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Laurie Pagliarella 

Name:  Laurie Pagliarella
Title and Company:   Account Executive / International Paper

Education:  Bachelor of Science in Business, Marketing Concentration @ Miami of Ohio

Work Experience:  8 years
What I do:  As a sales representative for the Coated Papers Division of International Paper, I represent our company at eight distribution locations. I'm responsible for $24 million of annual business in the Chicago and Michigan markets. I work with management, sales, and customer service at these locations by educating them on our products and designing service programs to support our end-users: commercial printers, publishers, and cataloguers. I manage sales activities within my company by working with our machine planners, customer service, and management.
How I Got Here:  I started in the industry out of college with a competitor as a sales trainee where I worked at our headquarters in Richmond, VA in different departments to learn the industry. It was a very hands-on training program, which also included a sales training course. When I accepted the job, it was not known where my first territory would be as I waited for a position to become available. I was assigned to the Detroit region where my focus was to call on end-use accounts of our products: designers, advertising agencies, and corporations. After two years, I received an offer with Champion International with similar responsibilities in a new sales team the company was forming. After two years, Champion was acquired by International Paper. While my position and team were eliminated, I retained a job with the company in the position I hold today.
 

Skills Needed:  Patience, fearlessness, interpersonal skills, able to handle rejection, long-term perspective; common sense; open to relocation now and in the future.

 
Where do I go from here?  Sales experience is a great background to have for all career paths. With many companies having the face-to-face experience and knowledge of customers will help you move into a marketing position if desired.
 
Advice:  If you start out in sales for a large company, be prepared to start out small; rarely are larger/prestigious accounts given to someone new to the industry. Don't plan on knowing it all right away--it may take a year or more of experience to really know what you are doing.
 

Biggest Misconception:  That it's less glamorous then most sales jobs because it's paper. When looking at career opportunities in sales it's important to think about the type of client you will be working with, not just the product. The most exciting products seem less exciting if you are stocking them on shelves.

 
To enjoy and to succeed in this position you need to:  Get to know your customers well! Customers choose who they give their business to, and to succeed your customers need to trust you, feel that you are working for them, and like doing business with you.
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