Sales - Case Studies

Calum Harkiss

Sergeant Calum Harkiss, 40, served for 24 years in the Infantry, specialising as a recruiter, before leaving the Army last year after operational service in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and the Middle East, and postings throughout the world. Qualifications and experience he now finds useful include ‘PRINCE 2 in project management, first aid at work, administration, and various NVQs in IT and management’.

An ‘extremely useful’ Career Transition Workshop led to courses in construction at Aldershot’s Resettlement Training Centre, and to him gaining the construction skills card. He also had a work placement in France.

However, Harkiss found employment as a sales executive with Arnold Clark Automobiles, and has now been there for eight months. The job involves ‘The sale of new, used and pre-registered cars, finance, insurance and warranty products regulated by the FSA, organising delivery, administration and workshop bookings for the cars, liaising with the customer to inform them of vehicle delivery and requirements sought by the finance company.’

He enjoys ‘interacting with the public and learning new skills’, but now finds that ‘teamwork plays a lesser part. The basic salary is low with the potential to earn a greater wage if targets are met. Some months are easier than others, although the current financial climate is having an effect on all civilian sectors, from banks to housing companies.’

Published August 08