Space_Ghost20

Account Executive

Valued Contributor

Advice/thoughts on potential offer?

Been unemployed for almost 7 months. Had about a dozen interviews in that amount of time, 4 of which got to the final round, none resulted in an offer. I just finished a final round interview (45 minute conversation) with a VP at a MongoDB competitor. At the end he told me everyone likes me, and I have his sign off, but ultimately it's in the hiring manager's hands, and the only red flag from their perspective was my commute (2 hours each way, 4x a week in office).

In any normal situation, I'd never have even applied for this job in the first place. The pay is less than I'd like ($50k base/$76k OTE), it's an SDR job, and the aforementioned commute. If I'm 100% honest, I'm going to continue to search even if I were to get and accept an offer. I'm not really in a position to relocate (nor do I want to), and I feel I'm better used in a full cycle role, not in lead gen (though I do like prospecting). 12-18 months until AE again doesn't excite me. At the same time, I need to bring in income and nothing else is panning out. I also don't want to burn bridges by leaving 6 weeks in (or even 6 months in). This is a fairly well-known company, and the people I've met with so far have pretty extensive experience in software sales, I don't want to end up blacklisted.

Any advice? Things I should consider when thinking about this?

🤝 Interviewing/Offer

10

25 comments

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SalesBeast

Politicker

4

Sales Leader

Brutal commute. Prob shouldn’t bring that kinda stuff up in interviews. Just keep it strictly business related.
Take it if only others option is being homeless but as for looking for new job yes keep looking. Tbh 12 interviews in 12 months seems super low. Think you might want to look harder and apply more places if in a desperate spot. A 2 hr drive would blow. I would be tempted to just hit gym and sleep in car if that big of a drive everyday.

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

It's 12 interviews in 7 months, but regardless, I agree it's low. Sleeping in the car or finding a cheap Airbnb or something are options I'm pondering.

If this doesn't pan out (from my end or theirs) I'll probably end up doing Uber or trying to find something short term (warehouse, retail, D2D) and won't literally be homeless. But this is the only viable opportunity in my pipeline at the moment.

SalesBeast

Politicker

1

Sales Leader

Good catch. Meant 7 months. That’s still pretty low numbers of interviews. I have a buddy who is interviewing 2-3 places a week going beast mode.
I agree w you I would do anything to avoid homeless but a 2 hr commute is absolutely awful. Fuck an Airbnb those are expensive. Maybe find a shit motel 2 nights a week like motel6 status to just have a roof. Or I would get gym membership. Eat a meal hit gym few hrs then crash in the car wake up and shower at the gym before work.
Good luck w job search.

Justatitle

Big Shot

4

Account Executive

I'm going to be to the point on this. Take the job and commit to it. Why?
- You have no other options - Eat the shit for 12-18 months and show you can put mind over matter- Find some awesome podcasts to kill the commute time- Do what others won't so you can go where others don't

SportsSalesGuy

Tycoon

2

Enterprise Account Executive

Agreed, even though I would have a rly hard time in your position. And may happen to me as well. As much as it fuckin sucks, its better than no income and you could make up the lack of pay on the backend in commission as i assume its uncapped.

I dont drive without a podcast being on anyways plenty out there to kill time, maybe learn something

jefe

Arsonist

1

🍁

It sounds like you really need the income. That's most important.

This is what I'd do. Plus keep looking and bounce if you can.

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

1

Account Executive

I appreciate this perspective. Almost a year ago I was offered a similar position at a different company (ADR, almost identical pay) but remote. As I was employed at the time, I turned it down. Thought for sure something better would come along. I can't help but think now that it was the wrong decision, and that had I took it, I might be close to being promoted to AE (a lot of assumptions there I know) and not have spent the last 6+ months unemployed. Don't want to make the same mistake again.

RyanHowardWHUPF

Contributor

3

Account Executive

Space Ghost, I'd say take it if you believe you can work yourself into an AE role faster or can out perform OTE to hit whatever you need your take home to be. Not sure how long you've been in the industry but I think you make yourself invaluable so you can ask the company to be flexible once you've proven yourself. Whether that's reducing your commute or planning your advancement to an AE role.

If you can take another 7 months without income then yeah keep looking, but I think interviewing and turning down offers could be negative too in terms of black listing. Most companies nowdays are up front so if a commute or OTE is keeping you from pulling the trigger now, it should have kept you from continuing the interview process after reading the JD, or at the very least after the first screening call.. unless you didn't ask.

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

There's not much in San Antonio (where I live) so it's either remote (which is competitive), relocate (already mentioned difficult to do), or commute to Austin (nearest tech hub). The role was advertised as "hybrid" which means different things at different companies. A previous AE role I interviewed for at a different company was 1x a week in office, which was very doable especially for $100k base/$200k OTE. I didn't learn until meeting the hiring manager last week that it would be 4x in office (the recruiter didn't have that info). Since the pay and title wasn't a perfect match I decided to be honest up front about where I was located and let them decide if that was a deal breaker. I was genuinely surprised that I was moved along (even though the interview went quite well). I would absolutely take the role without reservation if it was an AE role and/or higher pay. I've been in the SaaS world for 3 years, before that I was in banking and insurance (6 years).

I can probably do another month or two just doing Uber. But not much more than that.

RyanHowardWHUPF

Contributor

0

Account Executive

Hey @Space_Ghost20 i'm in the San Antonio area on the North side. If you want to DM me we can link up and talk a little more openly

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

I don't have an iPhone so I can't DM. Not sure if there's a good way around that and I don't want to violate any rules.

slayallday

Personal Narrative

3

Enterprise Account Executive

Oi that's hard mate. 2 hour commute?? I personally would say no to this, or would operate in the position to work that job and continue applying till a better opportunity arises.

Given you said you don't want to burn bridges, quitting seems to not be an option.

What does their remote culture look like? Maybe you can work for 6 months and shift to being a remote worker there?

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

In off-rush hour traffic, I could probably do it in 90 minutes. Two hours might even be optimistic if there's bad traffic.

Everyone in the Austin office is 4x a week. Some of their Enterprise level folks are there less often doing site visits and the like.

Pachacuti

Politicker

2

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Any chance of working remote a couple days per week? At least after you get started...

You can use that commute time to keep job searching, assuming you aren't actually driving. That commute is brutal and will kill any disposable income you have. You'll basically be living paycheck to paycheck.

But since you've been out of work for 7 months, I'd take the job if offered. See if there's a travel stipend possible (even a couple hundred per month would be very helpful). I'd ask HR about that AFTER you get an offer.

Good luck!

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

I figured I could try to negotiate a little if there's an actual offer. Travel stipend, extra remote days, or slight bump in base to offset travel cost I could try. But given the market, not sure if they'll go for that.

Unfortunately there's not much in the way of transit from San Antonio to Austin. I'll be driving. Thankfully my car gets good gas mileage, but that's a small consolation.

oldcloser

Arsonist

2

💀

You gots iPhone?

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

1

Account Executive

I'm an Android.

oldcloser

Arsonist

0

💀

then you can't DM. bahhh

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

Yeah, unfortunately. I tried a while back to fire up my old iPod touch to see if I could access Bravado that way. No dice.

oldcloser

Arsonist

2

💀

permission to circumvent has been requested. We'll play by the rules.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

3

🦊

Orrrrr tag him in an old ass post no one is looking at and talk then delete ur comments

oldcloser

Arsonist

2

💀

Or that

jefe

Arsonist

3

🍁

Sneaky fox

CuriousFox

WR Officer

2

🦊

😏

Notmyrealname

Politicker

1

AE

Don't take it. I can tell you with absolute certainty that even if you haven't found anything else, you will leave in a short time frame because a 4 hour daily commute is ridiculous. If it was me, I would let them know I thought about it and have similar concerns about the distance. Don't take a bad option just because you feel it's your only option.

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