Development of student talent in the area of professional sales has been identified as a recruiting priority by leading corporations within a variety of industries. Significant student interest and growth of the marketing and professional sales major continue to provide a fast track to management and leadership positions within sales and marketing fields.
How did you know you wanted to do sales?
Watch this video to see why students decided to pursue a career in professional sales.
Description of the video:
WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.260 [MUSIC PLAYING] 2 00:00:03.260 --> 00:00:07.120 KAITLYN PALMER : The first time I knew I wanted to do sales was 3 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:10.600 when I actually found out what my dad did for a living. 4 00:00:10.600 --> 00:00:14.040 When you're growing up, I think your parents' jobs are 5 00:00:14.040 --> 00:00:16.560 a little vague, but I found out that my dad 6 00:00:16.560 --> 00:00:18.200 did technology sales. 7 00:00:18.200 --> 00:00:21.040 And what he got to do was travel every day 8 00:00:21.040 --> 00:00:23.780 during the week to talk to different people, 9 00:00:23.780 --> 00:00:25.420 interact with his customers. 10 00:00:25.420 --> 00:00:29.720 And he came home, while tired, really happy with the way 11 00:00:29.720 --> 00:00:33.640 his day went because he got to spend it talking to people 12 00:00:33.640 --> 00:00:35.820 and selling something that he really loved. 13 00:00:35.820 --> 00:00:38.420 So that's when I knew that I wanted to do sales. 14 00:00:38.420 --> 00:00:40.775 [MUSIC PLAYING] 15 00:00:40.775 --> 00:00:42.400 SHAY BERGMAN: The first time in my life 16 00:00:42.400 --> 00:00:45.960 I knew I wanted to do sales was probably in the third grade 17 00:00:45.960 --> 00:00:49.580 when I had to earn my way to camp. 18 00:00:49.580 --> 00:00:54.020 So in order to do that, I had to sell about 2,000 candy bars, 19 00:00:54.020 --> 00:00:57.160 which I got $0.50 of the $1 candy bar. 20 00:00:57.160 --> 00:01:00.240 And I would stand outside of Walmart and Target 21 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:02.240 and the grocery stores in my town 22 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:05.160 and ask people if they wanted to buy a candy bar in order 23 00:01:05.160 --> 00:01:07.400 to send me to camp-- and really sell 24 00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:12.240 on why they should buy $1 candy bar from me. 25 00:01:12.240 --> 00:01:14.440 And I knew right then I wanted to do sales 26 00:01:14.440 --> 00:01:17.460 because I was able to determine my own success, 27 00:01:17.460 --> 00:01:21.140 and I was able to make as much money as I wanted. 28 00:01:21.140 --> 00:01:24.700 So that was what drew me to sales. 29 00:01:24.700 --> 00:01:27.160 And then the personal interaction you got from that. 30 00:01:27.160 --> 00:01:29.220 So from the candy bar selling, I'm 31 00:01:29.220 --> 00:01:32.040 now going off and selling a completely different product, 32 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:34.090 but very excited to be doing so. 33 00:01:34.090 --> 00:01:36.340 ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I got to say the first time in my life 34 00:01:36.340 --> 00:01:39.780 that I knew I wanted to do sales was back 35 00:01:39.780 --> 00:01:41.860 when I got my first job. 36 00:01:41.860 --> 00:01:44.620 I'd just turned 14, was able to get my workers 37 00:01:44.620 --> 00:01:47.620 permit, everything like that, and started work 38 00:01:47.620 --> 00:01:49.020 at the Men's Warehouse. 39 00:01:49.020 --> 00:01:55.660 Now, me being 14 and having to come in dressed in a full suit 40 00:01:55.660 --> 00:01:59.620 to work every day and selling professional clothing, 41 00:01:59.620 --> 00:02:04.300 it was a challenge because I was dealing with people twice 42 00:02:04.300 --> 00:02:06.180 or three times or even four times 43 00:02:06.180 --> 00:02:09.780 my age who have worn professional clothing 44 00:02:09.780 --> 00:02:11.340 and suits their whole life. 45 00:02:11.340 --> 00:02:16.940 And here, you find me, a young stripling, 46 00:02:16.940 --> 00:02:21.580 trying to sell suits to all these business professionals. 47 00:02:21.580 --> 00:02:22.700 It was tough. 48 00:02:22.700 --> 00:02:25.340 However, it gave me a challenge, and I 49 00:02:25.340 --> 00:02:28.860 realized that sales is different every day. 50 00:02:28.860 --> 00:02:31.980 And you deal with challenges every single day. 51 00:02:31.980 --> 00:02:35.700 And having those challenges and facing them and overcoming them, 52 00:02:35.700 --> 00:02:38.400 it's one of the greatest feelings out there. 53 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:41.750 [MUSIC PLAYING] 54 00:02:41.750 --> 00:02:46.000
Curriculum overview
The marketing and professional sales curriculum at Kelley provides a solid foundation for students entering a sales career. We focus on the complex, value-added business-to-business sale.
More specifically within our curriculum, we develop skills based on the SPIN selling process. Additionally, we utilize the Challenger sales model to develop strategic selling skills and a better understanding of the different approaches necessary when working in diverse selling situations.
Internships
Providing internship opportunities for our students is a key driver of our program. Many students spend their sophomore and junior year summers interning for top companies and corporate partners of the Center for Global Sales Leadership.
Approximately 50 percent of our students are offered full-time positions as a result of their internship. Other students going through the recruiting process receive, on average, three job offers and will accept a full-time position by late November. Students accept positions in:
- Consumer packaged goods
- Services
- Software
- Information technology
- Medical
- Financial
- Industrial