Welcome to Gustavus Adolphus College’s Student Stories Series!
Sales Intern with Ecolab
Major: Biology & Business Management
What was your career opportunity/experience?
I had a Sales Internship with Ecolab located in Chicago, IL
How did you get the opportunity/experience? What steps did you take to achieve this?
In the Spring of Sophomore year, I met with Cynthia Farve in the Center for Career Development who advised me to begin making a list of companies I would be interested in interning for/working for in the future. Over that summer, I had met a lot of different individuals at the golf course I worked at, many of which I talked about my career interests to and networked with. One day I met a man who worked for Ecolab, who gave me his business card. I reached out to him after his golf round and he connected me with Ecolab recruiters. After speaking one on one with a recruiter, I decided to apply for the internship. I had help from the career center, with Cynthia looking over my cover letter and resumé. Shortly after applying, one of the golfers at the golf course that I had taken care of every week for league connected me with his daughter, who was a different Ecolab recruiter. Fall of junior year, I received an interview from Ecolab, which went onto a final interview where I landed the position. From receiving advising and assistance from the Center for Career Development, to making connections at my summer job, I was able to land an internship as a Sales Intern with Ecolab in Chicago, Illinois, which included a relocation stipend.
Tell us more about your accomplishment (include title, role, location, program, etc.)
Role: Sales Intern
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Duration: 10 weeks
I was one of 32 Institutional Sales Interns around the US, whom all convened at the Ecolab Headquarters in St. Paul, MN at the middle of the internship to learn more about the company, hear from successful individuals within the company, and learn professional competencies. My day-to-day consisted of a hybrid work model where on Mondays and Fridays I completed different learnings and assessments, attended seminars, completed simulations with other interns, and worked on a comprehensive project that I presented in a team of five interns at the end of the internship. Tuesday through Thursday I was in the field shadowing several different people with various sales positions within Ecolab. I worked under a district manager who I met with weekly, who gave me a mid-point and end of internship performance review.
How did the Center for Career Development assist you?
The Career Development Center advised me to start building a LinkedIn and begin identifying potential employers, as well as helped me create and revise my resume and cover letters. I felt very supported by Gustavus through this process.
Anything else you want to share about your experience working with Career Development?
Everyone at the Career Development Center is open and willing to help students. I never felt nervous to ask for help, as I feel the individuals in the Career Center truly care and want to see me succeed. It is very easy to make an appointment, and they can help students at any point in the process of building your future. They helped me learn how to take my experience and build a successful professional profile off of it.
