Busch School of Business graduates are successfully landing high paying sales jobs in recent years. Based on the success of a set of sales courses, the school established a minor and certificate program in sales, open to all students at the University.
The goal of the sales program is to train students how to compete ethically and effectively in the world of sales. Professors work alongside students to pair them with partnered businesses that fit their strengths.
Early alumni who focused on sales are currently earning up to $200,000+ in starting positions at companies including Google, NetApp, Splunk, KLS Martin Group. Students who focused on sales and graduated in 2016 were making an average of $65,000 their first year out of college and now making on average over $150,000. The 2019 sales graduates are making an average of $78,000.
These outcomes indicate an “increasing demand for sales positions and that the reputation of the program at Catholic is spreading,'' says Mark Weber, head of the sales program and assistant professor of practice in the Busch School. With more than 30 years of industry experience, he oversees the programs by connecting students to potential businesses and ensuring that there is sufficient funding.
“What makes Catholic stand out is that we have industry sales executives teaching courses. Our approach with virtues, values, and trust based selling is different than other programs,” Weber said. “Graduates who took sales classes love their sales jobs because every day is different.”
Kevin Nader, an alumnus of the School of Engineering Biomedical program, graduated in May of 2016 and took a sales course because of his interest in the business end of biomedical engineering. At his roommates recommendation, Nader studied sales in his last year at Catholic.
“It definitely changed my perspective of a salesperson. I always had the idea of a pushy car salesperson in my mind, but that’s not at all what I do,” Nader said. “The sales course showed me that listening was the most important trait in sales, not talking.”
He spent his last semester applying to sales jobs and accepted a position at Medical Diagnostic Laboratories as an outside sales rep, but was recruited shortly after by KLS Martin Group where he’s now a consultant working to sell medical technology.
Nader’s story is not an outlier, seeing as about one-third of the sales participants come from majors and disciplines outside of business.
Part of Weber’s work with the sales program is mentoring and preparing students for interviews, looking over their resumes, and matching them with the best companies suited to their interests and skill set. Weber says that companies come to Catholic specifically to recruit talent.
“There’s more jobs coming to me than students I have,” Weber said.
