A Day in the Life of a Graduate Sales Executive

The below is a short questionnaire completed by one of our candidates placed in a Business Intelligence Sales role in a leading financial publishing house.

What is your official job title?
Sales Executive

What did you study at University?
Politics and Economic and Social History

What is a general work day like in your job ?
Each day I arrive at about 8.45am and quickly run through the people I will be contacting that day and read up on the customers I will be calling.  I’m on the phone from 9.00am until 1.00pm, break for lunch then, back on the phone.  This is broken up by other tasks (keeping on top of any admin that needs attention, responding to e-mail requests, resolving issues raised by customers).  The structure of the day is loosely determined by where I am phoning; so lots of calls to Asia means a busy morning, while plenty of contacts in the U.S. mean I’ll probably have to stay a little later. 

On a Friday most people head out for a drink after work and occasionally there will be mid-week networking opportunities after work.

What is the best thing about your job?
The people I work with are fantastic and the incentives offered e.g. competitions, cash or gift rewards and team incentives help keep everyone on their toes.

What was the hardest thing to adjust to when starting working?
Starting a new job, especially when it is your first proper role after finishing university is tough! Settling in to a new routine, and getting used to working in an office environment is a great experience but very hard work.  I have been in my role for about 3 months now, and am beginning to feel settled, however, I still find it challenging sometimes to be confident on the phone when talking to people who have been in the industry for years.

What would you say are the top 3 traits that will make someone a great candidate for this role?
1)Confidence 
2)Organisation
3)Perseverance
And if I could add a fourth and to be totally honest: sales experience, it isn’t really a trait but I think it would definitely give any candidate a head start.

What advice would you give to others looking to start their career as a Graduate Sales Executive?
Prepare for the interview: learning about the role before the interview will encourage you to think about the role, which will lead to you asking informed, intelligent questions in the interview and prepare you for the job itself.