Insights

18th December 2024

This is Prime 2024 Recap

As we close out 2024, we’re excited to reflect on a remarkable year here at This Is Prime. From new achievements to placing even more graduates and sales professionals in their dream roles, this year has been a testament to…

4th December 2024

How to Ace Your Job Interview: Recruitment Tips for Experienced Sales Professionals

It’s a new year, and with it comes the desire for ‘fresh starts’ and ‘new beginnings. With that said, you might be taking this time to look at new professional opportunities to progress your career. Here at Prime, we’ve helped…

3rd December 2024

What Makes an Exceptional Sales Leader?

Leadership can make or break a team’s success – regardless of how hard the team works. So, while leadership is the aspiration for many salespeople, only a select few are cut out for it. Over our time working with –…

6th November 2024

How We Screen Candidates for Potential, Not Just Experience

A vital part of graduate recruitment in sales, where formal education opportunities are few, is screening for potential. So, our screening process at Prime focuses on skills like coachability and resilience rather than a traditional sales experience. Although they don’t…

6th November 2024

Rejection Handling in the Sales Industry

One of the biggest challenges new salespeople – and those new to the corporate world in general – face is handling rejection. Whether it’s on the other end of a cold call or in a meeting, there will always be…

16th October 2024

Time Management Tips for Salespeople

As a salesperson, time is your most valuable resource. So, being able to manage it and use it effectively is super important. For some it comes naturally, but for a lot of new salespeople it takes time to master. So,…

how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-cold-calling

10th October 2024

How do you Overcome the Fear of Cold Calling?

For new salespeople, cold calling is by far the most daunting part of the job. Calling up complete strangers during their work hours to tell them why they should part with their hard earned cash? Sounds terrifying, doesn’t it? Well,…

6th September 2024

The Importance of Soft Skills in the Sales Industry

When considering sales as a career, you might be worried about the technical knowledge you’ll need. But at entry-level, soft skills can often overpower their more specific counterparts. So, in this blog, we will discuss which soft skills employers look…

20th August 2024

How to Utilise LinkedIn at the Start of Your Career

At the beginning of your career journey, it’s important to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. One of these is optimising your social media presence. When you think of social media and job searching, you might think…

31st July 2024

Navigating the Graduate Sales Job Market

Entering the job market as a graduate can be exhilarating with all its opportunities and challenges. But, without the right preparation, approach and attitude, new jobseekers can end up feeling overwhelmed. As a graduate recruitment agency, we have seen many…

23rd July 2024

How to Transition from University to Professional Life

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a new graduate looking to start your career. Congratulations! All of your hard work has paid off. But, now the ready tricky part begins. The transition from university to the start of your career…

19th June 2024

Six Things Our Graduates Have Learned Since University

The Struggle of Applying for Grad Jobs As new graduates, the job hunt process can be draining. Filtering through countless job ads, tailoring CVs and cover letters, and navigating countless interviews can feel like a full-time job. And rejection is…

5th June 2024

Seven Tips for New Sales Reps to Succeed During Onboarding

Starting a new sales job is so exciting! But it can be incredibly challenging. You’re trying to absorb so much new information about the company, products, and sales process, not to mention building up your pipeline from scratch. Taking on…

3rd June 2024

Training for an Effective Sales Force in 2024

The sales landscape is constantly evolving, and the role of a sales manager transforms along with it. We must ask ourselves if sales managers prepared to lead their teams through the challenges and opportunities? Let’s explore some critical areas where…

26th April 2024

The Evolution of Recruitment Agencies: Navigating the Changing Landscape

The world of recruitment has undergone a significant transformation over the last few years, and Recruitment Agencies have been at the forefront of this evolution. As the business landscape continues to shift, these agencies have had to adapt to meet…

23rd April 2024

A Guide For Graduates: Navigate and Succeed in The 2024 Job Market

Brace yourself! The job landscape for UK graduates looks dramatically different than it did just 12 months ago. A potential economic slowdown has slowed hiring in sectors like finance, retail, and hospitality. However, it’s not all doom and gloom! Industries…

12th March 2024

Removing Barriers to Success: A New Sales Culture for Women

The Current Gender Imbalance in Sales Statistics clearly show men currently occupy about 65% of sales roles compared to only 35% for women. (1) And men tend to reach higher levels of leadership and management faster. This needs to change. What could…

22nd February 2024

The Growing Challenge of Recruiting Top Talent

The challenges of talent recruitment in today’s competitive environment are well documented. With declining labour supplies, an ageing workforce, and rapid technological changes disrupting required skills, companies across all industries engage in an intense “war for talent.” This phenomenon makes…

9th February 2024

Setting Goals and Objectives for a Successful Career in Sales

Setting ambitious yet achievable goals and objectives is one of the most impactful things a salesperson can do to achieve consistent, long-term success. While revenue goals may seem the most tangible and results-driven, focusing only on final dollar figures neglects…

30th January 2024

Why is my sales team leaving? Understanding turnover and building a successful long-term sales team

Too often, sales managers find themselves back at square one, re-recruiting and retraining replacements for the sales reps who have moved on. However, developing a strategic retention plan does not need to be reactive – it can be proactively implemented…

9th January 2024

How to Recruit Great Sales Reps

Finding and Hiring Elite Revenue Drivers As a Sales Director, one of your most important responsibilities is building a consistently successful sales team. Having the right people in place can make or break. But recruiting to accomplish that task is…

5th January 2024

Guide to Securing a Graduate Job in 2024

Navigating the Unique Landscape: A Comprehensive Guide to Securing a Graduate Job in 2024 Securing a graduate job in 2024 presents unique challenges and opportunities compared to previous years. This guide will provide a step-by-step approach, taking into account the…

18th December 2023

Q1 is a Make-Or-Break for Sales Directors

The New Year is almost here, and that means one thing: Q1 is coming in hot! The next few months will set the stage for 2024. Here’s the deal: nail your Q1 plans, and you’ll pop bottles all year. Mess…

6th December 2023

We Wish You a Merry Sales Team: Christmas Eats for Sales Positions

Tis the season to be jolly! Have you ever wondered what Christmas food best represents different sales positions? It’s a tricky question, right? Trying to associate each food with the right role can take ages! Don’t stress, we got the…

9th November 2023

Onboarding New Sales Hires: The Vital Role of Sales Training

Bringing new salespeople onboard is an exciting time for any business. There is fresh energy, new perspectives, and enthusiasm to drive growth. However, more than simply hiring sales talent is required. A strategic sales training program is essential during onboarding…

3rd November 2023

Welcome To The Prime Sales Academy

We’ve launched the new Prime Sales Academy! A World-Class sales training experience that continues to guide aspiring SDRs to reach their full potential! As the ISM BESMA award-winning sales training provider, we welcome you to the Prime Sales Academy. The…

11th October 2023

Bridging the Gap: Recruiters and Marketers Collaborating for Success

In the fast-paced business world, recruiters and marketers are on opposite sides of the field, each playing their own game. Recruiters pursue the perfect candidate, while marketers are busy spreading the word about products and services. But the two are…

5th October 2023

Prime Reaches 9 Years of Changing Perceptions and Kickstarting Careers

This month marks an exciting milestone for This Is Prime as we celebrate our 9th anniversary! It’s been an incredible journey since founders Neil and Nicole launched the company in 2014. We started small, renting an office space in the…

27th September 2023

Candidate Care: The Key To Recruitment Success

Off the back of Winning The Best Online Candidate Experience at the prestigious OnRec Awards last month, we thought it was a good idea to talk about the immense power of Candidate Care and why it’s so vitally important to…

27th September 2023

This Is Prime Wins The OnRec Best Online Candidate Experience Award!

We are thrilled to share that This Is Prime has received a major honour for our work in recruitment. The 2023 OnRec Award names us as the leader in delivering the Best Online Candidate Experience. At This Is Prime, every…

14th September 2023

The Power of Graduates in Sales: Why Companies Should Hire Them

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, companies with a driving sales force constantly seek to stay ahead of the competition and drive growth. One valuable resource that businesses often overlook is the pool of recent graduates. There are so many…

5th September 2023

Why Cold Calling Doesn’t Work

For years, there’s been the debate that cold calling is dead. Sales Practitioners argue on a daily basis that it works/doesn’t work/only works in certain situations etc etc. Many get distracted from the point that cold calling’s outcome is to…

15th August 2023

Leveraging the Power of AI: A Guide for Graduates on Securing Jobs and Building Careers

*(This entire blog was written by AI)* The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various industries, and job hunting is no exception. AI has become a valuable tool in a graduate’s job-seeking arsenal, from writing compelling cover letters to…

25th July 2023

Other Side Of The Fence

At the end of last year, my job title changed to “Sales Director”. Firstly, it seems like that job title change is a dream trigger to get entered into automated cadences! On a more serious note, it’s been very interesting…

13th July 2023

Types of Training & Development New Sales Graduates Should Prioritise

Embarking on a new sales career from university can be exciting and daunting. While a solid academic foundation provides theoretical knowledge, practical skills and on-the-job training are crucial for success in the competitive sales industry. Training and development programs tailored…

6th July 2023

Why KPIs Might Be Outdated

For decades, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been used to assess the performance of salespeople worldwide. However, these KPIs are often seen as daily targets and tools to criticise underperformers, which leads to decreased motivation, lower performance, and the need for…

5th July 2023

Nailing Sales: The Perfect Mindset

Let’s talk about the secret sauce to crushing it in sales. Skills and strategies matter, but what sets superstars apart is having the right mindset. Key ingredients for developing a successful sales mindset are important, and it’s not just about…

15th June 2023

Unlocking Success Beyond The Numbers

Stepping into the real world and embarking on your professional journey can be daunting, and as you navigate various career options, it’s crucial to consider specific roles within a job that you don’t think about initially. One such area is…

7th June 2023

Take Control and Thrive! : Stress In The Workplace

Stress can totally get the best of us. It’s crucial to understand the importance of managing stress at work. So, let’s dive in and explore why stress happens, how it messes with your work, and most importantly, how you can…

22nd May 2023

How To Become Financially Stable After University

Entering the professional world after completing university can be an exciting yet challenging time for graduates. Alongside building a fulfilling career, laying the groundwork for long-term financial success is essential. In this blog post, we will explore actionable steps graduates…

16th May 2023

The Importance of Training & Development within Sales: Building a Strong Foundation for Long-Term Success

In the competitive landscape of sales, the importance of training and development cannot be overstated. Effective training programs provide sales professionals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and tools to excel in their roles while ongoing development opportunities empower them to…

13th April 2023

Available Graduate Jobs in 2023

Software Developer – A software developer designs, develops, tests and maintains software systems. Requirements: A degree in computer science or related field, programming skills, and familiarity with programming languages such as Python, Java or C++. Salary: £20,000-£50,000 per annum. Graduate…

12th April 2023

Seven Steps To Become A Great Sales Leader

Stay Ahead Of The Game According to the old Chinese proverb, you should dig a well before you get thirsty! Nowhere is this more true than in sales. Imagine this scenario – your sales team is well-settled and delivering good…

28th March 2023

Are Your Sales Managers Ready To Coach?

“There’s an old saying,’ those who can’t do, teach!’” “But what if the reverse is true ‘those who can do can’t teach!’” This is an inherent problem that I see in so many sales businesses. It’s natural that when it…

20th March 2023

Top Ten Tips To Help You Secure An Interview

The key to creating an impressive job application does not lie in the initial words you enter into an online form. Instead, it stems from proper preparation, which starts with you. Are you aware of your career aspirations and the…

7th March 2023

10 Skills Or Attributes Sales Leaders Are Looking For In A Graduate

A majority of companies across the UK commonly spend between £10,000-£15,000 hiring a single individual within sales. This is why Sales Leaders or Hiring Managers must employ the right people and develop them into long-term successes. So how do they…

20th February 2023

5 Steps To Secure A Graduate Sales Job

Getting a graduate sales job can be challenging, but it can be a highly rewarding career path with the right preparation and mindset. In this blog, we’ll explore the steps you need to take to get a graduate sales job…

14th February 2023

What Is A Sales Recruitment Agency and Why Are They So Useful?

A sales recruitment agency’s primary goal is to help companies find and hire the best sales talent. To achieve this, they work closely with companies to understand their specific sales needs and goals and then go out and source, screen,…

9th February 2023

Why Should Graduates Build A LinkedIn Profile?

Graduates, are you ready to kick-start your career? Then you need to set up your LinkedIn profile! Graduates with a LinkedIn Profile are 20% more likely to receive a phone call from a recruiter about a possible role. In today’s…

28th September 2022

Are Startups A Great Place for a Graduate?

Once a student graduates from University, they only have one question in mind… “What’s next?” Some will look for graduate schemes, some will get a part-time job while searching for the “right” role, but one that many graduates never think…

22nd September 2022

The Return of The Changing the Perception of Sales Podcast Series

The return of The Changing the Perception of Podcast Series has finally arrived! Last year, we spoke to the real people in sales, on the ground, talking about their journey, the things they’ve learnt and how to become successful in…

24th August 2022

6 Things You Need To Know Before You Start Your Sales Career

No one is ever a born salesperson. Like any skill in life, it takes practice. Think of any successful professional athlete. Was it all natural talent? No, it took time, determination and practice to refine their skills to become the…

22nd August 2022

How to Leverage Social Media to Enhance Your Job Search and Land Your Dream Job

Social media platforms have become integral to connecting with everyone around the world. But for a long time, it was only used for personal and leisurely use. But Social Media has evolved into so much more. Employers now use these…

21st July 2022

Avoid These 5 Mistakes In An Interview

Lack of preparation It’s the classic line. “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” Preparation is critical in all types of interviews, entry or senior. It’s important to research the necessary areas the interviewer is looking for. This could include…

15th July 2022

North Wests Most Exciting Companies

Since being crowned 2019 ISM BESMA Award-Winning Sales Training Provider of the Year, Prime has continued to provide world-class service, finding hundreds of roles for talented graduates and training over 9000 on the skills needed to be successful. The hard…

28th June 2022

Sales Recruitment, What is it and how do you become successful?

Sales recruitment, specifically the Sales Recruiters, assist businesses in searching for skilled individuals to join the sales department within their organisation. To accomplish this, recruiters tend to schedule several conversations with the company to understand precisely what they’re looking for…

20th June 2022

What Is A Graduate Job And What To Expect?

What is a graduate job? Graduate jobs is a permanent role after university and are found in almost all industries and employment sectors. Companies tend to hire graduates because of their motivation to build a successful career and become financially…

26th May 2022

Five Attributes You Need To Get A Job In Sales

“What are they looking for, who are they looking for, is there something specific they are searching for?” These are the types of questions every graduate thinks about before an interview. So what is it they’re trying to find out…

19th May 2022

How To Be Successful In Tech Sales

Whether you’re just starting your career into sales or a seasoned pro, there’s always room to improve and become the top contender in the office. But this can never be achieved without understanding your skills, understanding your target market, and…

14th April 2022

My placement at Prime – Akiel Johnson

Every year Prime hires a unique individual to join us in the Manchester office on a placement year. This year, we’ve been joined by Akiel Johnson, studying Sports Marketing at the Manchester Metropolitan University. He is soon finishing his time…

26th January 2022

Why Should Graduates Use Recruitment Agencies

Finding a company that you think is the right one to develop you personally and professionally can be so tricky, especially if you’re a graduate! It can also be tough to tell whether one company can benefit you better than…

19th January 2022

What Questions Could They Ask Me Within A Sales Interview?

Attending a sales interview can be anxious, especially if the questions are challenging and cause you to stumble while responding. So how do you leave the interview confident in your performance? The key is preparation. While the content of your…

18th December 2021

Why should companies invest into Sales Training?

In the past, Sales Training has commonly had a reputation as a hit-or-miss practice when delivering a meaningful return on investment (ROI). So companies tend to pause or not even invest in developing skills and experience within their sales team.…

15th December 2021

How To Manage And Support Your Sales Team Mental Health

Every salesperson has to face unrelenting expectations to perform and execute their tasks on time. Unfortunately, this can take a dramatic toll on your mental health and sales performance. Team members must understand the impact of mental health and how…

30th November 2021

Top 3 Practices for Onboarding New Hires

Correctly onboarding new starters is a critical moment, and how you build an onboarding programme can significantly impact how your new hires’ perform. Creating an impactful onboarding process can enable your new hires to improve their employee retention by 82%, but…

24th November 2021

How To Create A Winning CV

For a recruiter or hiring manager to understand your CV, you need to include: Who you are What your professional background is What your skills and abilities are What you have achieved Why you are the best person for the…

large text saying "Welcome to our new website"

22nd November 2021

Welcome To The New Prime Website 🚀

And we’re live! 🚀 This Is Prime has a new website! 🎉 When creating this website, we had one goal, to offer a site that would contribute insights back into the sales industry. This included our Podcast series, talking to…

six males jumping and celebrating their exam results

11th August 2021

A-Level Results Day

A level results day is potentially the biggest emotional rollercoaster you can put yourself through without risking your life or being a contestant on The Chase, fact. Students around the world today woke up nice and early and casually tried…

14th July 2021

Launching The Changing the Perception of Sales Podcast Series!

Last year, we launched series one of the Changing the Perception of Sales Series, speaking to Sales Leaders and shared their experiences, skills and insights from their careers. Our aim was to add value into the sales community at the…

25th September 2020

2020 Freshers – Prime’s Top Tips

First things first, what a rollercoaster year 2020 has been so far. This blog post has been a few weeks in the making, but Boris’ most recent announcement seemed to flip the last draft on its head. We seemingly went…

25th March 2020

Prime Runnings

As of Monday 23rd March, the UK government has decided to take similar measures to their European counterparts and enter a nationwide lockdown. This means under no circumstances should people be out and about, having a swift one down the…

20th November 2019

Winners of #BESMA Sales Training Provider of the Year 2019 🎉

The ISM British Excellence in Sales Management Awards is the highlight of the sales industry calendar, shining a light on outstanding sales professionals and teams across the UK. The awards took place on Friday 15th November at Wembley Stadium, with…

group of students cheering at a nightclub

23rd September 2019

Surviving Freshers Week

Freshers week, the pinnacle of University culture. For most people, it’s your first time away from home, an opportunity to have some freedom and find out who you really are. It’s probably also the first opportunity to drink your favourite…

5th July 2019

My Year at Prime – and the lessons I’ve learnt on my placement year!

My boss and Prime’s co-founder/MD Neil Clough once said to me, “a placement year isn’t about saving money” (which is good as I haven’t saved any) “it’s about learning”. At the time of writing this post this is my 11th…

30th May 2019

Musical Millennials: 4 Key Ways To Motivate Millennials In Your Sales Team

Millennials, Baby Boomers, Generation Y, are all great names for a punk band, yet instead they’re the names used to describe the different generations in today’s workforce. What makes Millennials specifically so important? Well because there’s SO MANY OF THEM…

17th May 2019

Final Exams – 5 Steps To Be Perfectly Prepared For Your Exams

Alas, the Easter & Bank holidays are almost over and for many of you the last few weeks may have been spent sleeping, watching Netflix and going out getting drunk. However, now its time to get back to University mode…

18th April 2019

Hard Brexit, Soft Brext, Crunchy Brexit, Nutty Brexit: what does Brexit mean for students?

Is the writer of this article the only one who thinks Brexit sounds like a type of cereal? Never have there been so many opinions on one subject since the day Nick Gandhi wore his ‘funky shirt’ to our Manchester…

13th February 2019

Singles Pringles: How To Entertain Your Single Self On Valentines Day

Ah Valentine’s Day, the marmite of holidays! A chance to show your true love how much you really care, or a chance for retailers to use your relationship to fill their pockets?

14th January 2019

Dry January: The Pros and Cons

If most recruiters were robots, alcohol would be their fuel. Okay that’s not necessarily true. You would be hard pressed to find a Sales Resourcer swigging a pint of Peroni whilst sourcing on the phone, but you can bet your…

24th December 2018

Primes Top 7 Christmas Songs

Tis the season to be jolly and nothing makes you jollier than a good old sing-along with family and friends at Christmas time. There are many office debates around Christmas time: What’s everyone’s favourite thing about Christmas? Is Die Hard…

27th November 2018

End of Year Review: Interviewing Neil Clough

As Prime enters its 5th year, what better time to look back and see how the company has grown in 2018. From new staff members to new offices opening and lots of exciting events such as charity fundraising at the…

31st October 2018

Prime’s Halloween Horror Film Recommendations

Halloween is upon us, kids are out trick or treating, students are out partying in fancy dress and recruiters… well recruiters are out recruiting. I guess some things never change. Round the office, the topic of conversation has become centred…

27th September 2018

5 Interview Tips for Graduates

If you’re reading this, you’ve officially joined the job hunt. You’ve no doubt spent hours crafting the perfect CV, days looking for your dream job role and sent off a load of applications. You’ve just landed yourself an interview, and…

21st September 2018

Freshers week: Most Common Fears Students Have About Graduating

At 8:42am today I was happily sat on the bus to work when I turned to see 3 students walking down Oxford Road one in a dressing gown and the other two in fancy dress with what looked like marker…

14th September 2018

Target Hitting Incentives in Sales and Recruitment

It’s often said that in sales and recruitment you will earn as much as you work, and no one knows that better than us at Prime. For example, with it being Friday we normally do our weekly wheel of fortune…

29th August 2018

3 Common Misconceptions About Sales and Recruitment

Recruiters only care about making a sale. Why do I mention this? Well, recently I attended my first Prime training day with the idea being to not only see how one is run, but also focus on how it benefits…

21st August 2018

Nicole Plinston BESMA 2018 Finalist

It’s an exciting time at Prime as our very own Nicole Plinston has been nominated as a finalist for External Sales Training Provider of the Year in the BESMA 2018 awards, for the second year in a row.

14th August 2018

Student Placement at Prime: My First Week

My First Week On A Placement Year Five months ago I was a Media student at Sheffield Hallam university: heavy nights out, a booming social life and flexible working hours were the norm. Now I’m on a 10 month placement…

5th July 2018

Is Recruitment Sales? – Nicole Plinston

I recently attended a sales industry awards judging day as a nominee. It was an interesting experience, but what has stuck with me most from the process is the perception that recruitment isn’t sales. Having worked in both recruitment and…

29th June 2018

Prime Tips for Interviews

We know better than anyone how hard it can be for graduates to get a job, especially in recruitment. Nowadays, it is difficult to even get an interview, so it is important to absolutely nail it when you get one.…

2nd October 2017

Insights

Neil Clough

Nicole Plinston

Kyle Gallagher

Chris Thompson

Steve Lowndes

Kate Beck

Olivia Costello

Charlotte Morris

Akiel Johnson

Rob Nixon

Calum Kirkby

Allana McCracken

Paige Bradbury

Jade Burnand

Babar Hussain

Matthew Campbell

John Cottrell-Smith

Imogen Nolan

Tom Fenwick

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