The 8th Annual Showcase Boot Camp Prepares the Next Generation of Sales Leadership
Students enlist for a day of basic training as they network with industry practitioners for career coaching and professional guidance at the 2024 Center for Sales Excellence Showcase Boot Camp.
STATESBORO, GA (February 24, 2024) – Breaking attendance records and expectations, 312 undergraduate students attended the 8th annual Showcase Boot Camp on the Statesboro campus of Georgia Southern University. Making the most of the opportunity to network and learn from industry practitioners, these highly motivated students met with sales professionals and recruiters from sixteen partner firms, including C.H. Robinson, Mutual of Omaha, Tom James, and Ryder System, Inc. The Center for Sales Excellence Showcase Boot Camp prepares students for a successful college-to-career transition, taking them from the classroom to the boardroom.
First begun in 2016 with the support of the Parker College of Business, the Boot Camp has become a campus-wide success allowing firms the opportunity to get close, face-to-face interaction, with the best and brightest that Georgia Southern has to offer. This event is designed to be part educational and part networking opportunity, all of which are important aspects as you transition from student to professional.
“I attend the Showcase Boot Camp every year because it’s a valuable experience that refines my professional skills and opens doors to real career opportunities,” notes Trent Williams, a Senior majoring in Marketing with an emphasis in Sales & Sales Management from the Parker College of Business.
“The interactive sessions and personalized guidance from corporate partners provide me an outlet to test my understanding of what I’ve learned in class. I’m eager to leverage these experiences in my professional journey.”
The Boot Camp is designed to provide small-group interaction between students and industry leaders. Every 15 minutes the corporate coaches rotate to a new table of students to discuss the next interview topic. The interview topics discussed are provided by the coaches, as some of the most frequent questions a student might encounter in a job interview for their first sales position. The coaches provide guidance on how to best approach the question, and then amongst the table, each student discusses from their unique perspective. Once the time is up, the coaches rotate to the next table, meeting a whole new group of students and discussing a new interview question.
“Sales is a dynamic and growing profession that offers ample opportunity to those with the right skill set and motivation,” remarks Allen Amason, Dean of the Parker College of Business. “We believe that drawing together bright and motivated students, providing them with excellent instruction, and then coupling that with exposure to leading sales professionals, this is the formula that drives success in our program and has done so since 2007.”
Throughout the Boot Camp, networking time is built into the schedule so that the corporate coaches and students can get to know each other on a personal level, discussing their firm’s respective culture, corporate initiatives, and upcoming hiring opportunities. “Students enjoy this holistic approach to sales education,” observes Linda Mullen, Associate Professor of Marketing and Co-Director of the Center for Sales Excellence. “The interactions and relationships formed at the Boot Camp provide our students with a unique viewpoint and perspective on the profession. Active sales practitioners can provide advice and guidance on what it takes, not only to get a job in sales, but to thrive as a professional salesperson.”
The Boot Camp would not be possible without the support of the Sales Center’s corporate partners. Partners in attendance included C.H. Robinson, Cintas, Culligan Water, Herc Rentals, JEAR Logistics, LocumTenens.com, Mutual of Omaha, Northwestern Mutual, OTR Solutions, RNDC, Ryder System, Inc., Shamrock Trading Corporation, Sherwin-Williams, State Farm, Tom James, and TechQuidation.
Center for Sales Excellence, Georgia Southern University
Located within Georgia Southern University’s Parker College of Business, the Center for Sales Excellence is recognized by the University Sales Alliance as one of the nation’s top sales programs. Established in 2007, it is the mission of the Center to have a positive impact on the sales profession through education, research, and service. The B.B.A. in Marketing offers the students of Georgia Southern University an emphasis in Sales and Sales Management.
Through the Center, students gain experience with sales role-play in our dedicated labs, with many going on to compete in some of the nation’s most prestigious sales competitions. The Center also works to bring students together with companies in the industry looking to hire the best and brightest minds. It is the goal of the Center to be the preeminent sales program in the nation.
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