cosankov

Head of Community

Do you think that sales people in their mid twenties should switch jobs fast?

I'm 25 and I've never worked in a sales role, at one company, for more than a year.

Since I've always worked at smaller teams and startups I never got to an experience to work in a corporation or a even a company that has more than 50 employees.

Do you think that it's better for young sales guys to move & switch jobs fast?

Or is it better to double-down within one industry and one company and just grow from there?

Thanks!

Do you think that sales people in their mid twenties should switch jobs fast?

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Yes No Depends (comments)

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21 comment

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paddy

WR Officer

Director of Business Development

I don’t like the negative connotation with “job hopping” in your 20’s. Most people in their 20’s don’t know what they want yet. It’s more of a red flag if you’re doing later in your career. I don’t understand the issue with it when you’re young. Employers have no problem with letting you go quickly, so I don’t think you owe any of them loyalty either when you’re still trying to figure your life out.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Right on the money as usual

alecabral

Arsonist

Director - Digital Sales Transformation

I think it really depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you're just gathering experience or trying things out, you'll probably keep on moving. A word of caution there: that usually doesn't sit very well with some recruiters. I mean, not spending enough time in one job or the other. If you're looking into building a career, try to stay at least a couple of years in role, maybe even get a promotion every now and then. That'll help!

SaaSyBee

Politicker

Founder

That's a little quick, although I'm guilty of the same. But there's no shame in leaving a place once you've learned all you can learn and exhausted your opportunities there.

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

I'd argue there are very few companies where you can "learn all you can learn and exhaust your opportunities" in 1-2 years

SaaSyBee

Politicker

Founder

I don't know... I just left one that was tanking and that was a good example. We only made $15k ARR in the 7 months I was there (not accounting for churn). It was definitely going under and the CEO's vision was antiquated and doomed to fail so I bailed.

Calico

Celebrated Contributor

Corporate Trainer

This is a good example of when to bail. I hope you are/were able to find a position where you'd stay longer because the company is doing well, and you get more opportunities to learn.

I think something people should consider is that you make your own opportunities. Either with the company (pitching ideas, getting training, etc) or on their own, people need to hold themselves accountable for their own growth.

SaaSyBee

Politicker

Founder

Yes! I'm in a great role now with a company that's steady and thriving. (Not a rocketship, but steady growth is what I was looking for.)

SaaSyBee

Politicker

Founder

And totally agree that it's all about how you approach your growth. Can't be beholden to what the company is doing especially in sales.

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

Agreed -- if the company is failing it's OK to move on.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

I try to hit the 18-month mark and then take a look at what else is available to me. If I have to leave to gain experience because my current company can't help me grow, then I am going to leap. If I can't get paid a fair rate based on my market at my current co and a new one will do it for me, then I know I put in my solid 18-months and I'm happy to move. Sure, I've stayed some places for longer than that, but I don't see a problem with being a mercenary.

figjam

Opinionated

Enterprise Sales Executive

Do you have a good story to sell why you moved around? It’s all about how you frame the experiences and opportunities in my opinion.

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

Job hopping for no good reason isn't the way to get ahead. Every time you switch you have to start over. Also, working at a large company isn't all it's cracked up to be. I cut my teeth at startups and it helped me a lot because I had to think creatively and problem solve.

NoSuperhero

Politicker

BDR LEAD

Not just people in their 20s, but anywhere in life, if you don't like what you do, change it.

Calico

Celebrated Contributor

Corporate Trainer

It depends. Sales is a fast-changing field that doesn't lend itself to having long-term positions unless sales is your absolute dream job. Maybe you want to start as an SDR and make your way up quickly, make a ton of money, and then use it to open up your own business.

Either way, I think there are a few good reasons for quitting, and HR/Recruiters need to keep them in mind:

1.) Toxic environment - it's not something you'd know until you actually start working there.
2.) Personal life/emergency
3.) You found something better. No one in their right mind can tell you you're in the wrong for looking at the greener side. And if a recruiter says "but people are too lazy these days! No one stays here for more than 6 months!", maybe it's their company, not the employees.

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

Yes. Never stagnant. I wanted to be a VP by 35 and I made it at 30. I wanted to be a CMO by 45 and I made it by 34.

All of my buddies are still at the first SaaS company I started at and they're just senior team leads. They've lost their opportunity to go north in the corporate world and they don't even know it.

Go where you can make the most money, provide the most value to your new employer and find the most success. Then do it again and again.

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

Rolling 20's all day

I would be interested to hear your strategy for how you made your moves up the chain. Would you be open to sharing?

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

Sure. Let me get to the office and I’ll type it up.

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

Okay I'm back @DungeonsNDemos.

1 - I was referred into a SaaS company and learned every department before I got on the phones. Took me about 2 months to train but I crushed it in every department and then that made me a fantastic salesperson out of the gate. I was top-3 rep for the three years I was there then I got fired for not focusing on work. This one was my fault.

2 - Got hired at an agency that was looking to start a google ads division but they wouldn't pay commission on accounts sold. So I did that for a few months and;

3 - found another agency that had a much higher base and paid commish. Was there for a few months and then got let go because the bosses daughter needed a job and she wanted to manage their digital marketing portfolio.

4 - I knew it was coming so I had found a publisher that wanted to start a digital marketing division and became their vp. I didn't miss a check, thank God. Did that for two years and we turned the company around (I oversaw traditional media sales too) and with the success they wanted to move me to focus solely on new digital sales and hire two people to manage my traditional media account. I negotiated a soft landing on the way out the door and moved on to a start up.

5 - worked here for a year and was the division head for marketing, problem was the company was in shambles. CEO going through a divorce, was harpooning the secretary and he made her everyone's boss. It was nuts. I was 100% to goal the entire year and I got let go because they hired & fired four, FOUR sets of management in my year there. The fourth one was an outside consulting company lead by some 25 year old prick who thought his VP title made him know everything about sales. He cleaned house and everyone in my department was gone, me included. I heard he got fired from that role & from the company he was working from.

6 - Found this CMO role that I am at now in a healthcare startup. It's going well and I am a minority partner in the company so that helps with stability.

It was a long, hard journey to get here but every stop along the way gave me the experience I needed to be in the position I am in today.

KendallRoy

Politicker

I'll use me as an example. I stayed at the same company for about 3 years until I hit a glass ceiling after 3 promotions. I wanted to get into SaaS, so I took a step back from closing to SDR. I then leveraged my prior closing experience to start in a closing SaaS role at a new company.

Point being a job hop needs to have a reason. A backwards step can be okay as long as it's to make two steps forward as your next move. Lateral moves should be avoided unless there is no possibility of further advancement in your current role.

friendlyginge

Politicker

Account Executive

I’ve always lived by these philosophies: 1. life is too short and there are too many opportunities for you to stay at a job that you hate or is holding you back 2. your 20s is for figuring out what you don’t want to do for the rest of your life. Take risks, try new positions, figure out what kind of work makes you happy That said, if you have a decent sales role, try to stay long enough to build a good pipeline and experience!

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cosankov

Do you think that sales people in their mid twenties should switch jobs fast?

Do you think that sales people in their mid twenties should switch jobs fast?

21 comment

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