April 27, 2019
Students buy into sales recruiting showcase
By Lauren Cotta ’19
Providence College students made a clear impression in networking with representatives of eight sales organizations in the first Friar Sales Showcase, held at the Arthur F. and Patricia Ryan Center for Business Studies.
Representatives from 3BL Media, Dell EMC, EverQuote, Toast, Inc., HubSpot, Inc., Western Digital, CyberArk, and Oracle NetSuite spoke to students at recruiting tables and shared their “three most important tips for aspiring professionals” during a panel discussion. The showcase targeting students in the sales program was coordinated by Dr. Ronald L. Jelinek, professor of marketing.
Jelinek, who specializes in business-to-business selling, explained the motivation for the showcase.
“I have relationships with each of these organizations, and I knew they were recruiting,” he said. “Because most of these companies had never been on campus before, I thought it would be exciting to bring them to the Ryan Center for a sales-specific event.” Nine of the sales representatives who participated were PC graduates.
Jelinek said several of the company representatives approached him in the atrium to indicate how delighted they were with the students and their interest. “Our students wowed them,” he said, noting that the showcase subsequently generated many interviews with companies and numerous job offers.
Students said the opportunity to interact with and listen to professionals in the field helped them refine their job search and made their career paths seem more possible.
“Speaking with the sales representatives gave me insight and more knowledge on the industry,” said Alex Hardoby ’19 (Rahway, N.J.). “It was nice to know they were once in my shoes not too long ago.”
Connor McCarthy ’19 (Hopkinton, Mass.) said that hearing how the alumni transitioned from college students to business professionals was reassuring. “If they could do it, why can’t I?” he said.
Throughout the panel discussion the representatives advised students to be active listeners. They explained that instead of preparing an answer before knowing the circumstances, active listening would help them discover the specific needs of potential clients.
The advice resonated with several students, including Abigail Scott ’19 (Gloucester, Mass.), who stated this was her greatest takeaway from the panel discussion.
“Oftentimes, sales people are viewed as the classic car salesmen who talk your ear off,” said Scott, who is president of the Women in Business Club. “It’s one thing to nod and pretend like you are listening to someone, but I learned today that an extremely successful salesperson has the ability to actively listen and then be able to take forward actions based on what you heard and learned.”
The representatives also emphasized taking initiative both while applying for a position and once in a sales position. Several stressed how researching a company before an interview would indicate preparation and passion for the position, as well as an understanding of the sales role. They highlighted that this type of work ethic, paired with demonstrating the ability to take criticism and be coachable, would allow students to differentiate themselves among the competition.
Many of the alumni encouraged students to take advantage of the sales program and other resources available to them at PC, such as career services and the alumni network, and advised them to fully utilize the communication skills they learned through PC’s liberal arts curriculum.
Jelinek said he felt the showcase was a valuable complement to the College’s career services and provided a unique forum to highlight the Department of Marketing’s sales program of courses.
“I believe that our sales curriculum, which aims to get students to stand for integrity, will position them to sell for success,” he said. “Events like the Friar Sales Showcase create an intimate setting where these qualities can take center stage — it showcases who our students are.”
The sales curriculum includes courses that are open to all majors, not just business students, said Jelinek. The two courses he teaches in business-to-business selling, Personal Selling and Sales Management, are for any student, with the only pre-requisite being the introductory Principles of Marketing course.
“I look forward to continuing to bring opportunities like the showcase to students,” he said. “A career in business-to-business selling can be a great fit for PC grads — the College develops good problem-solving and people skills, and that really is what professional selling is all about.”
