My Journey with the Great Canadian Sales Competition

My journey with the Great Canadian Sales competition had an unconventional start. I was going to pick up dinner with my good friend Stanley and as we were walking towards the restaurant, he asked me if I wanted to go to a seminar with him for the Great Canadian Sales Competition. I had never heard of the competition before, nor had I thought of a career in sales, but I agreed to join him.

In the seminar, I was greeted by Aaron Jocano, the Ontario Regional Manager for the competition along with the Ryerson ambassadors. They highlighted the sponsors of the competition and tips for a strong sales pitch along with how to submit an application. Later that day, I went home and filmed a pitch on “Why you should join student groups in your first year.” Little did I know just how much of an impact that 2-minute pitch would have on my University experience.

A few months after completing my submission, I received an email from the Great Canadian Sales competition saying, “Congratulations, you’re a Semi-Finalist”. Along with the congratulations came an exclusive job board for semi-finalists from all the sponsors including IBM, Shopify and Sysco. In addition to the job board, there were exclusive panel and networking events hosted by the sponsors where only the Semi-finalists could attend. This was a dream come true for any University student looking to get ahead on his or her career.

I signed up for a panel event at the IBM office where I had the opportunity to learn from and network with VPs from IBM, Touch Bistro and Sysco to name a few. From there, I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Pohshi, the Director of Sales Operations at Moneris. He graciously invited me for a tour of the Moneris office and introduced me to his colleagues. This is an experience I would have never dreamed of having during my second year of University, and I can easily say it wouldn't have happened if it wasn’t for the Great Canadian Sales Competition.

Before the competition, I would have never had the confidence to connect and network with these high level executives. The competition taught me not only how to sell a product or service, but how to pitch the skills I have to possible employers along with the importance of being able to effectively convey a message. It also opened my eyes to a career in sales and just how big the career opportunities are within the field.

A few months after the Semi-Finals, and I’ve come full circle. I’m proud to announce that I’m one of the 2018 Campus Ambassadors for the Great Canadian Sales competition alongside Stanley Sik, my friend who convinced me to join the competition in the first place. I look forward to working with him to host the workshops we attended just over a year ago. I’m eager to help Ryerson students perfect their pitches for the competition so that they can have the same opportunities and experience we had with the competition.

For those of you who are unsure about applying, I encourage you to do so. The connections I made and opportunities and personal growth I’ve had from the competition are invaluable. Even if you think you’re not strong in pitching, practice makes perfect and I couldn’t think of a better way to enhance your skills and learn about the world of sales than through this competition.