College of Business hosts sales competition for students
Students interview business owners during the CMU Sales Challenge February 7, 2020, in Grawn Hall.
More than 70 students and 11 different companies participated in a networking and interview practice event in a real world setting.
The Central Michigan University college of business hosted a large sales competition event Feb. 7. Students of many different majors took turns talking with representatives of local companies with speed-dating style interviews. Students used this as an opportunity to practice interviewing in the real world, and some even walked away with offers for actual interviews with these companies.
One winner was chosen from each grade standing, based on interviewing skills. Each winning student received a $50 visa gift card and $100 toward their student account.
The winners were announced at the closing of the event, Payton Pietz won inthe Freshman/Sophomore group, Evan Ferrante won the in Junior group and Matthew Dils won in the senior group.
Saginaw sophomore Pietz was one student who attended the event hopes to find a job opportunity during these quick interviews. The sales competition was his first event with the College of Business Administration. As a sales and logistics double major, Pietz found the speed interviews incredibly useful.
“I feel good about my chances,” Pietz said, just a couple of hours before he was announced as a finalist and winner.
“This application to real life industries is invaluable,” said marketing and hospitality services administration faculty member Jeff Hoyle.
Mio sophomore Will Ciske attended the competition to improve his skills with his marketing major.
“The interview process is a great opportunity, It’s a low pressure environment to get experience interviewing,” Ciske said. “I know people who’ve already gotten actual interviews out of this.”
Volunteers pack meals for the CMU Food Pantry following the CMU Sales Challenge Feb. 7 in the Grawn Hall Atrium.
The event was punctuated by a large group volunteering opportunity. The students as well as interviewers packed meals to be donated to the CMU Food Pantry. The cheesy rice and vegetable meals were provided by The Pack Shack in its first collaboration with CMU. Dozens of volunteers packed 12,000 meals in less than an hour in the middle of Grawn Atrium as volunteers scooped, measured and funneled rice.
The event was hosted by CMU College of Business and was organized by Rebecca Dingus, a faculty member in the department of marketing and hospitality services administration.
