Similar to other business related internships, sales internships allow you to get a feel for the big world of business while you’re still in college. The difference is that in an internship in sales, you learn specifically about marketing a product and the techniques needed to secure a sale. You’ll also pick up new skills like managing sales cycles and pipelines in addition to lead generation through market trends. With a career as a sales representative, you’re looking at an average salary of over $70,000; but even as a sales intern you’ll be making money, since most positions are paid and offer some sort of commission. And opportunities for students are definitely hands-on: for most companies, you will go on actual sales calls and help brainstorm and create marketing materials to support your pitch. Because you’ll be focused on selling products, you’ll learn a lot about the company itself which will help you decide what kind of company you want to eventually work for. For instance, if sales is your passion but you also love computers, you can intern at Microsoft; if you’ve always wanted to work in a creative environment, you can find your niche at a radio or television station. No matter which route you choose, when you intern in sales, you’ll be benefiting not only yourself, but others as well by driving new business.