My Journey at Mondelēz, From Sales Representative to Business Analyst

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

What initially drew you to the Sales Representative role? What surprised you most about it?

I had been a merchandiser previously, so I had a vague idea of what I getting myself into, but I was drawn to the Sales Representative role since it provides you with a strong foundation and understanding of how Mondelēz functions at a store level, but gives you the ability to own your territory and have the responsibility that comes with it. I was surprised how much I loved the role – It’s fast paced and was gratifying to see the direct results of your work on shelf and reflected in hitting sales targets.

Another thing that surprised me was the learning curve – at the end of my first month I had crushed it and thought I had everything under control – only to tank in my second month. I had too much product in stores from the month prior and wasn’t able to hit my sales target. That third month was a LOT of learning and course correcting, but being a Rep allows you to learn from your mistakes rather quickly.

What were some of the key skills you developed as a Sales Representative that you still use today?

Some of the skills I gained in my time as a Sales Representative included learning how to track and hit sales targets, how to manage inventory, and how to develop customer relationships.

Another huge skill is problem solving – whether it be remedying inventory issues, putting together last-minute unplanned displays, or figuring out how to close the gap to your sales target while not overloading stores. The majority of these skills I still use today – it just looks a little different.

Can you describe a moment where you felt like you were making a real impact in your Sales Representative role?

I had a store on my route that I always struggled selling in extra displays to – I still remember the first time I sold in a major display to that store! The lightbulb moment was figuring out what worked best for that specific grocery manager and the best approach for the sell in. It took a lot of rejection and learning but was so worth it when I was finally able to put up that display.

How has your understanding of the customer and the sales process evolved since your time as a Sales Representative?

Since being a Representative, my understanding of the customer and sales processes has grown and expanded– I now have a high-level understanding of how new items are sold in, the process of shelf design, and how promotions are negotiated and executed. I now handle paperwork and information from division level or the whole enterprise across the US.

How did your role as a Sales Representative prepare you for your current role as a Business Analyst?

Having first-hand knowledge of how stores operate and the impact of product on both shelf and displays is so valuable. When I make decisions, I know how each choice would affect in store efforts. My experience as a Representative also taught me the basic promotional tactics and timelines used by our customer, which allowed me to jump into the analytical part of my current role much faster.

What advice would you give to someone starting out as a Sales Representative who is hoping to move up in their career?

Don’t be afraid to hear no! Rejection will happen – but it’s an opportunity to learn and figure out what may work and may not work. Your time as a Sales Representative is a great time to try out different selling tactics and seeing what suits you and your customers best.