Sales leadership program lands alumnus career with Fortune 500 company

Can you tell us what you do as a sales representative for the Automotive Aftermarket Division of 3M Co.?

Whenever a car gets into a collision or a wreck, typically, the owner takes it to an auto body shop or collision shop. Those shops are the 3M customers I deal with on a day-to-day basis because they use 3M products to repair cars. I travel to these body shops to show them our products and do any sort of training they need. If they’re having any issue with a product, I try to help them pinpoint what the problem is. It’s definitely a lot of hands-on work. I currently manage a $5 million territory. When I first started this job, I primarily managed the South Side and the south suburbs of Chicago. Over time, my territory has progressively gotten bigger and bigger—so I must be doing something right.

At the end of the day, I have the title of sales representative, but I also act as a consultant to my customers. I try to help them out and improve their business. If there’s any small way I can improve their business, then I bring value to them, and that allows me to really grow that relationship.

How did DePaul prepare you for this position?

I was part of the sales leadership program, which partners with 3M. During my junior year, the professors in the sales leadership program told me about an internship opportunity with 3M, so I decided to apply for it and landed an internship that summer. Before I had even started my senior year, I already had my offer letter for a full-time position with 3M. I was able to do many of the things I am doing now during that internship, so I was prepared on day one. I was absolutely sure about what I wanted to do and could see myself doing this long-term, because I was able to experience it right then and there.

The sales leadership program at DePaul really prepares students for career success because the partnerships DePaul has provide them with internships that are really hands-on. Unlike other internship opportunities in which students might complete a lot of busy work, the internships available at DePaul actually have us doing the type of work we would encounter as full-time professionals. 

Did you participate in any other programs at DePaul? If so, how did they impact your education and career decisions?

I was one of the recipients of the Sid Feldman Legacy Fund Scholarship. Aside from the financial help, this scholarship provides a mentor during a student’s four years at DePaul. That was really beneficial because whenever I had a circumstance where I might have a question or was unsure of the career path that I wanted to get into, I always had someone who had already gone through college, who was there for me and willing to help out. My mentor was a DePaul alumnus, so that really helped because he knew the lay of the land when it came to DePaul. He knew how to navigate classes and other DePaul offices and resources, so he made it a lot easier for me to navigate college myself.

How did DePaul’s Chicago location impact your academic experience and career potential?

As I was making my decision on what college to choose, one of the things I really looked at was the possibility for internships. I really liked the fact that DePaul is downtown and has tons of connections with different companies. It makes the whole networking aspect so much more accessible. DePaul already has the connections and makes it really easy for students to meet and start talking to future mentors and employers. Along with 3M, I also interned with Discover Financial Services during my junior year. From that standpoint, DePaul definitely exposed me to more interactions and more experiences that really prepared me for what I’m doing now.