Making the Call

PITTSBURGH — Cold calling potential clients gave Olivia Whitaker more than practice making a sales pitch. It taught her how to handle rejection, ask better questions, and approach each conversation as an opportunity to learn.

Through a summer internship with Group Management Services at its Pittsburgh office, the Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg business student strengthened her interest in a professional sales career while gaining a clearer understanding of what it takes to succeed.

“Cold calling can be challenging, especially when you're reaching out to people who aren't expecting your call,” said Whitaker, a professional sales and marketing major. “I quickly learned that rejection is part of the process, but how you respond to it is what matters. Every conversation, whether it resulted in an opportunity or not, was a chance to improve.”

Whitaker entered her senior year with experience reaching prospective clients, using sales technology, and observing how sales representatives prepare for and conduct client meetings. Alongside 25 other interns from across the country, she also completed weekly projects and exchanged perspectives on the work.

Some of her most valuable learning came from accompanying sales representatives into the field. Watching their different approaches gave her an opportunity to see how the concepts she had practiced in class played out in client conversations.

“I also attended meetings and proposals and went to shadow the reps as they prepped for the meetings and ran them,” Whitaker said.

Working closely with the Pittsburgh sales team helped her understand the day-to-day demands of the profession, while connecting with fellow interns broadened her perspective beyond one office.

“I loved getting to work with the interns across the country and hear different perspectives about how the market differs in each office,” said Whitaker, who credits her sales and marketing education through the Zeigler College of Business with providing a strong foundation.

She said her coursework gave her practice leading professional conversations, developing questions to uncover customers’ needs, and understanding the stages of the sales process.

“I've learned that successful selling is about much more than convincing someone to purchase a product or service,” Whitaker said. “It's about asking the right questions, understanding a customer's needs, building trust, and finding solutions that genuinely benefit them.”

Classroom activities, presentations, sales competitions, and opportunities through Pi Sigma Epsilon also helped her become more comfortable in unfamiliar situations.

“I've been encouraged to step outside my comfort zone,” Whitaker said. “That experience helped me feel prepared to enter a professional sales environment.”

The internship built on that preparation by giving her repeated opportunities to communicate with prospective clients and learn from experienced professionals. It also reinforced a lesson that connected her coursework with her workplace experience — effective selling begins with listening.

“The best sales conversations aren't necessarily the ones where you do the most talking,” Whitaker said. “They're the ones where you listen, ask thoughtful questions, and understand what matters to the customer.”

By the end of the summer, she developed both practical skills and a better understanding of the consistency, resilience, and willingness to learn that sales requires.

“I became more confident in my communication skills, improved my time management, gained experience using sales technology and CRM systems,” Whitaker said. “I also developed a better understanding of what it takes to succeed in a competitive sales environment.”

As she prepares for graduation, Whitaker plans to explore opportunities across industries and find a company whose product or service she believes in. Her internship also helped her recognize what she values in a workplace.

Whitaker concluded, “My experience at GMS taught me the industry is important, but the people you're surrounded by, the relationships you build, and your willingness to grow are just as valuable.”