Worldwide sales interns Review

The internship was very organised by the team. From arrival there was always something to do, it was a bit slow near the end (2 weeks before the end) but it picked up again after that. There are a lot of social events to get to know the people that work at the company, and your intern cohort. Great exposure to sales and Cisco products.

During my internship I did several account research projects and presented back to the account managers. The feedback they provided was constructive and very helpful in improving my presentation skills. Some of the solutions my group provided were even carried forward by the account managers to present to the clients themselves. This was amazing as it really felt like I was contributing.

There was a dedicated sales manager who had a wealth of sales knowledge and always happy to help and provide advice. After every account presentation he was on hand to provide feedback and advice on how to improve, in addition to just supporting us every step of the way. The overall intern manager was very organised and logistics never failed. Things were seamless.

I was fairly busy each day. There were a number of events planned for us. From executive speakers which were employees who held notable positions within the company e.g. we heard from Amy Chang the head of collaboration, Chuck Robbins the CEO. We had account research which would take a week and we would present on the Friday. We also had sessions to gain more knowledge on Cisco such as the CIPOC tour.

From the start we were given a lot of responsibility in that we had live accounts to conduct research on and provide Cisco solutions. Some clients included the natural history museum, costco, haymarket etc. The technical sales interns had a cisco answering machine project/competition with the interns from around the world and they presented in front of execs and very notable employees

Though I study Psychology, the sales internship at Cisco has developed skills that will be highly beneficial when I return for my final year. Presenting accounts to the account managers enabled me to improve my presentation skills and my public speaking skills as each presentation led to in-depth feedback sessions on how I could improve the next time. I also developed me team working skills as each account presentation was done in a team and everyone had different personalities and work styles.

The atmosphere in the office was very friendly and somewhat relaxed as you would expect from a technology company. It was not too relaxed though! The internship took place during quarter four which was a stressful period for most if not all employees. There are a lot of events that you can get involved with within the office such as 'give back' days where you can do some volunteering. During my time I was able to attend the annual summer festival that they organised; there was a lot of activities to get involved in like face painting, karaoke, water fight etc. There was also a weekly football club after work, a gym on site.

From the moment I got my offer email it was very organised. The intern managers maintained communication throughout so that I knew where I had to be, what time, what to expect. If I had any questions they always had the answer or would find out the answer. There were a lot of interesting events organised for us to take part in both in the office and outside.

During the first week there was in-depth training on the Cisco products/architectures. We had lessons from architecture experts who were able to explain the products and uses quite easily and answered our questions. This really helped when it came to account research. We also had a Networking 101 session to bring everyone up to speed on how networks work, this was especially useful for us sales interns as we did not have a technical background. The technical sales interns still found it beneficial.

The graduate scheme for the sales track is very renowned and recognised. It's very rigorous and thorough and fully prepares you to be a good sales person. At the end of the internship there is an opportunity to attend an intern exclusive assessment centre day to apply for the graduate scheme. I am very eager to do this as my experience within the company has been exceptional.

We received accommodation from Cisco in Kew Bridge so all of the interns lived in the same place. We often organised various socials on the weekends or after work during the week. These included bowling, thorpe park (it's close), wimbledon tennis (also close) and more. Cisco also organised some social events too; a meal out during the first week, climbing the O2 and then dinner after, a private capsule on the London Eye and dinner after.

London is expensive, so you will need to account for that when you go out after work or on the weekend. However, Cisco does pay well and covers your travel expenses to and from work and to any social events they organise. You can quite easily purchase a zone 1-6 travel card and use it on the weekend and that would cover your travel to work and on the weekends.

There are loads of nice bars, pubs and clubs in London. Where we stayed in Kew Bridge is very close to Richmond where there are loads of nice bars and restaurants. We are also close to Hammersmith where the spoons there is very cheap! We are also close to Gunnursbury station which is the district line so it's fairly easy to get about at night, and the night bus stops right outside of the apartments.

There were loads of social events organised for us. There was the weekly football. A networking event on a boat on the Thames, climbing the O2, the London Eye and a meal out.