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What It’s Like to Be a Frontline Sales Intern at 3M
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At 3M, we're all learning, discovering, exploring and innovating together. Our internship programs allow for students to join other 3Mers on their career journey. Here’s a more in-depth look at what it’s like to be a Frontline Sales intern from someone who has experienced it firsthand.
Name: Evan Jackson
Education: Earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing with an emphasis in professional sales from Texas State University
Current Title and Location: Government Transportation Safety Advocate in Philadelphia, PA
Previous Intern Experience: Sales intern at ADP; Sales intern at Henry Schein Dental Division
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Why were you interested in interning for 3M and the Frontline Sales program specifically?
When I first started in the business school at Texas State, the Frontline Sales internship was the highest regarded, most sought-after program. I wanted to be challenged by my work and peers and develop the most I could professionally.
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How did you find out about Frontline Sales internships at 3M?
From my professor who ran the professional sales program at Texas State. She had the various partnering corporations come in and present to the classes about their internship programs. After I heard about the 3M program, I knew I wanted to be a part of it and started preparing for the interview process.
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What types of projects did you work on in your internship?
Outside of being trained in sales skills by the team in the current region, I worked remotely on a group project with other interns. We focused on a product launch for the Personal Safety division and were asked to come up with creative ideas to aid the real marketing team. We spent six weeks across four times zones to prepare a presentation that we presented at the end of the internship. I was also asked to help present to various government officials in South Dakota and Colorado about the different safety products 3M offers.
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What do you think sets the Frontline Sales program apart from other sales internship programs?
Compared to other programs, the Frontline Sales program really empowered me to take ownership of my experience. The harder I worked and the more effort I put in, the more that I learned and grew, and was given back to me by 3M. I was constantly surrounded by other interns who were sharpening their skills and had a constant hunger to get better. The impromptu mentorship by sales professionals around the nation really reinforced that 3M is an organization that seeks to make sure everyone succeeds.
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What was the most memorable part of your internship?
In my last week in the field an engineer I had met before asked a technical question about roadway design, specifications and guidance in the state of Nebraska regarding delineation. I spent the next week or so looking into the problem to provide a solution. At a follow-up meeting, I was able to provide the engineer the answers she was looking for and got our product added to the new roadway. At that point it felt like the largest win I had ever had.
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What advice do you have for those interested in this program?
Be yourself throughout the interview process. Your experiences add to the diversity of the group and that’s a huge benefit to everyone. Be prepared to work hard and be challenged.
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Interested in an internship with 3M? Join 3M’s Talent Community and learn how your skills might be a fit at 3M when an opportunity opens up.
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