Sales Competition Opportunities

Develop valuable skills for your career

Winter term

Pacific Northwest Sales Competition

The Pacific Northwest Sales Competition (PNW Sales Competition) gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in professional sales in an experiential learning environment.

Students play the role of a sales representative and sell product(s) in the context of a real-life sales situation. They demonstrate their selling abilities by formulating their case analysis and presenting the value proposition of their product(s) to the leaders from the Sales Academy’s Platinum corporate partner. Additionally, students showcase their knowledge and skills in professional sales to the competition judges of our corporate partners.

Students from OSU have the opportunity to compete against their peers from other collegiate sales teams.

Top performers could earn cash prizes.

Oregon State Elevator Pitch Competition

Fall term

The Oregon State Elevator Pitch Competition (OSEPC) is a competition where students present themselves in an elevator-pitch format via video which is then reviewed by a judging panel of our corporate partners.

It’s called an “Elevator Pitch” because it describes the challenge: “How would you explain your skills, service or product if fate places you in an elevator with the CEO of your dream company with only the time it takes to get from the top of the building to the bottom?”

At the end of your pitch, you must ask for something. Do you want their business card, to schedule an interview or meeting, or ask for a referral?

The OSEPC allows students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in professional sales in an experiential learning environment. Additionally, students can showcase their own skills to leaders of our corporate-partner companies.

Top performers could earn cash prizes.

What your elevator pitch must contain

  • A "hook"
    Open your pitch by getting the potential employer's attention with a "hook." A statement or question that piques their interest to want to hear more.
  • Passion
    Employers expect energy and dedication from potential employees.
  • A request
    At the end of your pitch, you must ask for something. Do you want their business card, to schedule an interview or meeting or to ask for a referral?

The OSEPC allows OSU students to see how they stack up against their peers, while also allowing the Sales Academy’s corporate partners and other interested parties to get a sneak peek at OSU talent as they prepare to enter the job market. In addition, top performers are awarded cash prizes.

Spring term

Oregon State Case Competition (OSSC)

The OSSC is designed to prompt students to examine a company’s sales problem in the context of a real-life sales situation. The OSSC competition gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Students formulate their case analysis and present their solution(s) to the leaders of the Sales Academy Gold corporate partner, American International Forest Products. Additionally, students showcase their knowledge and skills in professional sales to the competition judges of our corporate partners.

The OSSC is a team competition open to all students currently enrolled in OSU. Teams are comprised of two to four students.

Top performers could earn cash prizes.