In mid-July, I completed my sales internship at L'Oréal India, and it has been an incredibly transformative experience.
Let me share my journey and insights.
I joined L'Oréal as a Sales Intern this summer. During my interview, I was asked if I was comfortable working in the field under extreme weather conditions. I quickly agreed, not fully realizing the extent of the challenge. In mid-May, I was assigned to Ghaziabad, West UP. Those familiar with the NCR region will understand the intensity of the weather I encountered. There were days when my Bisleri bills exceeded my lunch expenses. I found myself showering thrice a day: once in the morning, once under the scorching sun, and once upon returning home from work. As a sales professional, the weather does not dictate my responsibilities (unless it becomes extreme).
To be brutally honest, I initially found the work unappealing. For the first ten days, I vented my frustrations to friends and family every evening. I felt I wasn’t cut out for this and was disappointed. However, during one market visit, I successfully facilitated several sales, engaged confidently with shopkeepers, and negotiated favourable deals. That day marked a turning point for me. The experience empowered me in ways that are difficult to articulate. From then on, I chased that feeling. Although some days were less productive, I persisted, driven by the positive feeling from that fulfilling day. I am proud to say that I have overcome my cribbing and developed a strong affinity for sales as a profession. I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me so far in this journey.
To be perfectly candid, the subpar food at my PG in Noida left me constantly fatigued. I often resorted to junk food to satisfy my hunger. Eventually, I moved to an apartment with my friends in Delhi, which significantly improved my health and energy levels.
It turns out that my main issue was nutrition rather than the heat.
Another misconception I had about sales was its simplicity, assuming it was merely about numbers and negotiation. However, sales encompasses much more. It involves Marketing, Finance (handling numbers and mental math), Operations (inventory optimization and supply chain management), Strategy (setting targets and planning), Human Resources (managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders), Technical skills (proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Power BI for advanced data visualization), Retail Management (maintaining POSM and merchandising), and much more.
I believe it is pretty reasonable to think that mastering sales gives you a bit of expertise in almost every field.
P.S. - Here’s a picture of me on my way to the first day of my internship.
Brand Marketing | Video Production | Omni Channel Marketing Professional
1moAmazing opportunity and I look forward to joining the team! Applications submitted :)