Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Account Executives at National Beverage Company
Entry-level positions at the National beverage company include internships and frontline sales roles, described as "field-based positions" involving order placement, inventory management, and relationship building with clients. The interviewee emphasizes the value of starting in a frontline role, using the analogy of "starting in the kitchen," to gain invaluable knowledge of the business from the ground up and become a better leader.
Sales, Field-Based Roles, Building Relationships, Customer Interaction, Entry-Level Positions
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kathleen Walsh
Account Executive
National beverage company
Suffolk University, 2013
UCLA Anderson, MBA
Communications
Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Sales and Client Management
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level positions in the beverage industry often involve frontline sales roles, where you work directly with clients and manage product placement.
2. Many companies offer internships for undergraduates, providing valuable experience and potentially leading to full-time employment after graduation.
3. Starting in an entry-level, field-based position can give you a comprehensive understanding of the industry and how products reach consumers, which is invaluable for career advancement.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
I started right at college as a frontline sales rep. Our company does have internships that undergrads can apply to while they're still in college.
We actually had two interns on our team this past summer, and they had a great experience. For those who are literally fresh out of college, we have the frontline sales positions that I started in.
You don't work in an office; you're out in the field. So it's a field-based position. We have different channels: our on-premise channel, large stores, and then small stores.
Basically, you're in charge of going out into the field every day to either place orders. If you're in retail, you go into the back room, take inventory, and place the order for the customer.
On the on-premise side, it's more about building relationships, trying to convert customers over to our beverage versus our competitor. It involves getting people signed up on the right pricing programs and putting up signage.
It's a great position for people who want to be out and about and don't want to be stuck in an office every day. It really gives you an understanding of how our products get from the warehouse to the store and into consumers' hands at home.
That knowledge is incredibly valuable as you work your way up. I use the analogy that you start in the kitchen. When I worked in a restaurant, you started in the kitchen.
If you work for a company, take that entry-level position, even if it looks a bit non-traditional. As you work your way up into higher-level positions where you're making key decisions affecting the frontline, having direct knowledge of how it works, how they operate, and how they think will make you a better leader.