Vishnu Priya began her Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) course at Vignana Jyothi Institute of Management (VJIM), Hyderabad, in hopes of studying marketing & sales in an entrepreneurial context, but it was the summer internship with Mondelez India that truly stimulated her passion for the subject.

When it was time for Priya to find an internship opportunity, she had already decided she wanted to further explore a career in sales. Through a connection and interview process at Mondelez, Priya was introduced to the world of targets and tricks in the modern trade sales category. When Priya took a position as a sales intern and subsequently helped close targets, she knew what she had to do next. After working in a fast-paced setting that grants new challenges each day; ones that start with visiting countless supermarkets and end with meeting merchandisers, Priya thinks she is now equipped with working on high-volume of work and upholding priorities; in fact, she embraces both.

VishnuPriya feels a profound shift in herself that she attributes to her classroom training and professional development extended by VJIM and Mondelez India, respectively. Working under the directives of the sales team, Priya noticed that the hallmark of the SIP is the mentoring she received from her immediate reporting manager and other mentors at work. Her time at Mondelez also allowed her to present strategies to achieve targets, network with industry specialists, merchandisers, promoters, and research to close the sales gap.

“Throughout my journey with Mondelez, I feel I have grown wiser, stronger, and bolder, with better understanding of the business cycle, people, and myself,” says Vishnu Priya.

Priya’s dedication and determination to learn stayed with her for a long time, thanks to the training and career vision schooling received at VJIM, she was able to mold her personality and take on more work without missing tight deadlines. To this, she adds, “The team I was working for was really supportive and understanding. Over the period, I found myself really gelling and growing with the team.”

For students looking to follow Priya’s footsteps, she stresses the importance of networking to find the perfect opportunity, people, and fit. “I was always pro-active in my SIP and other college assignments. It’s very important to not settle for any role, but rather find one that you are wanting to make a career out of,” adds Vishnu Priya.