Professional Sales School to stage first invitational competition

October 14, 2010 | Events, UToday
By Bob Mackowiak



The Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales in the College of Business and Innovation is presenting its first UT Invitational Sales Competition Friday, Oct. 15, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Huntington Sales Lab in the Savage & Associates Complex for Business Learning and Engagement.

“Although we have operated mini-contests for the past 10 years to select students to represent the Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales in national sales competitions, this is the first time we are staging our own major event,” explained Deirdre Jones, interim assistant director of the school.

Twenty-two seniors will participate in the three-round tournament, with more than 20 juniors assisting as tabulators and guides. Judging the competition will be more than 40 recruiters from 25 companies, including Thomson Reuters, Northwestern Mutual, Automatic Data Processing, PLS Logistics Services, Paychex, Hilti, Enterprise Holdings, Seymour & Associates, and Tom James Co.

“Judges will watch live webcasts via Mediasite lecture capture equipment installed in the Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales’ role-play rooms,” Jones said. “Recruiters will serve as judges, coaches and ‘buyers.’ After the competition, recruiters will have access to the recorded role-play sessions to see students they may have missed and to review presentations with colleagues in their offices.”

Winners will receive gift cards to the UT Bookstore, while all participants have the opportunity to display their sales skills in front of recruiters from more than 20 major companies seeking to add to their professional sales talent.

There also will be a career fair for all students in the Edward H. Schmidt School of Professional Sales in the afternoon.

For more information, contact Jones at 419.530.2978.