Focus Magazine - Winter 2012 - 29

FEATURESTORY

cessful sales track record, and a willingness to relocate to New Jersey for a career promotion. is year 14 interns, 11 primary care and three specialty representatives were selected, each serving one, three-week session. Interns work with sta trainers, who act as mentors, to conduct presentations, develop training programs and participate in the regulatory review process. Mentoring. Internship success is a full commitment for our sta . Sta trainers assigned as mentors manage the intern’s time and provide ongoing support and feedback. Mentors meet with interns regularly and play an especially important role in coaching as the interns prepare to facilitate presentations and workshops. At the conclusion, mentors provide written coaching evaluations for interns and managers. Speaking from Experience. Brittany Hallahan, a senior national sales trainer, was the perfect choice to lead our internship program in 2011. Brittany began her career as a sales repre-

sentative in Boston. A er completing an internship in 2009 and exploring career paths with her manager, Brittany accepted a permanent position on the primary care sales training team. Brittany says, “Joining the sales training team was a change from being in the eld, but a welcomed change. While completing my internship I worked in a close team environment and witnessed how people work through di ering opinions and issues.

To be successful, we believe that having passion for what we do
is just as important as being innovative
It di ered from previous working experiences in the eld, but I found I enjoyed the close ‘in house’ environment!” During her internship, Brittany led workshops and interacted with new hires. “It was the best of both worlds. I was able to share my experiences while helping new hires understand the sales message. I put a personal touch on it. I loved helping new hires and seeing that ‘light bulb’ come on.” Professional development was Brittany’s motivation. She was passionate

about seeing the work and planning that goes on behind the scenes, which is rare for the sales force. “I saw value in completing the internship. As I looked to advance my career, I thought it would set me apart and give me a competitive edge.” e training internship has been highly successful for Daiichi Sankyo in many respects and is currently being looked at as a model for best practice by other departments. We regularly gain the insights and skills of some of the best sales representatives in the eld, while interns nd out what it’s like on the “inside” before making a major career move. ose who return to the eld a er their internship have a much better perspective on the importance and value of training and are better able to connect what we do and why we do it. ey have sharpened their collaboration and communications skills and gained an in-depth understanding of the processes that our marketing materials and messaging go through before it ever gets to the hands of our representatives in the eld — from concept and development through medical and legal review. To be successful, we believe that having passion for what we do is just as important as being innovative. is program is an example of the innovative thinking that we want all our employees to experience. It’s a program that improves us as an organization and as individuals. I

John Sjovall is executive director of sales training & development for Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. Email John at jsjovall@dsi.com.

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Focus Magazine - Winter 2012

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