Competency Analysis: Applying for Sales Manager at PLASgran Ltd.

This report assesses the skills and competencies required for a sales manager position at PLASgran Ltd., a plastic recycling company. It includes a self-assessment based on key requirements from a job advertisement, utilizing Gibbs' reflective cycle. The analysis covers relationship building, self-motivation, and business-to-business sales experience. The report identifies strengths and areas for improvement, emphasizing the importance of communication, customer relations, and practical business experience. The reflection aims to enhance emotional intelligence and align personal values with the demands of a multinational company. Desklib provides access to similar reports and solved assignments for students.

Running head: JOB FOR SALES MANAGER
JOB FOR SALES MANAGER
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author Note:

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JOB FOR SALES MANAGER
Part 1.
PLASgran Ltd. is a plastic recycling company that has been operating in the market of
the United Kingdom for more than 19 years. This company is based in Cambridgeshire and has
recently approved investment in the significant increment in the capacity for producing plastic
compounds from the recycled plastic and raw materials. This company has its lineage to provide
highly effective and inexpensive priced recycling of the waste plastics and huge amount of scrap
that goes back further. The founder of this company Carl Waters had worked for more than 10
years in this industry to know every detail of it and established this company in 1999 (PLASgran
2019). In these last two decades, the company has grown itself both physically as well as
economically. The company has increased its range of services and providing compound as well
as regrinds for the clients in all over the country as well as Europe. PLASgran has continued to
focus on providing constituent as well as high quality recycled materials and the services of this
company has earned reputation in all over the UK. These have helped the company to maintain
the position as one of the most reputed market leaders in the UK plastic recycling industry. Last
year the company has been acquired by RPC bpi group which has led it to become the largest
plastic recycling group in the United Kingdom.
The global trend of supporting innovative business models, disruptive technologies and
sustainability goals have enhanced the opportunities for the waste recycle companies and this
trend is gaining its pace over the time. The plastic recycle company like PLASgran can
effectively work more efficiently in this global market as the situation has been changing in
support of this type of company. The trend predicts that global market revenue for the waste
recycling company is likely to upsurge from to $282.1 billion in 2018 which will definitely
increase in the next years. This does include the revenue from the plastic recycling industry of

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the world. This is due to the fact that this type of industry, stances a great business opportunity
for near future. It has the market size of $37.6 billion in 2018 with a noteworthy growth of 7.1%
for last two years (World Bank 2019).
The company has been growing gradually in these two decades and consistently
delivering the profitable results to the plastic recycling industry. The company aims to improve
sales values and volumes together with updating system as well as procedure for bringing these
changes in attaining the mission and vision of the company. This company require a committed,
ambiguous Sales manager who will help to develop the company’s reach in the foreign market.
This particular designation of sales manager will require a combination of account manager who
will help the company in developing the business with existing accounts. In addition to this the
sales manager will be also responsible to develop new business with a range of plastic
converters. The position of sales manager will be helpful in selling the company’s some of the
most important instruments like injection moulders, extrusion or thermoformers and film
manufacturers. The role of the sales manager in PLASgran has a highly autonomous role to play
that will require a self-starter with knowledge of supervising in the industry. The position of
sales manager in the company requires a person who will have knowledge about the internal and
external relations of the company and will ensure a good communication with the supply chain
as well as customers for every specification as well as requirements.
This job of sales manager in PLASgran can help the company in many ways. First, the
sales manager will oversee the local and regional sales of the company. The company has several
branches in the different parts of the UK as well as Ireland. The staffs in these regional offices
will be working under the sales manager and he will solve the issues associated with sales of
these regions. Secondly, it is the sales manager who will resolve the customer complaints

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regarding services of the company as well as products of it. Thus, the company will be able to
mitigate the quality issue associated with the manufacturing department and continue with the
reputation earned.
Thirdly, the sales manager will prepare and approve budges and expenditure of the
company. This will help the company to maintain the total cost and profit program quite
effectively. Fourthly, the sales manager working in PLASgran will be monitoring the sales
efforts. On the basis of the customer preferences, the company will be able to focus on sales
efforts. Fifthly, the sales manager of the company is responsible to analyse the sales statistics and
identify the areas where the company needs to give more attention. Sixthly, based on these
statistics, the sales manager will project sales and determine the possible profitability of the
services and products of PLASgran.
Seventhly, the responsibilities of the sales manager depend upon the size of the
organization. In this case, the company has international customer base therefore, the sales
manager of PLASgran needs to direct the distributions of goods and services through assigning
the sales territories, establishing training program for the employees and setting sales goals for
the sales representatives of the organization. Eighthly, in order to give the company a
competitive growth in the recycle business in the countries of the UK as well as Ireland, the sales
manager of this firm will determine the discount rates and special pricing plans for the company.
Finally, the sales manager will help the company to plan the training programs of the sales stuff.
He will interpret all the important complex data and communicate with all the stakeholders
clearly so that any type of misunderstanding does not grow. Thus, by analysing the whole
process of sales, purchasing, analysing statistics, monitoring the expectations of the customers
and supply chain, the sales representative can help the company’s growth in every way possible.

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Part 2.
The job advertisement for the sales manager in PLASgran, there are many requirements.
However, there are four very important requirements based on which I need to judge my own
capabilities.
In the capability of articulating and being able to develop relationships internally and externally,
I shall give myself 6.5 out of ten. In self-motivated and able to work on their own initiative I
shall give myself 7 out of ten and in demonstratable experience to business to business sales I
shall give myself 8 out of ten.
In pointing out what competencies I possess in having this particular job of sales manager
in the company, I would use Gibbs reflective cycle which has six parts. The parts include,
description, feeling, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, action plan (Husebø, O'Regan and Nestel
2015). In the requirement of articulate and able to develop relationships internally and externally
I have given myself only 6.5 out of 10. Relationship building and maintaining are the most
important factors in successful sales. It is the main way to reach more customers and satisfy them
with the service or products. In this aspect I need to enhance my listening abilities more so that I
can better serve them with the knowledge they share with me. Secondly, I need to communicate
more and seek feedback from them whether my product fits to their expectations. However, in
this respect I lack communication capabilities and feel nervous thinking that they may give a
negative review of the product and will be not willing to make small adjustments. For building
more relationships the sales manager needs to indulge in using social media so that more
customers can see or hear about the products he is aiming to sell. I am capable of responding
properly about the things I have intense knowledge. This can help me to keep my clients better
informed about my progress and ensure that he has me in mind while purchasing the product.

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Adding value to a solution or a fresh perception can build an intense relationship with client
therefore I use blogs and social media for finding out which can be interesting for my clients and
how they will be interested to learn from me about my offerings. I am a genuine person which
eliminates any doubt for my trustworthiness to my clients. This is important because only by
trusting me my clients will be interested to listen to me or buying something from me. I am a
patient person and ready to give time to the relationship for growth. With my hard work I can
maintain my relationship with my satisfied clients.
As required in the job advertisement the sales manager selected must be a self-motivated
person. In this respect I have given myself 7 out of 10. This is due to the fact that I believe on the
products or services I am selling to my customers. I have a constructive and optimistic
perceptions in looking to what I am doing and my attitude is come coma patient and positive
self-expectation. This makes me feel good about myself and I believe that whatever I will eat it
will have an inevitable success. In case I do not have motivation within me I will not be able to
communicate the utility of the product or services to my clients. I will also not be able to
motivate my subordinates who will also be responsible to their own customers. In
communicating I follow the method of showing a pleasant open face and use the names of my
customers so that they feel connected with me in the first meeting. I feel interested while talking
with a prospective client and look like I am listening to his points. I talk positively and mixed
with my subordinates or clients with friendly manner so that when I get down to the process of
selling my product or service or even my ideas comma the customer believes me and give their
full attention on the utility of the offerings.
In demonstrating the experience of business to business sales, I can share my education
qualifications to the authority. I am a graduate and I have attended different business seminars

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where I have showed my knowledge through debates on the contemporary management issues.
In this regard I can present all the certificate and documents of my degree. In addition to this I
have experience in dealing with customers while operating as a supervisor for my family
business from 2015-2016. These are all proves of my experience in business both theoretical as
well as practically.
Through this reflection I have identified many aspects of my personal attitude
understanding and values. By following Gibbs reflective cycle, I have described what happened
according to the requirement of the job advertisement from PLASgran. I have analysed the
feelings about the required qualities of a sales manager. There were some positive and negative
aspects in my competency where I need to put more focus and transform them to be a successful
sales manager, what I have evaluated the good and bad about my experience. Through the
reflection I have analysed what can be done in this situation and what more can be done to
enhance my competency as a sales manager. Finally, I can identify what actions need to be taken
if the same situation arises. this self-reflection about the competency of sales manager it can be
understood that I have demonstrate table educational qualifications but in reality, I need to be
more focused on some aspects of my personality which can make me more capable to hold a
position of a sales manager in a multinational company. These have strengthened my emotional
intelligence as I can look in words and become clear on my core values. This can help me to
strengthen my integrity and lead me to the better decisions in future. The issue of nervousness
and feeling less confident about my communication can be easily overcome through this process
and I hope the reflection or self-analysis will help me to achieve more goals in my life.

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Part 3.
In this Global competitive business world, most of the employees look for the capabilities
of their employees which can not only benefit them only in production but also in all inclusive.
In today’s world the business has become expanded Overseas. There for the workplaces are
becoming more diverse than before. In order to manage this diversity of people management of
the companies need to have more competency than only playing the roles as managers. The
employers in the multinational companies look for how well rounded an employee is. During the
selection process they identify the skills gained from the universities mainly based on Academics
but they want more extracurricular activities which can benefit the organisation in future. Having
extracurricular activities does not only count in the selection process but also in facing any type
of issues in the organisational process.
The extracurricular activities which I have gained throughout my life will make me more
competent as well as employable in the multinational company like PLASgran.
I am an international student, completed graduation in the renowned college of the UK. Along
with Graduation, I have attended seminars such as Negotiation Sources, Spotlight on Business
and Finance, impress your Future Employer, First Impression Count, Global Outlook,
Confidence is a GOGO, linked in or Locked Out and many more. Additionally, I have learnt the
method of proper debate on my contemporary and management issues module in the current
semester.
These activities are the outside of my general studies. These are typically something that
shows the subjects I am passionate about. These are the events as well as activities from which I
have gained knowledge, insight and diverse perceptions. These have helped me to develop skills
like analysing situations, understanding point of views judging the intensity of situation and

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properly communicating my own thoughts and reasoning into the place. These have helped me to
be a perfect fit in my workplace. These seminars and programs have guided me to point out
every angle of my personality and how I can be a good leader. Involvement in such programs has
helped me to build my soft skills which are crucial for succeeding in the business world as these
are beyond book knowledge.
I am born and raised in Luanda, Angola, Africa which is a member state of the United
Nations, African Union, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Therefore, my
first language is Portuguese. I am an international student in the United Kingdom studying here
for two years. Therefore, I can speak 2 languages which are Portuguese and English. In addition
to this, I am currently pursuing a French Intensive Course so that I can enhance my competence
as a successful sales manager in the United Kingdom.
My knowledge of knowing three languages can help me greatly in competing with the
other prospective candidates for being a sales manager in a well-known International Company.
At the place with which the business in this situation is expanding it is not that time I can remain
a mono linguist it is the process of evolving the business landscape and thinning the borders. As
an individual or a business person therefore, it would be huge disadvantage if I have limitation of
knowledge in only one cultural prospect (Smith and Roberts 2015). The growing popularity of
the foreign languages and learning how to speak foreign language fluently can open up to be
more accepting of the cultures and traditions of the others. As I know English as the Global
Language it would help me in every corner of Europe, USA and other parts of the world. On the
other hand, I know Portuguese and French which are also important languages in Europe.
Therefore, if my company, based in UK, attempts to enter France or Portugal I would be there
first choice. Along with the knowledge of language, I would have the knowledge of their culture

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and traditions. It is inevitable that the national culture has a major role to play in defining the
organisational culture. This will upgrade my personal network as I will gain trust of people from
other culture due to my capability of speaking their language. The initial stranger barrier will be
eliminated due to language and it will open me up to a huge swath of professionals as well as
individuals who can speak same language. This will considerably be widening my network with
helpful contacts.
As researchers reveal that the bilinguals have shown better ability to gain more rational and
logical thought process than their monolingual counterparts. This knowledge of other languages
has improved my decision-making process and quick and the rate with which I can come to a
rational conclusion. I can toggle effortlessly between two languages and do not break any of my
thought processes. With the knowledge of language used in two countries I have also grown their
perception and preferences. The national culture as accessed by knowledge I can be added at
focusing or observing on the relevant processes in my area of interests. I have developed the
ability to filter out unnecessary or is relevant details and this knowledge have helped me to spot
misleading information. This is particularly necessary for selecting essential negotiations and
meetings with the potential partners or customers. Another most important aspect of knowing
two languages is this has improved my multitasking skills it has made me a better listener and
Gate sharper with time.
Along with different activities I also have professional experience in dealing with
customers and employees in my family business from 2015 to 2016. This is one of the major
aspects which most of my competitors will not have. Gaining theoretical knowing is easy but
practically doing business in a post of supervisor is difficult. This will reveal my ability to be a
sales manager of an international company and all these activities have enlightened me with a

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practical knowledge about the operations of business. Therefore, I hope in this competitive
market of proving oneself capable and fit for business sales, I can gain better opportunities than
others.
References:
Husebø, S.E., O'Regan, S. and Nestel, D., 2015. Reflective practice and its role in
simulation. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 11(8), pp.368-375.
PLASgran Ltd, 2019. New job opportunities - PLASgran Ltd. [online] PLASgran Ltd. Available
at: https://plasgranltd.co.uk/new-job-opportunities/ [Accessed 23 Jan. 2019].
Smith, J. and Roberts, R., 2015. Reflective practice. Vital Signs for Nurses: An Introduction to
Clinical Observations, pp.222-230.
World Bank, 2019. Global Waste to Grow by 70 Percent by 2050 Unless Urgent Action is
Taken: World Bank Report. [online] World Bank. Available at:
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2018/09/20/global-waste-to-grow-by-70-
percent-by-2050-unless-urgent-action-is-taken-world-bank-report [Accessed 23 Jan. 2019].

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Appendices: