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Asahi Beverages

3.3
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Wendy Lin

My role isn’t your typical office job; I am out on the road every single day visiting customers in stores and venues.

What's your job about?

I work for Carlton & United Breweries (CUB), part of the world’s largest brewer AB InBev. They have an incredibly diverse portfolio with some of the world’s most iconic beers such as Corona and Budweiser. I am currently completing a rotation in sales as a Business Development Executive. In this role, I look after approximately 85 customers within national liquor stores (BWS, Dan Murphy’s and Liquorland) as well as ALH pubs stretching from Brighton down to Sorrento. My role isn’t your typical office job; I am out on the road every single day visiting customers in stores and venues. My day-to-day responsibilities include - but are not limited to - executing promotional and new product activity, ensuring ranging, offering insights and gathering business insights to better understand customer needs.

What's your background?

I was born and raised in Melbourne and completed my degree at the University of Melbourne. My university life afforded me many opportunities which have shaped me as a person. I undertook various overseas experiences in the differing capacities of student, intern and volunteer. Studying and working in different cultures and environments improved my problem solving and communication skills while broadening my perspective on future career opportunities. Throughout university I was also extensively involved with the Commerce Students’ Society, providing critical insight into delivering projects within budget and time restraints.

Although I studied accounting, my part-time job at Uber was catalyst for me to seek opportunities outside professional services and banking. This prompted me to apply for CUB’s Commercial Graduate program. I was attracted to CUB because I wanted to work for a company that offered global opportunities and produced products I was passionate about. CUB’s affiliation with AB InBev also means that later on in my career I could be afforded international career opportunities.   

Could someone with a different background do your job?

Most definitely! Unlike our other graduate roles, for example in brewing which is more technical, a lot of what we do is learnt on the job. I think the most important traits for potential graduates to demonstrate are great interpersonal and communication skills given CUB’s focus on team achievement. It would also be beneficial to do some research about the industry to show your understanding and demonstrate how you can have a positive impact on the organisation.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

The coolest thing about my job is the level of autonomy and responsibility I have been afforded from day 1, in contrast to a lot of my peers employed by other large corporates. In addition, being a part of the national account sales team means that I get to help execute some of the coolest promotional activities. Recent examples of this include the ‘Brewed Fresh for Footy Finals’ and ‘Golden Can’ Carlton Draught promotions.

 What are the limitations of your job?

Being a sales rep can be incredibly tiring. There may be days where you see your first customer before light and don’t get home until dark. You’re constantly on the go and always talking (seriously!). However, the thing I struggled with most was that sometimes the role can be lonely. Although you are speaking to a lot of people every day, it isn’t the same as being in an office with your colleagues and there’s a lot of time spent driving on your own. Touching base with colleagues on the phone has been a huge help in overcoming this. Managing a large number of clients with diverse priorities and personalities can also be challenging.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

  • Having a healthy balance: My university life, although I didn’t realise until after, emulated the experience of working full-time. Although the allocation of time is significantly different, both require a disciplined approach in managing short and long-term priorities while simultaneously managing stress and keeping yourself happy. This is absolutely crucial to success in any field you choose to pursue, so now is definitely the time to get into gear.
  • Hard work pays off: the job market is only getting tougher and tougher. Although grad applications, online testing, interviews etc. can be tedious, it’s worth working hard to ensure you not only get a job, but one that you genuinely enjoy. Trust me - it makes a world of difference!
  • Get involved: many of my fondest memories of university relate to my involvement with student societies and going overseas for parts of my degree. Not only will you make incredible friends and memories, but it will surprise you how easily you can tie these experiences into your application/interview responses.