Graduate Sales profiles

Alex Welbourne, TAM Renewals Manager
 
Background: 
 
1st Class hons - Business Management and HR
 
Joined the 2008 graduate scheme and completed 15 months of 24 month npower graduate scheme before being offered a permanent role within Residential Field Sales. This role involved managing a team of 15 covering a large area and was a great place to develop a career in Sales Management
 
I am now 11 months into a role as I&C Renewals Manager; essentially this involves managing a headcount of 11, made up of 7 Account Managers and 4 Analysts. We operate in the B2B space supplying a variety of business with power, gas and energy services solutions. This is a demanding role with very strict KPIs, but I have enjoyed the level of development on offer from both Senior Management and structured training programmes.
 
Why sales:
 
I've always been pretty ambitious, so I wanted to find a scheme that would accelerate my learning, whilst offering opportunities to progress within the company. For me, Sales is an area of the business where you can prove your value, something which is extremely important as organisations look to become increasingly lean.
 
A sales scheme offers you the opportunity to deliver; conversely it means you are in the spotlight early on, so you need to perform. The npower graduate scheme hits the ideal balance between support and giving you the freedom to explore your own leadership style.
 
Those who want to progress and are ambitious to deliver value should definitely look at joining a Sales Scheme. This will help to build skills that are ultimately transferable into a wide variety of other management roles.

Anna Slezak, 2011 Sales Graduate

Background: 
 
Modern Languages and Cultures (Durham)
 
Why sales:
 
Sales is a dynamic area in which you have a direct and measurable contribution to the business. On the graduate scheme you have the opportunity to work across different market segments; gaining experience in front line selling in a competitive industry and in sales development.
 
First placement:
 
In my first placement, as a Process Developer in Business Sales, I have been learning about and documenting the sales processes in the area. As a result of this assignment I have been involved in a number of projects focused on process optimisation, delivering change to processes in order to increase efficiency and to meet internal objectives. Some of the key activities I have been involved in are: facilitating workshops; collecting data; writing feasibility reports and presenting back solutions. 

Gwil Neal, 2011 Sales Graduate

Background:

BSc Geography - University of Birmingham

MSc Environmental Science - University College London

Why Sales:

I have always been a people person and wanted to work directly with customers and clients. I also enjoy the fast paced and competitive environment that a sales role often brings to a company. The sales graduate scheme allows you to develop skills and experience in selling a range of energy products and services across the business.

First placement:

I have undergone a range of projects in my first placement ranging from process assessment and development; to setting up and recruiting a new sales team. Both of which, have been aimed at improving our current Business Sales performance within our Industrial & Commercial Customer Markets. I have been given a large amount of responsibility from the get go which has really given me the chance to prove myself as a productive Graduate who has the potential to add real value to the business.