Although popular culture – e.g. the movies “Tin Men” and “Glengarry Glen Ross”– often presents negative images of sales careers, a recent survey of college students at DePaul University found that members of this “millennial generation” would consider sales a good career choice if it allows them independence, an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and the chance to face challenges every day.

The findings, based on surveys and focus group interviews with students at the Chicago university, were presented as part of a Sept. 10 seminar on building “Millennium Sales Organizations – 2005,” sponsored by the marketing department of DePaul’s College of Commerce. More than 100 representatives from Chicago-area companies attended the seminar to learn more about training and recruiting young people for sales careers.

“We found that the general work lifestyle characteristics students seek are very compatible with having a career in sales,” said DePaul Marketing Executive-in-Residence David Hoffmeister, who directs DePaul’s new sales leadership undergraduate program. “Students said they seek an active role, to meet new people and the ability to set their own pace. They also said they dislike jobs that keep them in cubicles all day.”

When asked how they would like to learn about sales management in college, students said they preferred to learn from a mix of marketing professors and experienced sales practitioners in the classroom.

Hoffmeister said the large turnout for the seminar showed the keen interest corporations have in learning how to attract young people to sales careers.

To help train the next generation of sales leaders, DePaul’s marketing department recently launched a sales management undergraduate concentration with assistance from a $100,000 grant from 3M. DePaul plans to recruit other corporations to become involved through donations, internships and job recruiting support.

For more information about the sales leadership program, contact DePaul’s College of Commerce at (312) 362-5358.

The College of Commerce encompasses the university’s undergraduate business program and the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. The college offers respected, practical and flexible programs of business study.

View photos from DePaul’s “Millennium Sales Organizations – 2005” seminar:

Photo 1: The faculty of DePaul University’s new sales management concentration gather before presenting a fall seminar about how corporations can attract college students to careers in sales. Left to Right: Marketing Professor Joel Whalen, Executive-in-Residence Daniel P. Strunk, Marketing Chair Sue Fogel and Executive-in-Residence David Hoffmeister.

Photo 2: More than 100 representatives from Chicago-area companies attended a DePaul University seminar this fall to learn more about attracting members of the “millennial generation” to and training them for sales careers.