the_sonk_master

Account Manager

Career Path: AE, AM or BDM?

Been doing SDR/BDR stuff for a year now and have been able to have some pretty good success, realize that I'll have to keep SDR/BDR'ing for another year but want to start to plan out a roadmap for continuing to progress my career. With that being said, I've got no clue what path I'd want to go down so would love to hear from the AE's, AM's and Business Dev. Managers in the War Room on how their experiences have been so far in those roles and any advice you've got for someone looking to make the move and how the transition was for you.

Appreciate all you savages

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15 comments

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Rallier

Politicker

SDR Manager and Consultant

I've been both an SDR manager and an AE. I definitely think AE is the better route, and you can make more money. Every future job whether it be in management or IC will want you to have closing experience.

the_sonk_master

Opinionated

Account Manager

For sure, that makes a ton of sense; always helps to have some closing experience in your back pocket

Ozz

Politicker

Account Executive

AE is a better route for money. It will also allow you to transition into more roles since you have closing experience. Plus it’s more fun than managing for now :)

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

AE all day everyday.

RealPatrickBateman

Politicker

🔪Amateur Butcher🔪

THIS.

If you're going to be an SDR manager you will need the mental fortitude of an overworked 4th grade teacher with 3x the normal class capacity and a speech impediment.

Doable... but do you really want to?

TheSolicitorGeneral

Politicker

Small Market AE

AE. By no means do you want to prematurely deadend your career experience by never accepting a closing role

MontBlanc

Notable Contributor

Senior Account Executive

AE, get your money

GreenSide

Politicker

Sales manager

Why do you say you need another year of SDR/BDR before you can make the jump?

the_sonk_master

Opinionated

Account Manager

Those were just my initial thoughts, spoke with my manager about it and was told that if I continue to get results over the next 3-4 months then the possibility of jumping into an AE role becomes more imminent

GreenSide

Politicker

Sales manager

If you like the company, I’d probably stick it out until you get the promotion. That said, “next 3-4” months and the “possibility of jumping…” are vague promises and don’t seem like concrete steps. Get your manager to agree to concrete next steps. Get in writing what the “results” he or she is looking for. You don’t want to find yourself in the same spot 3-4 months from now and they tell you “there’s no opening right now”. If you put in the work, they should too. Treat your career as you would a sales opportunity. Otherwise, I’ve seen plenty of BDR/SDR make the jump by moving to a diff company.

the_sonk_master

Opinionated

Account Manager

that makes a ton of sense, appreciate the advice!

GDO

Politicker

BDM

Go for a closing role ASAP. After that you can move around between them and see what you like

Beans

Big Shot

Enterprise Account Executive

Go AE first, if management is the end goal the experience here will allow you to move back to SDM or even a SMB/MM AE manager in time.

SaaSguy

Tycoon

Account Executive

Apply for SMB AE roles, some dont need closing experience and a year of stellar performance as an SDR will get you an interview. I've seen it at my own company many times-we just called up another ADR to join our team on a closing role.

Cyberjarre

Politicker

BDR

I feel like this happens often with us in sales... and for me, the only way to get out of the funk is to sell more! For those of us in sales we get a high from selling (or from the commission we get from selling).