K-State Sales Team
FAQ: K-State Sales Team Tryouts
To help students prepare, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help everyone better understand the structure of the K-State Sales Team Tryouts. If you have additional questions, please contact Karah Hildebrand.
All students who meet the following criteria can compete in the K-State Sales Team Tryouts.
- Admitted into the certificate or major in Professional Strategic Selling.
- Completed SALES 300 (SALES 542): Fundamentals of Professional Selling.
- Minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA.
Class standing determines if a student is eligible for a student competitor or peer coach role.
- Student Competitor: Current freshmen or sophomores entering their sophomore or junior year.
- Peer Coach: Current sophomores or juniors entering their junior or senior year.
Note: Registration is limited to the first 36 students who register to compete.
Upon registration, students will receive the case scenario and judging rubric. In addition, students can find the case scenario and judging rubric within the K-State Sales Team Tryouts Module in the K-State Sales Program Canvas course. Note, that each round is a new scenario; however, you as the salesperson are still representing the same company, role, and services offered. Therefore, each round will be scored using the same judging rubric.
Each role-play shall be no longer than 12 minutes, regardless of the round. Time slots are in 20-minute increments to allow for a 12-minute role-play and eight minutes of verbal feedback.
Tryouts will consist of Round 1, Wildcard Round, Round 2, and Round 3. Up to 36 students can compete in Round 1; the top two students in each room will advance to Round 2 and the remaining 30 students will compete in the Wildcard Round. Additonally, the top student in each Wildcard room will advance to Round 2, with nine students competing in Round 2. The top student in each Round 2 room will advance to Round 3, with three students competing in Round 3.
Students will sign-up for both their Round 1 role-play time slot and their Wildcard Round role-play time slot. Students will be assigned a role-play time slot for both Round 2 and Round 3.
All students will receive a confirmation email upon completing their registration. The confirmation email will include a link to sign-up for their Round 1 role-play time.
All role-play time slots will be confirmed with calendar invitations. The calendar invitations will come from the K-State Sales Program. Please be checking your email frequently to accept the invitation once you receive it to confirm your role-play time slot.
Three students will advance to Round 3, or the final round. Student merit awards will be awarded as follows:
- 1st place: $1,000 student merit award
- 2nd place: $750 student merit award
- 3rd place: $500 student merit award
In addition, one student will receive the Rising Star Award and a $500 student merit award. The Rising Star Award will be given to the student who exhibits the most improvement throughout the event.
Up to 15 student competitors and five peer coaches can be selected. Students will be selected to participate in a specific sales competition as either a student competitor or peer coach. They will be notified of their acceptance status by Friday, May 2, 2025.
Students will be invited to interview for a spot on the K-State Sales Team for the 2025 – 2026 academic year based on their performance during the K-State Sales Team Tryouts.
- Interview invitations will be sent Friday, April 25, 2025.
- Interviews will take place on Monday, April 28, 2025.
- Each interview will be scheduled in a five-minute time slot.
All students will be notified by Friday, May 2, 2025 on the status of their acceptance.
All students who have completed SALES 300 (SALES 542): Fundamentals of Professional Selling can compete in the K-State Sales Team Tryouts.