internship spotlight
Name
Hailey Marie Pieruccini
Graduation Year
May 2018
Major
Advertising
Minor
Political Science
Hometown
Chicago
Campus Activities
Active Member of Illini Democrats
Active Member of BOLD- Women in Innovation
Employee at The Canopy Club
Hobbies
Yoga, doodling, and rewatching The Office/Bob's Burgers.
10. LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/haileymp
Employer
Yelp
Internship Title
Account Executive Intern
What were your duties?
The first two weeks I developed sales insight by attending daily training and role played with manager and fellow employees. This prepared me to use Salesforce which I used to prospect and create a pipeline of 200 local businesses. From there I took off and managed a full sales cycle from cold calling 80+ potential clients to pitching and closing. To close potential leads I personally created specialized demos for the specific needs of the business owners and from there negotiated prices and packages.
What did you most enjoy about your internship?
The people! Right away it was a welcoming community where I was not afraid to ask questions. My manager was always on the floor and set up weekly meetings with everyone individually to give advice. In addition, every intern had a personal mentor to have lunch with or hop on a pitch with. My mentor Jefery gave me great advice and wrote me an awesome letter of recommendation this year! And of course, I can't forget all the other interns. There were 15 of us who all grew very close and still talk today.
What was the most difficult aspect of the internship?
The most difficult aspect of the internship was accepting rejection. You're making over 80 cold calls a day. The goal is to set 3 appointments to pitch a day. So a successful day means you're failing most of the time!
How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your internship?
The College of Media prepared me for this internship by offering the Media Sales Certificate. Having that experience I had a leg up on my fellow interns. I already understood the CRM Salesforce and what sales tactics were most effective.
How has your internship prepared you for a career?
This internship didn't just build up my resume but also prepared me for my career. Aspiring to be an Account Executive I will constantly be working with clients and having to develop relationships. I had to do this every day and adjust my attitude with every call to fit the client’s business and values. It's all about pleasing them because at the end of the day it's their money being spent on the advertising.
What recommendations do you have for other students about doing an internship?
You're only at the internship for 3 months. This is very little time to make an impression so work hard to stand out! In addition, be sure to network. These are people in your field and can help with job placement in the future. This is why it's so important to work hard so you're the person they want to promote over another intern.
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