Jessica Rich-Plotkin
- Field Energy Consultant Mentor
- Solarcity
School Information
School: University of California, San Diego
College Major: Business
Years at College Works: 2007 to 2009
Career Information
Working For: Solarcity
Title: Field Energy Consultant Mentor
Industry: Energy
Brief Description of Duties / Responsibilities:
Sales, lead generation, referrals, customer account management. Training new Field Energy Consultants in sales, lead generation, referrals, and time management.
What Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?Being promoted to Field Energy Consultant Mentor and in training to be the next Regional Sales Manager for Solarcity within a year of working for the company.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
College Works Painting was a crash course in sales, business, time management, leadership, and entrepreneurship-I learned more in 1 year of College Works Painting than I did in all 4 of college.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
If you can imagine knowing all of the best and worst things you can do in sales, business, and leadership before you ever start your career, that’s what College Works Painting does. You are put in an internship where you have the freedom to make mistakes and take chances so that you don’t have to second guess yourself the next time around. Since I had already had the most intense experience in sales, time management, and leadership possible, the next job I took was cake. I had more confidence than I ever would have had and was promoted much quicker. College Works Painting gives you an edge over any other job applicant.
What do you want to tell your clients about what it meant to work with them and how it has helped you get to where you are today?
My first customer taught me the value of developing a relationship. In sales it is so easy to get caught up in being #1, making money, or hitting quota and my customers helped me to always remember that their experience has to be put first.
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
The customer’s experience is key. A happy customer leads to better profit margins, better reviews, and most importantly, referrals.
How have the friendships and networks you built during CW affected you?
After leaving College Works Painting, another College Works Painting alumni, who was a VP in Mass, asked me to recruit for his new solar company after hearing about me through the College Works Painting grapevine. Since leaving College Works Painting, I have met many other alumni and each of those relationships has helped me get further in my career.
If you had to come up with a one line slogan for CW, what would it be?
Work Hard Play Hard….I’m sure this is already taken, but it fits.
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
Think big and take chances. This is the only time you will be able to take a practice shot at your future life/career. You will make mistakes and learn from them. You will have successes and develop a hunger for more. Listen and learn from the successful people around you and don’t re-invent the wheel.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
College Works Painting is a perfect real-life experience in sales and leadership, but it also pushes you to your limits in time management and adversity. Most people who fail in life and their careers do so because they give up and don’t believe in themselves. College Works Painting has the ability to help you gain confidence in yourself and your ability to overcome obstacles. I can’t think of any single career where confidence and problem solving aren’t highly valued.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
The trip to Mexico at the end of the year was by far my best memory. I can’t go into the details, so you will just have to hit the numbers to experience it for yourself.
Last words of wisdom?
Have Fun! Do your best and work your butt off to achieve your goals, but celebrate every little win and have fun with everything you do.