ABOUT

Tell us who you are!

Hamed Darvishian, 28 years old, Sales Manager for the UK & the Nordics at Mintel, a leading market intelligence agency.

So what do you actually do?

My role is all about supporting our clients and ensuring they get the most out of their subscription. I have a portfolio of clients of my own, and also manage a team of account managers who look after clients in the UK and Nordic region.

We support them with a variety of projects, both big and small, and ensure they are getting expert recommendations on their business areas.

What has your career path been?

Sales was never really on my radar.

When I graduated with a Physics degree in 2014, I was unsure of where I wanted to work. There were some great businesses out there but I couldn't come to a definitive decision as to where I wanted a career. As a result, I applied to Mintel to join their Inside Sales team as an Account Executive - the most junior sales role at the time. I knew Mintel worked with a range of clients, from Financial Services to Food and Drink, so I thought I could learn a bit more about the different sectors, then make a decision on where to move into.

Now, at this time I was applying for various roles and often resorted to doing my research on an organisation right before the interview - and this was no different with Mintel. Now I highly recommend that you do your research well in advance! But I am sharing this brief note as it's an important part of the story.

I then had my interview with the recruiting manager where, amongst other things, I was quizzed on my knowledge of Mintel - and I got a lot of important questions wrong. I could tell the recruiting manager was not impressed and was about to end the interview, but I made one last effort and asked if I could speak to the manager of the Inside Sales team. A “Hail Mary” of sorts to see if I can do anything to get to the next stage. This was when I was introduced to who would then be my manager. I spoke with him candidly, told him about all the interviews that I had been doing and how I was eager to learn.

Years later I learnt that the “Hail Mary”' of asking to speak to the manager when the interview was about to end was one of the key reasons they put me through to the next stage - it showed tenacity and at the time Matt and the team were impressed.

During that first role, I really began to enjoy sales - it was challenging and rewarding at the same time. I began to learn more about emotional intelligence and active listening, and understood the power of the word 'No' - the biggest thing I learnt was to be genuine and authentic. I was then seconded to a role in Account Management, soon thereafter got a permanent role in our Media and Agency world (where I met the founder of this page, Zakir!) and most recently, was promoted to a Sales Manager role which I'm currently in.

I began not knowing anything about sales, and have now worked with clients in the media sector, government sector, finance sector and food and drink sector. I applied to Mintel to learn about where to go next - little did I know I would be here almost 7 years later and loving it.

What is the best part of your job?

The best part about Sales at Mintel is the diversity - diversity of your colleagues and team members, diversity in the range of clients you work with and diversity in the projects you get involved in.

What inspired you to do your job?

Every day is different - sales is challenging, competitive, rewarding, collaborative and so much more. It is the epitome of "you get out what you put in".

In my role, I can be myself and be creative in the ways I work with my team, my colleagues and my clients. This allows me to differentiate myself, learn new skills, and ultimately support my clients who come to us each and every day with interesting questions.

This diversity, combined with the great platforms at Mintel, means that every conversation is different and I'm learning something new every day.

One piece of advice for someone starting in your role?

Sales is all about being yourself. Ultimately people buy from people, and if you are not being genuine and sincere, people will see right through it.

At the foundation of sales is trust. That means listening to people, empathising with them and working collaboratively to figure out the best solution.

Final words?

Sales is often seen as daunting and intimidating, but if you choose the right organisation to work for, it can be one of the most exciting and rewarding roles. You build genuine relationships with colleagues and clients, and it can set you up for success for any other role you go into.

Check out Hamed’s website in the link below;

https://www.darvishian.com/

DAY IN THE LIFE

Although no two days are the same (such a cliche but so true), I would say my routine is relatively set.

First off I wake up around 6:30 AM / 7:00 AM, and the first thing on the agenda is to give a couple of belly rubs to my cat, Victor. Then it's onto my dog Jacob - we go for a quick walk and I'm back at my desk by about 8 AM.

You can have so many different projects and conversations going on in sales so it's important to stay organised - so the first thing I do is load up my to-do list. This is a crucial step. To make sure I get everything done I review and prioritise - what needs to be done today, what can be done this week and what can be delegated. Then it's onto my calendar to see what's pencilled in for the day and finally, emails.

Then it's about checking in with the team to make sure they're all set and if they need support with anything. This could be anything from advice to me joining their call with a client. Then it's a mix of reading up on clients updates, speaking to them about how we can support them through our services and more.

It's common to be in back to back meetings so I make a conscious effort to take short breaks throughout the day, whether it be a quick 15-minute break or an hour lunch break.

The afternoon is typically following up on the action points agreed in meetings and generally catching up on administrative work. I'll also take a few hours in the week to focus on my personal development. As part of my goal to grow and develop, I enrolled in a management course offered by Mintel with Corndel. This course has been incredibly helpful and has opened my eyes to the theories behind management.

It's easy to get caught up and work late in the evening, but I make sure all my priority tasks are completed before 5:30 PM, and unless there is a pressing matter, I log off then. It's important to maintain a work/life balance as I need to be fresh and alert for the next day, and I can't be if I am constantly working. Pre-COVID19, I would often travel to see clients in the region and so this can extend the workday but brings variation to my role. I can’t wait to see our clients in person once it’s safe to do so.