IN MY SHOES: What It’s Like To Sell Cutco Knives
William & Mary Mason School of Business junior Derek Kernus got what The Wall Street Journal calls “an admittedly unusual job … spending the summer traipsing through the homes of friends, neighbors and strangers - armed with carrots and rope - selling stainless steel kitchen knives”:
It might sound odd at best, nightmarish if you're shy - and a far cry from an elite internship at an investment bank, law firm, or media company. But, say many an alum of the knife-hawking business, the skills and experience you need to boost your résumé and land a job postgraduation can be found in the quirky summer job.
The knife company in question is Cutco Cutlery, an Olean, N.Y., manufacturer with $198 million in revenue, according to Sarah Baker Andrus, director of academic programs for Vector Marketing, Cutco's sales arm. Ms. Andrus says the company brings in 60% of its sales over the summer, when a force of 40,000 - 85% of whom are students - fan out to ply their wares. …
John Williams, 34, who now does research and consulting in Cincinnati for a technology-oriented think tank, sold Cutco knives in the summer of 1992 before he entered Northwestern University. … "You have to go into someone's home and quickly gain their trust." But in the process, Mr. Williams says, he learned how to market himself and his product, make presentations and respond to questions, adjust to new and unexpected situations, and quickly connect with people. "You also learn about integrity and following through," he notes.
In his two months as a Cutco representative, Kernus has already sold $32,000 worth of cutlery. Most of his sales come from referrals from previous customers, and his “territory” is anywhere he can drive to in 15 minutes or less from his home in Leesburg, VA.
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