Leaving behind years of experience and knowhow to move into a completely new line of work takes some bravery, but Great Annual Savings Group (GAS) Lead Generator Daniel Butler has made a career change stick.
“I came from the construction industry, so moving into energy and working in an office every day was a change of scenery. But, I’m settling in quickly.”
It turns out many of Daniel’s skills were transferrable. He has taken to his new role quickly, but has a warning for anyone expecting business energy to be a breeze.
“It has certainly taken some hard work and knuckling down to get up to speed. There’s a lot to learn in a very complex industry. The pitfalls, legislation and knowledge you need to navigate the industry are why businesses like GAS exist – most businesses don’t have it in-house.
“But, once I got my head around it, I could start applying my own skills to the job and have made a strong start in my first six months.
“I had some sales experience from working at EE and The Chronicle in sales and grants, but it still felt like a big jump coming into this role.
“The key has been figuring out what a customer actually needs. We have more services than just energy, so learning about a customer’s areas for improvement is essential first and foremost.”
Daniel would certainly encourage others to follow in his footsteps.
“You can bring something different to the role if you come from a different industry. I don’t think you have to have energy experience to be a success here. You’ll get the support and training you need on your induction and I’ve had plenty of guidance from my manager, Jack. But it’s the things I’ve learned elsewhere that I think are making the difference for me.”
“Different industries foster different skills and create different professionals. It’s never going to be easy for anyone, but with some hard work, tenacity and a willingness to learn it’s a rewarding line of work.”