Cars to a car salesman are equivalent to properties for an estate agent - a commodity to acquire and sell as a means to keep a roof over their head and food in their belly.
In the last 40 years I've only met a handful of car salesmen who genuinely loved cars for the same reasons as, I would respectfully suggest, the majority of this forum's members.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
Oh dear, that's a very gloomy view of the world of work. I'd say lots of people get jobs in things that they're interested in and these people are often do very well: including car salesmen.
|
If you want to go into sales, why would you make a good salesman? Does it suit your personality.
I am University educated, but with a 2:2 looking to get into accounts. First off why acounts? Since I don't think I would want to do management with all the people stuff and politics.
In thinking about a job you have focused on car sales, but can you tell me why you don't want any other type of job. Reveal your weaknesses in yourself (in my case I don't want politics and insane subjective detail.), but then turn them into strengths ( I want to focus of facts and have a factual basis for my work.).
What draws you to cars?, or rather what is missing in other proffesions? If you like cars could you become a mechanic? If you do go onto uni why not study enginerring and then design exaust systems for cars (if you like the sound of cars - but there is much to dislike about being an enginer, for example everthing being distiled into sets of equations.)
Few people like work (it is rare for someone to feel depressed on friday afternoon at 5pm for example.). I would go as far to say Work = bordom. However I think people get into their carrers since it suits their personality. I want a job in accounting since after I have passed the ACCA hopefully I will have a simple job without polititcs, but earning a lot. In the same way someone who likes food is not cut out to be a chef. I do not know yet weather I am really cut out to become an accountant. It makes sense that the higher you go in accountantcy the more politics there is. A good example of this is how earnings were manipulated in GE under Jack Walsh (a ledgendary manager) to smooth them, or the title of the Inland Revenues recuitment website - 'The art of numbers'- Why call a website such a daft name a few years after the Enron fiasco?
If you like the sound and feel of cars and are good at writing, why not become a road tester. Looking on the 'pistonheads' forum it strikes me that most people are complete petrol heads, but most fund their hobby by taking high paying jobs in the legal/financial sector.
As has has been already touched on by another poster, if you have the right personality for sales, then go with your original idea. I like cars, but I don't think I would like to work in the motoring industry.
What A-Levels do you have, and what work experiance? If phyisics and maths, an engernering course at uni is a good bet - but only if you like equations of modeling. If you have ever had a shop job, working behind a till, I would imagine that you had got an taste of customer service and sales? If you liked your shop job or a job in telesales and think it would be even better with greater independence a job in car sales is not a bad idea.
-----------------------------------------------
Torque means nothing without RPM
|
|
If it floats your boat - do it. In ten years time you will probably regret it if you never tried, who knows you might love it. Now is the time to experiment with life not in the midst of a mid-life crisis.
|
With reference to m1sstiw's comments above, I would expand it and say that in my experience, a lot of car salesmen or "vehicle retail executives" as they often style themselves, especially in the upmarket dealerships are somewhat "old school". If that isn't you, then don;t do it, cos you won't enjoy it.
If you're not the sort of bloke who shaves as close an Army officer and enjoys ironing his socks, you may find it all a bit much.
I was quite amused the other day when, as part of my job, I had to deliver a car to a (very) upmarket dealership. Seeing as i) I don't work there ii) I was delivering a car to a workshop, not schmoozing some customer in a restaurant, I wore a suit (Boss, no less) with a very nice white shirt, but no tie, and I (crime of crimes) DIDN'T SHAVE. Now, after dropping the car in the workshop, I popped my head into the showroom just to say hi and was greeted by one of the "executives" with "Ah nice to see you've made an effort.. nice tie, have you fallen out with your razor". Haw haw haw. I pointed out that in this month's Esquire the casual suit look was very prevalent and I didn't see any pinstripes or silk ties in pockets... but it all fell on deaf ears.
At 18, I would imagine (and frankly I weep if you're not) you're a bit more indie kid than Cavalry twill.....
|
|
|
|
I would like to expand on mk124's post a little - particularly with reference to engineers.
Engineer is rather a blunt instrument when it comes to describing what people do. If we can ignore the misnomers when people who mend washing machines describe themselves as engineers, there is still a broad spectrum. Some examples might help;
Design engineer - these engineers take concepts and ideas, and turn them into CAD models of the parts involved. Most do this using their experience and knowledge of other similar parts. Most often, they don't do much analysis, and spend quite a bit of time digging through catalogues to pick out standard parts like bearings and fasteners.
Development engineer - these engineers devise, conduct, and document testing work that is done to validate the prototypes prepared by the design engineer. Their time is taken in picking standard test rig items from catalogues, getting brackets and fixtures made, and in performing the tests and writing the test specs, procedures and reports.
Manufacturing engineer - these engineers plan work flow through the machine shop. They use catalogues to find machines and cutting tools and fluids. They procure fixturing, and materials.
All of the above don't tend to trouble themselves too much with theory and equations. "Catalogue" engineering!
Stress engineer - these engineers take the designs, and perform classical analysis, and typically computer based finite element analysis on parts and assemblies to demonstrate their ability to withstand the applied loading. They may also carry out fatigue, crack growth, and fracture analysis.
Reliability engineer - these grey and wise types compile reliability calcs for assemblies bases on published and test derived data for the components that make up the assembly. There are lots of subtle issues here, especially when you have dual load paths, or systems with other kinds of redundancy. A good head for statistics is required. In some cases, there is some cross over to a stress engineer, when considering methods like probabalistic fracture mechanics, for example.
Systems engineer - these engineers have responsibility for the component or assembly in its entirety - they are involved in liaising with the client or end user to ensure that he loadings and application are sufficiently understood - they are responsible for making sure that the design fulfils the client's requirements in the broadest sense. Typically, systems engineers will perform or evaluate calculations concerning most aspects of a products response, from performance, stress, to reliability and cost. Having this broad responsibility means that systems engineers become involved in component failure investigations, cost down initiatives, and leading re-design activities to reduce mass or improve performance.
I've missed out lots of other flavours of engineer, and I've painted perhaps an aerospace and mechanical biased picture. The point is that not all engineers spend their time doing calculations. I have deliberately avoided talking too much about engineering management - largely because it varies in organisation so much between different places (but not, alas, in its quality!)
Number_Cruncher
|
Development engineer - these engineers devise, conduct, and document testing work that is done to validate the prototypes prepared by the design engineer. Their time is taken in picking standard test rig items from catalogues, getting brackets and fixtures made, and in performing the tests and writing the test specs, procedures and reports.
............. and, most importantly, recommending modifications required to achieve the desired performance and durability.
--
L\'escargot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Said StuartliIn the last 40 years I've only met a handful of car salesmen who genuinely loved cars for the same reasons as, I would respectfully suggest, the majority of this forum's members.
Would tend to agree though I had a childhood friend I last saw aged 11 who had an almost unhealthy interest in cars. Spent every waking hour sitting in the driver's seat of his dad's car or was polishing it - though never seemed interested in the oily bits. Bumped into him years later when he told me he was the owner of a car dealership in Ealing.
|
|
PS. Most car-salesmen, like so-called Independent Financial Advisors and estate agents, seems to be ex-double-glazing salesmen.
|
One of my friends owned a used car showroom for many years, but eventually gave it up to run the business from home.
His knowledge of cars both current and earlier is remarkable and he is especially fond of the many US and Continental luxury models built in the early decades of the 20th century.
He regularly lends me wonderfully illustrated books about models from 49, 50 or more years ago, along with car magazines and other literature he brings back from regular trips abroad.
It takes very little to get him enthusing about a wide range of car marques and our conversations often last several hours.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
|
ive often thought that when i retire, or lose my job .. id like to work in a dealer just driving and cleaning all the cars!!!
i love cars and love "tinkering" and just general valeting!!!
weird i know, but id clean anyones car!!
--
sometimes a little bit too much opinion....but its only because i care !!!
|
|
Where do you live storme ? (!)
|
Blue should be thwe best source of information about working in a car showroom. He spent some time working as a car salesman, either before university or whilst he was studying.
Where are you Blue?
|
You rang? :-)
Jdelmo - I worked in a variety of dealerships and have to say that there are some definite good an bad points to it.
The first thing that I think I should clarify is whether you are talking about sales or not, as I think you will struggle to find any dealership who will take somebody on for a month, it isn't really enough time to get established and get many deals handed-over.
If you are talking about doing pitch work such as washing and moving cars then you might have some luck although there tends to be a bit less turnover in this area than there is in sales where you can virtually walk into a job if you try.
I got my first sales job at Honda by simply walking in with a CV and asking if there were any vacancies and whether I could have an interview, I was hired within a day or two. I really enjoyed some aspects of the work, and being "into" cars (I wouldn't post here if I wasn't) I found dealing with all of the different models quite interesting, trying to memorise their different specs was challenging but I liked it! I enjoyed the thrill of trying to get the deal closed, and the feeling when walking back into the office with a signature and a debit card was wonderful.
Unfortunately I had a manager at Honda who persuaded me that I would be far better off going to work for a major UK dealer, he picked up on the negatives of the job at Honda (mainly that as a "trainee" I got stiffed over with no company car and a lower salary) and waxed lyrical about how good this other big place was and how he was going to work there. So, like an idiot, I made the switch.
I regretted it almost straight away, this large chain have aggressive sales tactics, I didn't like the way that they worked and on one occasion I found myself handing over a clocked car (we didn't clock it, but we did sel it back on knowing it was iffy) that was in very poor condition to an unsuspecting customer.
After three weeks of this I left and went to work for a local Ford dealership (well, i've always loved my Fords and I was too ashamed to go back to honda) I sort of sputtered along in this role for nearly a year, going on all of the Ford training courses etc. True Blue is the best course by the way, I did competitor comparison when the Focus was launched, this is how I know the new Astra to have below par handling, it was the only car that I crashed off the track and into a hedge, none of the other cars struggled with an emergency lane change manouvere! :-O
Anyway, in the end I left that job and decided to go back to uni and graduate as I was sick of having personality clashes in the dealership, one of the managers disliked me for being gay (the rest were ok about it though so I pretty much ignored him) and I had a few other assorted problems with some of the sales team that just slowly sapped any pleasure out of going to work, I also found that at my particular dealership I just wasn't making any serious money which was another big factor in my decision to leave.
Now, I'm working as a manager in a major call centre and love my job, I almost enjoy going in to work every day and I'm still battling on with a full-time degree although I'm finding that more and more difficult (i'm determined to stick it out though)
So to sum up, if it's sales that you're looking at, there are many fun parts but if you get a bad dealership there are can be many negatives (and I haven't even mentioned the customers who can be a PITA), I also don't think you will get a job for a month! If it's anything else that you are looking at, you'd find it easier to get a job helping out at a local valeting company or something and would probably be better paid, the ones in the dealership got next to nothing for their efforts.
If there's any specifics that you'd like to know about the job please ask.
Blue
|
That's a good post Blue!
>>True Blue is the best course by the way, I did competitor comparison when the Focus was launched, this is how I know the new Astra to have below par handling, it was the only car that I crashed off the track and into a hedge, none of the other cars struggled with an emergency lane change manouvere!
Oddly, when introducing the new shape Vectra, Vauxhall ran a similar demonstration at Millbrook during a training course for dealer staff, showing its best attributes when compared to the competition - it's just a question of how you specify the test.
When I was at uni, because I came back to education after working for a few years, I did two things to help me raise cash. I got my HGV licence, and worked in my spare time for a driving agency - in the early days, there was some transit van work, which the OP might be able to do. I also worked machines for an engineering shop making aerospace parts.
Blue is right about being able to be taken on by a dealership quickly, and if you want to work washing and preparing cars, then I would advise the OP to go around the dealers and talk to them, rather than ringing and being more formal about it. I got my job as a Vauxhall mechanic (many years ago) simply by walking in and asking for it - at the time, I had no qualifications other than my 'o' levels - I was lucky in my timing, one of their mechanics had just handed his notice in!
Number_Cruncher
|
Number Cruncher - I think you could be right about the best attributes thing, to be honest, I would say that the Focus wasn't head and shoulders above the rest of the competition during our tests, better yes, but outstanding, no. The only car that truly stood out from the group of five cars that we drove, for me, was the Astra, sadly it stood out for the wrong reasons. It struck me as a nice car to drive in day to day driving, but if you find yourself in a bad situation, it'll be the first of the group to let you down!
I have to say that being able to crash a brand spanking new car and get out and have a laugh about it upon return to the start of the course was an excellent feeling, it's the only own-fault crash i've ever had where I haven't had to worry about insurers or paying any bills.
Incidentally, the car would have been returned to the rental company after we polished the scratches out. :-)
The other course we went on that I found great fun was taking an old, old Fiesta XR2 out on a dirt track, it was one of the best condition E reg cars I've ever seen and what fun it was to drive.
Blue
|
"almost enjoy going in to work every day"
Steady, I say Steady on.....!
Seriously I love this when staff are heard saying this (sometimes but not often) makes it all worthwile really.
|
I´d pay to do my job.
Don´t tell the boss though, contract´s up soon.
|
...What do you do?....
Don´t laugh - opera singer.
|
|
|
|
