Honestherbert on Friday 13th January 07:28
I'm sure there is a spin you can put on it mate, that is all interviews for lower level sales jobs are about, how you can spin it to make you look good
Have a look at groupon, they have loads of jobs going and look at people with all sorts of career backgrounds here is their advert for Cambridge (they have vacancies all over the country obviously given the nature of the business)
Business Consultant - Cambridge
Sales | Cambridge, United Kingdom
Send Jobvite
As a Groupon Business Consultant, your main responsibilities will be to generate & increase feature partners and to reach and exceed company targets. Through a consultative approach to client management and sales, you will understand your clients business in order to construct a mutually beneficial offer for our subscribers. In turn this will increase the partner’s customer base and generate upsell opportunities. You will become a vital part of your clients marketing and business plans.
Your Responsibilities
• Creatively identify new businesses and activities to be featured, expanding the range of offers for our subscribers.
• Present Groupon as the unique opportunity for businesses to acquire new customers.
• Achieve revenue and profit targets through Consultative Sales.
• Proactively seek out new opportunities.
• Maintain a portfolio of partners for repeat business.
Your Skills
• Minimum of 3 years sales experience.
• Experience in pioneering new business coupled with evidence of consistent and current success.
• Strong interpersonal and social skills.
• Network of contacts in the relevant sector is a definite bonus.
• Bachelor degree is desirable.
• Positive attitude, consultative approach and self-motivation are all essential.
Groupon UK &IE are always looking for talented individuals to join our ever growing workforce; however this city is not currently our greatest need, so please be aware that you may not be contacted immediately.
Groupon is an Equal Opportunity Employer
It mentions on the London advert that is £50k OTE, so one would imagine the one out your way to be a little lower? But basic is probably ok...?
Have a look at groupon, they have loads of jobs going and look at people with all sorts of career backgrounds here is their advert for Cambridge (they have vacancies all over the country obviously given the nature of the business)
Business Consultant - Cambridge
Sales | Cambridge, United Kingdom
Send Jobvite
As a Groupon Business Consultant, your main responsibilities will be to generate & increase feature partners and to reach and exceed company targets. Through a consultative approach to client management and sales, you will understand your clients business in order to construct a mutually beneficial offer for our subscribers. In turn this will increase the partner’s customer base and generate upsell opportunities. You will become a vital part of your clients marketing and business plans.
Your Responsibilities
• Creatively identify new businesses and activities to be featured, expanding the range of offers for our subscribers.
• Present Groupon as the unique opportunity for businesses to acquire new customers.
• Achieve revenue and profit targets through Consultative Sales.
• Proactively seek out new opportunities.
• Maintain a portfolio of partners for repeat business.
Your Skills
• Minimum of 3 years sales experience.
• Experience in pioneering new business coupled with evidence of consistent and current success.
• Strong interpersonal and social skills.
• Network of contacts in the relevant sector is a definite bonus.
• Bachelor degree is desirable.
• Positive attitude, consultative approach and self-motivation are all essential.
Groupon UK &IE are always looking for talented individuals to join our ever growing workforce; however this city is not currently our greatest need, so please be aware that you may not be contacted immediately.
Groupon is an Equal Opportunity Employer
It mentions on the London advert that is £50k OTE, so one would imagine the one out your way to be a little lower? But basic is probably ok...?
Couple of things: Your CV needs to be up to scratch and represent the very best of your competencies (have it checked and re-done if necessary). Don't dismiss the work on the farm; that experience I am sure can be converted in to some really useful competencies on your CV. Once that's done, get your CV out to everyone and anyone where your interests lie. Be prepared to take time off for interviews and have funds to pay for travel. If interview techniques need polishing, seek advice. HTH. Good luck!
Regarding the CV I'd recommend getting into LinkedIn (if you've not done so already) and filling in a detailed profile there. Not only is it useful in its own right (all employers now do a quick Google search on candidates at some point and you want your LinkedIn to come top!), but it will also produce a great basis for a CV - much better to start with a PDF of your LinkedIn than a blank piece of paper!
My two CV hints (from looking at loads of candidates in my last few roles).
1. Keep it as brief - I had one which was 17 pages submitted for an ecommerce role. When I had to review 20 CVs after filtering, I just binned it. Every thing non-necessary you say detracts from the necessary and interesting parts of your CV
2. Although your past experience might not be directly relevant, what's important is what YOU did. Ie you achieved the highest sales rate, you added X to turnover, you delivered a project on time and budget, or you changed process Y to get Z gains. CVs that say "responsible for ABC" tell the employer nothing as anyone in that role would also have been responsible!
My two CV hints (from looking at loads of candidates in my last few roles).
1. Keep it as brief - I had one which was 17 pages submitted for an ecommerce role. When I had to review 20 CVs after filtering, I just binned it. Every thing non-necessary you say detracts from the necessary and interesting parts of your CV
2. Although your past experience might not be directly relevant, what's important is what YOU did. Ie you achieved the highest sales rate, you added X to turnover, you delivered a project on time and budget, or you changed process Y to get Z gains. CVs that say "responsible for ABC" tell the employer nothing as anyone in that role would also have been responsible!
Thankyou for the advice rog,
I am intending to do my c.v myself and then have it checked over and improved/made more sales focussed if necessary.
Luckily interviews shouldnt be too hard as I work 4 on 4 off,and due to the time I spend at work doing overtime I still have 11 days holiday left to take!
My manager has also said he will be very accomodating should I need an interview as he agrees I am wasted doing what I do.
I popped into one of the recruiters in town today and they were reasonably helpful/honest I think, but didnt seem massively interested as I didnt have a c.v with me to hand! just told me to bring one in asap and they would see what they could do, but mentioned it was very quiet at this time of year until april/may time.
I am intending to do my c.v myself and then have it checked over and improved/made more sales focussed if necessary.
Luckily interviews shouldnt be too hard as I work 4 on 4 off,and due to the time I spend at work doing overtime I still have 11 days holiday left to take!
My manager has also said he will be very accomodating should I need an interview as he agrees I am wasted doing what I do.
I popped into one of the recruiters in town today and they were reasonably helpful/honest I think, but didnt seem massively interested as I didnt have a c.v with me to hand! just told me to bring one in asap and they would see what they could do, but mentioned it was very quiet at this time of year until april/may time.
LinkedIn is most positive thing happening for me in my job search. Recently laid off from decent city job , I'm an accountant.
I posted a brief career history, and my last status update was along the lines of
" Christmas out of the way, looking for new opportunity for 2012, immediately available"
Market is slim pickings, but LinkedIn is generating interest. Without that, almost zilch!
My advice would be concentrate on your positives, say nothing about your perceived weaknesses,and put a positive spin on any thing you can! Eg Farming job ".... It was something I always wanted to do, the money wasn't important at the time"
Good luck mate
I posted a brief career history, and my last status update was along the lines of
" Christmas out of the way, looking for new opportunity for 2012, immediately available"
Market is slim pickings, but LinkedIn is generating interest. Without that, almost zilch!
My advice would be concentrate on your positives, say nothing about your perceived weaknesses,and put a positive spin on any thing you can! Eg Farming job ".... It was something I always wanted to do, the money wasn't important at the time"
Good luck mate
Thankyou for the advice and encouragement OA,ali and askgeez, all the advice and comments are very much appreciated.
I will be completing a linkedin profile over the weekend as I finally have two days off, and askgeez, it was a good job the money wasnt important as I didnt get any!! he is my father after all so I did it for love!
Once again thanks for taking the time to read my post and offering advice,any is welcome!
I can see joining pistonheads is a truly wise move, some lovely genuine people on here
I will be completing a linkedin profile over the weekend as I finally have two days off, and askgeez, it was a good job the money wasnt important as I didnt get any!! he is my father after all so I did it for love!
Once again thanks for taking the time to read my post and offering advice,any is welcome!
I can see joining pistonheads is a truly wise move, some lovely genuine people on here
Edited by Honestherbert on Friday 13th January 10:01
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