Sydney Sek, a Marketing and Management double-major, interned as a Future Sales Leader for PepsiCo Frito-Lay in St. Louis, Missouri.

What were your internship responsibilities?

I was responsible for increasing sales in small format stores where Frito-Lay products are located. I worked with a route sales representative on how to achieve Frito-Lay's Frontline Destination standards by executing pricing, marketing, product placement, and promotions, as well as service. I was responsible for getting stores certified on the route.

What did a normal work day look like? 

A normal work day consisted on me working with a route sales representative at his stores strategizing on how we could improve sales in each store. I spent a lot of time out in the market at the stores on the frontline learning Frito's business.

How did you find your internship? 

I found it by going to the Fall 2015 Career Fair! I spoke with someone at the PepsiCo booth and then I applied for the position on Hire-a-Hawk and interviewed on campus. 

What was the most impactful thing you learned?

The most impactful thing I learned was how to engage with a tenured work force. A lot of the people I was working with were older than me and have been at the company for years, so coming in with fresh eyes and being able to build relationships with them was so important. This helped me to improve upon my leadership skills as well. 

What was your favorite memory from your internship?

My favorite memory was when they flew all of the Frito-Lay interns to Dallas, Texas to report our presentations because it was really great to be able to network and meet Frito and PepsiCo executives. I learned a lot about the potential possibilities within the organization and met some cool people during it.