Why your Dream Career starts with a Sales Internship: My Journey into the World of Sales
Hi, I’m Aditya, a recent engineering graduate who leaped into the world of sales, unsure of what to expect. When I first applied for a sales internship at Fyle, sales wasn’t exactly on my radar and I didn’t see myself as the “typical” salesperson. I’m not an extrovert, I’m not overly talkative, and I usually respond only when spoken to. But what I’d walked into wasn’t traditional sales. And to my surprise, I found myself loving and adapting well in this space.
The sales process at Fyle allowed me to discover and leverage my strengths in a way I hadn’t anticipated. I could focus on building genuine connections, working on solving problems, and communicating value, all in a format that felt natural to me. Over time, I realized that sales isn’t about fitting into a specific mold. It's about adapting your unique skills to meet the needs of your prospects.
In this blog, I’ll share my experience, which has shown me that I’m capable of more than I ever imagined, and it has opened my eyes to the exciting possibilities of a career in sales. I hope my story inspires you to take the leap and discover what you’re truly capable of.
A Team of Diverse Thoughts
One of the first things I noticed at Fyle was the diversity of our team. We have engineers, culinary school graduates, MBAs, and more; all working together in sales. This diversity isn’t just a nice talking point about the team, it’s a strength. Each person brings a unique perspective and skill set to the table, and it’s this mix of backgrounds that makes our team so effective.
I’ve learned so much from my colleagues with different experiences. Whether it’s their creativity, strategic thinking, or customer-centric approach, everyone contributes something unique. These interactions have shown me that sales is also about leveraging your strengths and learning from others.
What’s even more inspiring is how this translates into our approach to problem-solving. When we brainstorm as a team, the variety of perspectives leads to innovative solutions that an individual wouldn’t have thought of on their own. It’s a constant reminder that sales is a team sport, and everyone has a role to play.
Months 1 and 2: Learning the Ropes
The first month was all about learning. I was introduced to Fyle’s expense management capabilities, and an extremely supportive buddy, Supratik, was assigned to guide me through the process. I’m incredibly grateful for their patience and insights as I navigated the learning curve. We started with internal product demonstrations, where I’d present to my team, and they’d provide constructive feedback. It was nerve-wracking at first, but the constant feedback loop helped me improve quickly.
Mock discovery calls were another key part of the training. A discovery call is an initial conversation a sales representative has with a potential customer or lead, where the primary goal is to understand their needs, challenges, and goals to determine if they are a good fit for the product or service being offered, usually taking place only after the prospect has shown some initial interest. These simulated calls with my team were a safe space to make mistakes, learn, and refine my approach. A fellow teammate, Jaswinder, would deliberately present himself as a hard-to-crack persona to give us a glimpse of what can also be expected and most importantly how to rightly navigate such conversations going forward. The feedback-driven process was invaluable, it taught me how to ask the right questions, listen actively, and tailor my pitch to different audiences. By the end of the first month, I felt more confident, though I knew there was still a lot more to learn.
Months 3 and 4: Diving into Real Leads
By the second month, I was assigned my first set of leads. These were non-ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) accounts, since I was still an intern. November and December were slow months due to the holidays, and the lead flow was affected. But this allowed me to focus on building my pipeline from scratch. My first deal was a breeze, thanks to the assistance of an excellent team member, Neeraj. It was a great introduction to the process, but I knew the real test would come when I had to close a deal on my own.
That moment came sooner than I expected. My second deal was entirely my own, from discovery to quick closure. The satisfaction of seeing it through was incredible. It wasn’t just about the win, it was about proving to myself that I could do it. The third deal, however, was a rollercoaster. Conversations dragged on for over a month due to the holidays, and there were moments when I thought it might fall through. But persistence paid off, and closing it on the very last day of the quarter was an absolute thrill.
Despite these wins, I only hit 33% of my target by the end of the quarter. It was humbling, but it also motivated me to work harder and refine my approach. I spent time watching call recordings, following up on cold and nurture leads from other representatives, and familiarizing myself with our end-to-end Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. Every interaction was a learning opportunity, and I was determined to make the most of it.
Q1: A Fresh Start and New Momentum
The start of Q1 brought a renewed sense of energy. For the first time, I was assigned real targets and action items to guide my success as an intern. The lead flow was stronger, and people were more willing to engage. It felt like the perfect time to apply everything I’d learned in the previous months.
One of the highlights of this quarter was our offline team kickoff. As a fully remote team, getting to meet my colleagues in person was a game-changer. The team conducted insightful sessions that covered everything from competitor analysis, the importance of partnerships, action items for 2025, and how to conduct challenging discovery calls based on the Challenger Sale methodology. These were topics that were usually not deeply discussed in casual team conversations, but they were incredibly valuable for my general understanding and growth.
The kickoff wasn’t all work, though. We had fun activities and a team dinner that helped me connect with my colleagues on a personal level. It reminded me that sales isn’t just about numbers, it’s about the people you work with and the relationships you build along the way.
Why Sales is the Perfect Starting Point
My sales internship has been more than just a job, it’s been a transformative experience. It’s taught me how to communicate with impact, solve problems creatively, and embrace challenges head-on with resilience. It’s shown me the importance of building relationships and working as part of a team. Most importantly, it’s given me a sense of purpose, knowing that my work directly contributes to the company’s success.
For anyone starting their career, sales is not simply a role; it is a game-changer launchpad. Its dynamic and exciting nature makes it clear that it’s not just about pushing products, it’s about pushing yourself. If you’re ready to step out of your comfort zone, learn from every experience, and unlock your potential, your dream career is sure to begin with a sales internship. Give it your best shot!
What I’d Tell My Past Self Before Starting
1. Embrace the constant learning curve: It is perfectly fine to feel overwhelmed at first. Sales as a skill is perfected through multiple rounds of development. Treat every mistake as an opportunity to grow and do better.
2. Listen more, sell less: When you focus on solving your prospect’s pain points instead of pushing your product, the sale happens naturally.
3. Persistence pays off: Staying consistent and adaptable leads to unexpected wins even when a deal seems impossible. Your biggest breakthrough might come from your toughest conversation.
Conclusion: The Final Sprint towards Success
As I approach the final stretch of my internship, I can’t help but reflect on how far I’ve come. From nervously presenting product demos to confidently closing deals, every step of this journey has been a learning experience. The challenges I faced; like hitting only a fraction of my target in the first quarter, taught me resilience and the importance of staying focused. The wins, no matter how small, reminded me why I fell in love with the way the team functions in the first place. It all just boils down to a few key pointers that one cannot compromise on.
I want to sum it up as a journey of continuous improvement. You start with a brick and you end up building a mansion. Good CRM hygiene and consistent follow-ups ensure that you get a headstart. You can stay on top of your things and identify any cracks in the process to mend them immediately. Pair this with asking the right questions to your prospect and you can already see the finish line. You become a trusted guide, helping them identify the problems they have and finally showing them that a solution exists. To finish off strong, show them how your product solves their problems, why it’s the best choice, and why now is the right time to act. This leaves them inspired and ready to take things forward.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to take on larger ICP accounts and continue refining my skills under the guidance of my amazing mentors, Sumit and Nihas. The momentum from Q1 and hitting 124% of my target with a whole month to spare has given me a clear roadmap for success, and I’m ready to sprint towards my goals. But more than that, I’m grateful for the relationships I’ve built along the way, with my team, my mentors, and my customers. These connections have made the journey meaningful and rewarding.
