Gareth Bland

Employer: Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Area of work: Hospitality services

Qualifications: Sport and excercise science degree, University of Leeds

After university, I looked around for a job that would utilise my people skills and wanted to find a place on a graduate training scheme. I saw an advertisement for Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s scheme on their website and applied for it. I had a first interview with the HR department for the East Midlands. After a second interview with the area manager and the manager of the Grimsby branch, I was offered the position of management trainee and have worked my way up to branch manager.

My job

My main responsibilities are for staff development, customer service, sales, fleet management and the organisation of my branch. My regular tasks include: checking the fleet when I get into work; ensuring cars are where they should be; handling customer enquiries; and selling the business out in the marketplace. I am responsible for the development of the six staff I manage and also attend regular training – I learn new things all the time. Although my job is mainly branch based, I have recently come back from a business trip in Orlando.

Best and worst

My job is great because I don’t have to do the same thing every day and I get to face fresh challenges on a regular basis. This does require a great deal of organisation, however, and that can be challenging!