Reflective coursework – audio analysis

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I tried to embed this but somehow failed, so here is a direct link:

http://soundcloud.com/jocelynroseharris/201mc-reflective-coursework

Reflective coursework – daily diary

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So due to the numerous issues I faced actually acquiring the professional experience, I have only had a week of work. I contemplated applying for an extension, however I have definitely felt that even in the space of five days I had learnt a considerable amount and have more than enough to report. The following is an accumulation of the blog posts I intended to transcribe daily, however I found myself waking up at five in the morning and not getting home until eight in the evening – so had I tried my literature credibility would’ve probably suffered due to depletion. Anyway such irrelevance aside, please enjoy my daily summations – an audio reflective analysis of my experience as a whole will follow.

Day One

So as my previous blog entry states, my job was that of an Independent Sales Advisor. Essentially I would be taking part in the increasing sector of direct sales, interacting face-to-face with customers within event marketing for different clients (in this case the British Red Cross). As I sat in reception, I was handed an information sheet about the formerly named charity to read through. Following this, I was encouraged and eased into what they call an Opportunity Meeting. I was introduced to their Business Development Programme (including their ‘Mountain Climber’ training), which went through the stages of promotion and elaborated just how fast-moving this industry can be for the right people – with some progressing to managerial status within a matter of months. We went through the cash flow quadrant model in relation to the jobs the business has to offer as well as in regards to the economy. We were given a brief talk on sales followed by more information on Care2Give including their targets and expectations of us as a company. As I hoped, we then went through and conversed about sales techniques – however with this I feel there is a limit to how much I can disclose due to signing and therefore agreeing not to give ‘trade secrets’ out.

As I’m sure many businesses do, Marketing Endeavours believe very much in OTJ (on-the-job training). So after being in the office for only a couple of hours, I found myself travelling to one of the events set up in a shopping centre located in Canley with one other colleague. Obviously with a job of this nature, pay is performance-related as they work on commission. Now as with everything, there are advantages and disadvantages – but as everyone has to pay for their own travel, making the sales is critical. I put this to the back of my mind in order to at least lessen the pressure I felt I was putting on myself. Our event was that of a stand and two banners, small and compact as it is transportable. We got to the shopping centre at roughly 10:30am, and for most of the day my challenge was even just approaching people – I found it really difficult. I unsurprisingly made no sales whereas my colleague made a handful of successful applications. On the way home they encourage newer employees to perform a ‘breakdown’ of the day as shown below. This is definitely beneficial and my manager went through it with me when I got back to the office, which was a positive end to my first day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Two

The morning meeting put emphasis on expectations and the three key elements that if not enveloped failure is anticipated; high work ethic, student mentality and a positive attitude. We went through more techniques as well as thoroughly explaining to Law of Averages in regards to the gauge sheets we have to fill out throughout the day (recording how many people we stop and present to etc.). Today I travelled to Dudley to an event we had set up in a branch of WH Smiths. I soon realised the significant difference in the clientele leaving a shop as oppose to in a shopping centre when they’re ‘shopping’ – less people are inclined to stop. I feel this may have affected my mentality and therefore my attitude; making it likely to reduce my chance of sales. This was my breakdown:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Three

A lot of motivational talk is given in our morning meetings in order to get everyone empowered and positive for the day ahead. We were told about Hector Montalvo giving a speech at one of our collective and annual meetings in London, as well as quotes from numerous other iconic employees within the industry. Following this, each week the managers from different branches have a conference call that employees sit in on and listen to for progress information and tips etc. – the main emphasis being that ‘it is a conversation, NOT a pitch’. Today also saw the introduction of a new client – The Woodland Trust. This was to be the client of the ‘road trip’ to Wales commencing the week of the 7^th – where employees are able to meeting others in the field as well as experience a different location and different consumer base. We had a representative from the aforementioned charity come in and give a presentation which I found very insightful and as everyone was learning it for the first time it put me on the same level. The main fact I learnt was that only 12% of the UK is wooded compared to an average of 44% in other parts of Europe – I was astonished, I would never have expected it to be that low. Unfortunately I learnt all of this in vain as having this deadline to keep to and having to pay for travel and accommodation compelled me to decline – due to a lack of time and a lack of funds. However, we went on to do some fundraising induction training referring to Care2Give, including attrition rate and quality capturing. Following this, I had my second day marketing in WH Smiths in Dudley. It went better than the day before but I still felt like I wasn’t getting any better at what I was doing. My breakdown is below, after which me and my colleague discussed the Impulse Curve in a lot more detail to help me understand the selling process more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Four

Thursday morning’s meeting seemed even more important than any before as the manager held the first part. He went through the five steps to a conversation that we should be following, as well as supporting it with the acronym AIDA (Attention, Interest, Decision and Action). As stated before, these could be termed ‘trade secrets’ so I am not going into too much detail. From this, we listened and discussed the structure of talking in relation to the Impulse Curve which I found extremely interesting. Another managerial employee spoke to us about the three R’s (Read, Relate and Relax) while someone else explained how important it is to believe in the charity, in the system (LOA) and in yourself. I went out more positive than the previous days, travelling to a shopping centre in Smethwick. This definitely had more scope and I had heard of my colleague’s success the previous day with gaining six applications in one day! Apparently it isn’t as amazing to them, but I was certainly impressed.  My breakdown is as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Five

The first meeting was taken by the manager, explaining how we are not sales people we are consultants and using quotes made famous by Brian Tracey. We went through elements such as preparation, networking, accountability, AIDA, relationship and credibility. We briefly covered a bit more information on the British Red Cross and what they are currently helping with in order to make it more relevant (such as the typhoon in the Philippines). After my day out of the office back in Canley, I had a meeting with my manager and my colleague who had helped me for most of my days there about my progress. I will elaborate about this in my reflection; see below the breakdown of my final day.

Reflective coursework – interview process

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Nervously awaiting my interview with Marketing Endeavours, I tried desperately to remember all the research I had done on the company the night before and the ‘buzz words’ I had decided on to memorise. As I have found with most first interviews, they don’t seem to last that long – no more than forty minutes. I was asked many questions, including the one I STILL (and will probably always) fail to understand “do you have any work experience?”. Of course not! Why else am I here? This aside, the interviewer didn’t seem as bothered that I didn’t have any unlike most of the others I have conversed with. A lot of what he was discussing and asking was referring to customer service, so my experience working part-time for a supermarket finally came in useful.

Either way, it must’ve have gone well enough as they invited me (as well as a few others from the 40+ that applied) back for a second interview the following day. This involved a group interview with two other candidates as well as elaborating on the job specifications and expectations. The job is that of an Independent Sales Advisor, where a company (in this case British Red Cross) enlist Charity fundraisers Care2Give who then employ Marketing Endeavours to use their direct sales marketing approach to gain them customers (as charities call ‘donors’). We went through key reasons of why the use of direct sales as oppose to indirect sales are on the increase, the main being that it’s a measurable method. As well as this we went through the British Red Cross (what they do) the law of averages, job development and how we would be capable of moving up in the company at a relative pace. My job would be to help host event marketing by setting up official stands/banners/displays in public places such as shopping centres and to try and get new donors involved in giving to the British Red Cross. Initially I was worried as I have never done any sales before – but that was why I was doing it, for the experience. I have always wanted to be in the advertising industry (specifically pitching concepts) and in order to do this I would need to sell myself as well as the idea so this, in theory, is the perfect opportunity to see if I am up to the challenge – well that and if I need a new direction in my future career.

I was told at the end of the group interview that I and one of the two other candidates were successful and were required two days later for a training day. I couldn’t quite believe it, literally two days before I felt so negative and honestly didn’t think anyone wanted to employ me.

The training day was really beneficial; even though I was unsure whether this type of job is suited for me, they made it sound very appealing and put me at ease. We went through their business development programme and even discussed the cash-flow quadrant. It was really interesting, especially as other employees were there and it was a real ‘opportunity’ meeting I found myself in. It’s one thing learning about the inner workings of a business, but it’s very different actually being part of it – they go into so much detail about the elements of the job that I would’ve never thought to, well, think of. I learnt more about the charity and the best techniques to utilise in order to approach people in the right way (also my homework). So I start tomorrow and my nerves are at an all-time high – what if I’m awful at selling? What if the other three new employees are really good? What if I forget what I’m meant to say? Well, only one way to find out I guess…

Reflective coursework – “…but do you have work experience?”

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I have always worried as to whether I have the ‘right’ formula in place for an interview to end successfully for me. This worry became even more apparent when I found myself going through at least six in the past month or so that all in all resulted in several fruitless and quite frankly disheartening experiences. I felt discouraged and very negative towards the advertising and marketing industry, questioning if it was even the right avenue for me to be approaching. A lot of people I know were getting work experience or internships from exhausting their parents or uncle’s connections. I had attempted to find my own contacts but unfortunately my family are very much un-networked to the point of otiose. Despite seemingly resenting other people having all their connections, I told myself to keep trying and keep trying I did. I had applied for so many that when I (rarely) received responses; I had to double-check what sort of job I was being faced with.

I found myself emailing someone from a company called Cayenne Red, based in Reading. A digital marketing company who were happy to take me on for two weeks? I thought I had finally got my foot in the door, so to speak. It started later in the Easter holidays than I would’ve preferred, but I soon forgot about that when I remembered how hard it was to get even this opportunity. The woman I had been conversing with emailed me to say she had left the company but gave me the manager’s email and confirmed he would be able to answer my questions. He confirmed I had been pencilled in for the week commencing the 23^rd April, which put my mind at rest and got me even more excited about actually having work experience.

That Monday morning came and I was there on time and apprehensively enthusiastic, when the receptionist informed me the manager was in London. He had told the receptionist to tell me to ring him, so I did. I was quite confused by this point, not helped by him sounding like he had forgotten about my arrival. He began asking me questions, one of which I have struggled to understand throughout all of my interviews – “Do you have any work experience?” Surely they know the answer, otherwise why would I be there asking for it? Why would I want work experience if I already had some? Either way he continued with explaining they have a new client in London and asked if I could work in Notting Hill, to which I replied yes however was honest to the point of telling him I wouldn’t be able to afford the travel expenses (I was staying with a friend in Reading as it was). After this he became very distant, but told me to ring him later which I did. This led to him sending me an email to ‘look over’ a list of clients which he hadn’t even attached – I replied asking about it and about what I was going to be doing over the next two weeks to which I received no reply. So that was it. A waste of my time, a waste of my money (spent on train tickets to get there and a bus pass to get to the building) and a waste of my, well, excitement. I felt so deflated, I tried not to take it personally but I couldn’t help but wonder that maybe I was just not cut out for this business – and this was its way of telling me.

The very same day I was contacted by a company I had also applied for work experience with called Marketing Endeavours. They were asking for an interview, so the next day I found myself in Birmingham waiting to go into their office…