William joined Gungho in the UK as a Business Discovery Agent in June 2022 and just seven months later, was promoted to Team Leader. Having come from a career in the Navy after studying Sports Science at university, we were interested to find out what it’s like to join Gungho with no previous experience
How was the transition from the Navy to a completely different work environment?
It is a big change but it’s nice – I get to go home every night! I bought a house 2 years ago and I never got to live in it, I was away all the time with the Navy, which was great, but I only lived at home 3 months of the year. Whereas working for Gungho, I feel like I have a bit of normality and control back in my life. Also, with Gungho operating a 4-day week, I’m able to play rugby, ride horses and do all the wonderful things you can do in the Dorset countryside!
In my interview for Gungho, I was asked how I was going to find sitting down for the majority of the day in an office job and I think that was a concern. My response was that I would love it as it was exactly what I was looking for. In this job, I still get to be around people which is something I didn’t want to lose from my time in the Navy. 150+ people are working for Gungho now and there is such a team spirit and comradery which creates a great atmosphere.
What was the interview process like?
Everyone was so lovely, we are lucky because everyone here is so nice. I had two interviews, one on the phone and then I had the chance to come into the office and sit with existing team members and get a really good grasp on what it is actually like to work here. They sat me with someone quite new to the company, which was great because I got honest answers to the questions I had. They told me about the opportunities for career progression and gave me an insight into what the first few months of working for Gungho are like.
What was your training like when you joined as you didn’t have any previous experience working with the B2B technology space, or telemarketing?
The Learning & Development training plan was excellent. I had support from my Team Leader and Operations Manager as well as call coaching sessions and two months of training from the L&D team in a classroom environment. Gungho is growing rapidly so there were 3 or 4 of us in my starter group. We were all in it together as new starters, but you never feel like a new starter for long.
You have gone from Business Discovery Agent to Team Leader quite quickly, what is the key to success?
If you are interested in career progression there is so much help and guidance and the key is using it! Everyone is willing to help you, so take on board the advice and teachings that are available to you, add them to your toolkit and remember to ask for help. Everyone will help you get to where you want to be.
How did you find the targets and how achievable are they?
I did find them daunting at first but kept in mind that 90% of people who join don’t have a huge amount of experience working in this field because we are so niche. I put trust in my managers, and ultimately, I understood that although I wanted to be great straight away, it would take time. Gungho are there to support you to get up to speed as quickly as possible but also at your own pace. By 6-7 weeks in, you’re pretty comfortable and confident and all of a sudden, the targets aren’t daunting anymore. Once you’re in the swing of it, it is completely achievable.
How would you say the support has been as you’ve progressed to Team Leader?
For the most part, the managers here have gone up through the ranks and started on the phones as a Business Discovery Agent, so you are never really talking to anyone who hasn’t already been in your position. They have done it and can give you hands-on advice. They are speaking from experience which has been really valuable.
What would you say to someone thinking about joining Gungho?
Definitely try! Give it a go. I think sometimes, when you first read a job description about the role, your first thought is that it’s a call centre like you see on television, but it isn’t like that at all. It also isn’t too far the other way where you need to have a specialist degree, it is a middle ground.
If you are on the fence about whether you think you are a good fit, just come along for an interview. The role of a Business Discovery Agent is quite hard to describe and understand fully from reading a job description, so come along and find out what it’s all about. Once you have done that, then you can make a judgment as to whether you think it is the job for you.
