Tell me about being in B2B technology sales.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Tell me about being in B2B technology sales.

EAT FASTER!!!!!!: Sep 21, 2002; Legendary.

oliveoil posted:

Really? Do they pay well? I have a friend who wants to get started in sales at a big tech company and I know one guy who works in tech with a development team and then another guy who used to work there, plus a few other really old acquaintances who work as software engineers there. Would it be helpful for my friend if I reached out to them?

They were working as a seller for clothing brands to get their clothes into stores, so they've got sales experience but they've been unemployed (quit their job without another lined up because they wanted to visit their family overseas for a couple months) for six months, have no degree (part time, maybe one semester of credits so far in total) and no real tech background so I don't really know how to help them. :/

Your friend is totally unqualified for the job you're describing and needs to get their poo poo together.

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EAT FASTER!!!!!!: Sep 21, 2002; Legendary.

oliveoil posted:

Great! If they're unqualified then that seems to imply that there are qualifications. What should they do within the next 2-4 years to get qualified for a high-paying sales job? In the long term, they want to do sales and aim for sales jobs in the highest paying industries. I think tech sales seems to fit the bill but am not sure how to advise them.

My friend had a bachelors from an Ivy League university in an unrelated field and several years of sales experience in consumer goods that he leveraged into such a position.

# ¿ Feb 1, 2017 15:59

EAT FASTER!!!!!!: Sep 21, 2002; Legendary.

No Butt Stuff posted:

Yeah, you don't need that either.

The route I've seen some people take rather successfully is bachelors, entry level sales job at giant automation company/software company, work for 2-4 years, get a better sales job.

Do your friends have the aptitude to learn all about the products they'd be selling?
Do they have any sort of charisma?
Can they interface with engineering?
Are they able to do customer service?
Do they stick to deadlines?
How are they with being in front of groups?
Being grilled by some rear end who wants to make them look stupid?

I'm not in sales, but I do not envy salesmen at all.

Yeah, he loving HATED this job, despite making cartoon money, and left within 4 years after clearing well over 1M in his short tenure.

# ¿ Feb 1, 2017 16:05

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Tell me about being in B2B technology sales.