Sales graduate schemes

Gain on-the-job training from experienced staff on a sales graduate scheme. Competition for places in fierce, so you'll need enthusiasm, keen business sense and confidence to stand out

Why should I do a sales graduate scheme?

'The benefit of a sales graduate scheme is that it allows you the opportunity to learn and grow through mentoring while being in real life situations and appreciating the on-the-job experience,' says Yasmin Gallifant, sales graduate at Nestlé UK and Ireland. 'Nestlé's scheme provided me with high level training, as an individual and as part of a wider team, which meant that when I was placed in a customer-facing role, I felt prepared and able to contribute.'

If you're unsure of your route, then a graduate scheme is a great way to gain exposure to different areas. 'I knew I enjoyed doing sales, but I wasn't certain on what specific role within sales,' says Chloe Voong, sales graduate at Nestlé UK and Ireland. 'Therefore, it was really important that I applied for a graduate scheme as I wanted to be exposed to a breadth of different roles, across the sales function. The rotational nature of the sales graduate scheme at Nestlé allowed that.'

Which companies run sales graduate schemes?

• Diageo - the commercial sales leadership graduate programme is a two-year scheme covering areas such as account management, customer marketing and innovation.
• Mondelez International - three-year rotational schemes are available in both sales and marketing and sales functions where you'll work with recognisable brands such as Belvita, Cadbury's and Maynards.
• Nestlé - based in either York or Gatwick you'll spend time on this two-year sales graduate scheme working with brands such as KitKat and Quality Street.
• NFU Mutal - based in the head office at Stratford-upon-Avon or in regional teams across the UK, graduates on the two-year insurance sales scheme will either work with local branches and customers or support overall business strategy and direction.
• Red Bull - a graduate sales scheme is run at the organisations London head office in Covent Garden.
• Virgin Media O2 - the two year sales graduate scheme will see you move across four rotations learning how to profile and tailor your approach to each customer.

What are the entry requirements on a sales graduate programme?

Qualifications aren't typically a priority when it comes to recruiting sales staff - with companies willing and able to train motivated and career-focused individuals (see sales training courses) - but holding a degree still demonstrates self-discipline and a serious approach to learning.

Large companies usually request that those applying for their graduate schemes have a 2:1 in any subject. While those companies operating in certain industries, such as pharmaceuticals or technology, may require a relevant subject to be studied at degree level so that you understand the market.

What do sales graduate schemes involve?

You'll likely be handed responsibility from the outset, engaging with a variety of sales and management projects - for instance, working on business plans, devising promotional sales strategies and managing customer

relations.

On the Sales Graduate Scheme at Nestlé you’ll complete four six-month rotations across sales planning, ecommerce, and field sales to give graduates a real breadth of experience. 'By the time our graduates have been on the scheme for 18-months, they will move into their first customer business manager role where we assign them to our experienced sales leaders to learn how to expertly manage our customers,' explains Sharon Falgate, senior ecommerce grocery leader and sales graduate champion at Nestlé UK and Ireland.

'The variation of the roles has really surprised me, along with the real commitment from Nestlé to immerse me in the day-to-day running of the business,' says Yasmin. 'We are actively encouraged to contribute and are given set tasks and goals to achieve during each rotation.'

From account management where you develop strong relationships with existing contacts to field sales where you are out there identifying opportunities and closing deals, you'll get to experience all that a sales role has to offer.

In order to sell the company and its products you need to know all about them, so you'll spend time on your sales graduate scheme learning about the brand and its customer, but also the market and what competitors are doing.

On many programmes graduates are assigned a buddy to help them settle in and mentors to help them develop as Sharon explains. 'Our graduates are connected to a high-profile mentor to support their career development and give them practical advice on how to build their professional network.'

At Virgin Media you'll spend time getting to grips with both small and medium business areas. You'll learn about their products and services, evaluate customer needs and drive their marketing activities.

How do I apply?

You'll generally apply online with your CV, so make sure it's tailored to the role and the company. Employers won't look upon generic CVs and cover letters favourably. Learn more about CVs and cover letters.

The application process may be broken down into stages and you could also face psychometric tests set by the recruiter. If successful you might move on to a video interview before facing an assessment centre. The final stage of the process is usually a face-to-face interview with the employer.

Some sales graduate programmes recruit all year round, while others have set application deadlines so check with organisations of interest to make sure you don’t miss out.

How much will I be paid on a sales graduate scheme?

On average, on a sales graduate scheme in the UK you can expect to earn an annual salary between £30,000 and £35,000. How much you are paid will vary between companies and often depends on location. For example:

• Nestlé pay £32,000 a year
• NFU Mutal offer £30,000 a year and an annual bonus of 10% of your salary. 
• Virgin Media pay a salary of £35,000 with a £2,000 welcome bonus and £5,000 commission if you hit your target.

Sales roles are usually a combination of a basic salary and commission or bonuses. How much commission you receive will differ between companies and can be capped (a limit is place on how much commission you can earn) or uncapped (there is no limit, and you will take a percentage of each sale you close no matter the amount). There are also some roles where you work on commission only, which means you only get paid if you sell a certain amount. It's therefore important to check how your salary will work before you accept the job.

As there is often a lot of travel involved in sales roles, you may also receive a company car or petrol allowance on your own car.

Will I be offered a job at the end?

If you successfully complete the full programme, most schemes lead to a full-time role with the company. After training you for two or three years the majority of organisations want to retain your talent within their business. However, this isn't always the case, so check whether you'll be offered a permanent position on completion of the scheme before you apply for graduate programmes.

How can I be successful on a graduate scheme?

Sharon offers this advice for anyone considering doing a sales graduate scheme:

• Be passionate about the brands.
• Be curious about how organisations work and how they build powerful relationships with customers to deliver market leading results.
• Aim to make a positive difference, to be a future force for good.

Chloe advises that you reach out to people who are already on the schemes you're interested in. 'It's useful to hear first-hand their candid experience with the role and culture.' She also recommends thinking about the sort of role you're interested in at the end of the scheme as 'it gets you thinking about what skills you want to develop or gain on the programme, and therefore, setting you up for your future role.'

Find out more

• Discover more about graduate schemes.
• Learn how to answer common sales interview questions.
• Take a look at the sales sector.