wholesumdimsum

Account Executive

How do I get an AE role as a SDR/inexperienced AE?

I've been in my current firm as a SMB AE for 3 months and it hasn't turned out the way I had hoped. Y'all may refer to my previous post for more detailed info on why my current SMB AE role kinda sucks. But TLDR; salary sucks, I realise I don't like the market I'm selling to, I'm bored, and there's no tech stack.

That said, I've been getting AE interviews with good firms, e.g. Twilio, Datadog, but haven't gotten past the hiring manager/director and I've been told that I have the drive and the attitude BUT it's because of my lack of experience. But don't all AEs start off from SDRs too?!?! I'm so confused why I even got shortlisted for an interview in the first place.

Since I've only been in an AE role for 3 months, any tips on how I can get offers for an AE position?

👥 Hiring

🤝 Interviewing/Offer

☁️ Software Tech

28 comments

Sort by:

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

The hiring manager needs to know you can close. Did you close your interviews? Doesn't sound like it. You need to gain more experience where you are, and not be whiny about it.

Robot

Politicker

AE (Account Executive)

SAVAGE!

Robot

Politicker

AE (Account Executive)

Tough Love

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

Typical on-boarding for new reps at my company takes longer than 3 months. If I were interviewing you I'd probably pass as well unless you have some specific experiences that align to the skills I'm looking for. What are you bringing to the company that other, more experienced AE's lack?

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

I had no ramp time. I started selling on my 2nd week of work, running a full sales cycle role. I self-taught myself everything about closing, on how to conduct discovery calls by subscribing to newsletters, attending webinars, reading LinkedIn posts from sales “influencers”, googling for questions to ask based on MEDDPICC etc, and how to close deals etc. I did manage to close 5 mini deals so far, even in my 3 months here.

If I were to compare myself to experienced AEs, I'd definitely lose in terms of experience, but isn't that how all AEs started? By getting the role and then gaining experience? I'm very independent in doing my own learning and getting up to speed quickly, so this is what I can bring to the role. Idk how else I can even justify how I'm better than other experienced AEs and am not sure if that's even a fair question to ask an inexperience sales rep because everyone starts off inexperienced, or am I missing something here?

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

That's my point. It sounds like you got the opportunity to learn, grow and prove yourself. Use it. What you need now to get to the next level (based on my limited understanding of your question) is time and experience. So... do the job. Why are you looking for an AE offer if you just started as an AE? That makes no sense.

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

Are you also of the view that I should be a SDR somewhere else and then promote internally to an AE? I’m looking to jump out of my role because I don’t like the industry vertical I’m selling to, I’m paid way lesser than I was as a SDR previously, there’s no structure/guidance here at all that I need as a new AE, things are super manual and management doesn’t see a point in investing in sales tech stack, and culture is.. just really boring. That’s why I’m super unmotivated and want to leave! I can’t even see myself sticking out in this role for another 6 months. I’ll feel like it’s an absolute waste of my time. That’s why I’m hoping to either hop to another AE role, or be a SDR elsewhere and hopefully promote internally.

goose

Politicker

Sales Executive

I took a promotion to be a sales leader in a different company. I realized I made a mistake and before I went too far down the path I pivoted and course corrected. It wasn't easy but it was the right thing to do. My network, previous bosses and clients were instrumental in helping me get back on track. No one said this was an easy, one way trip. Lots of detours exist in a sales career and we need to roll with it.

Good luck with this one. It definitely seems like a challenge.

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

Mind sharing why you realised it was a mistake being a sales leader in a different company? How long did it take for you to leave after realising you made a mistake? What role did you take up after that?

Sorry if I'm bombarding you with questions! I wanted to hear from people's experiences.

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

SaaS Eater

Little blunt honesty for you here, you've been in sales for 1 year according to your profile, you've been in your current role for 3 months and have no track record of closing. Why would a large established company hire you when there is a massive, well qualified talent pool they can choose from?

You need way more than 3 months to ramp and become effective in your current role. Learn how to kick ass in your current role, gain like 18-24 months of experience and then move on. Everyone wants to fasttrack their way to an AE role making $300k a year, thats not how it works.

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

Actually, I had no ramp time. I started selling on my 2nd week of work, running a full sales cycle role. I self-taught myself everything about closing, on how to conduct discovery calls by subscribing to newsletters, attending webinars, reading LinkedIn posts from sales “influencers”, googling for questions to ask based on MEDDPICC etc, and how to close deals etc. I did manage to close 5 mini deals so far, even in my 3 months here.

I feel like there’s just no structure here and I do think I need a proper process in place, otherwise I’m just a headless chicken with no direction.

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

SaaS Eater

Good on your for owning it and trying to get better but you cant fastrack experience. There is a reason companies want AE's with experience especially when they hire externally. You have only scraped the tip of the iceberg in your first 3 months.

If you really need structure go be an sdr at a legit large org and work your way into an AE role from there.

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

Yeah I was considering going back to a SDR in a large org, but I think we do know that not all firms promote internally, and ultimately, I'll still be back to the "how the hell do I become an AE from a SDR" question.

Sorry for my pessimism, I'm just feeling a little gloomy about this lol

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

SaaS Eater

A couple thoughts:
1) You are not the first SDR to want to transition to an AE, there is a lot of good feedback on this thread telling you how to make that happen

2) There are TONS of companies that hire internally from SDR to AE. I would argue most prefer this method honestly. Do some homework and reach out to those companies so you can learn their system from the start and set yourself up for success.

3) Stop trying to fasttrack experience. Its so important. I know you dont think thats the case and with the deals you have closed up to this point is enough for you to be successful but I hate to tell you, thats not the case. Grind it out and embrace what you are learning to set you up to be a kick ass AE in the future.

Im the first to admit I dont know everything but I can promise you that I have seen more than you in 7 years in this industry that you in your first year (with 3 months in a closing role) Embrace it my friend. Its all part of the growth.

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

Okay, thank you for your advice!

mitts2

Politicker

Account Executive

There are no shortcuts in sales and if you try and take a shortcut it will bite you in the ass in the long run. Experience is more important than you might think. Great that you have closed some deals but it is not a seamless transition to AE.

I went from a pretty successful SDR to AE in 12 months at the same company and even then I was grinding over the first few months to figure out how to close. The conversations are different, the questions are more critical and the only way to improve is to have more of those at-bats (aka experience).

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

"If you try and take a shortcut it will bite you in the ass in the long run" This hit me hard! Thank you.

FormerStartupJobHopper

Tycoon

Same thing happened to me, they're hesitant about you job hopping for one, and then the other is companies generally always prefer someone with more closing experience unless it is an internal promotion from an SDR. It's difficult to go from SDR at one company to AE at another. Or to do what you're doing

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

Yeah I hear you! How did you eventually land your AE role?

FormerStartupJobHopper

Tycoon

I did what I said haha, after a few tries I got an SDR gig at above market at a good company and got promoted a year later

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

That's good! I'm contemplating going back as a SDR but am just afraid the firm wouldn't promote internally, and then I'll be back to the dilemma of how to get a freaking AE role.

FormerStartupJobHopper

Tycoon

I'd say be politely assertive about that in the interview process. You're "willing to take a small temporary step back for the right situation. So what are your thoughts on promoting SDRs to AEs internally? How often do seats open up, any roadblocks or reasons why that doesn't happen/you'd be hesitant?"

Most companies won't not promote SDRs internally, that's a very strange policy and basically backwards of what you'd expect

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

This is gold! I'll defo be using this in my SDR interview :-) thank you!

Avon

Politicker

Senior Account Executive

I’d recommend doing what I did. Stick it out just over a year, then get a nice raise as an AE somewhere else.

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

Honestly, for me doesn't matter provided you can create that aura for me that you can do it.

I am not sure your approach and what you speak about with the hiring manager but rather than talking about what you you do try to talk more about your achievements, metrics and that is what going to get you hired.

torontowarroomrep

Politicker

Account Executive

Have you looked at more junior AE roles? They tend to hire SDRs and inexperienced AES more often and it's a great stepping stone to the next position.

wholesumdimsum

Opinionated

Account Executive

Hmm do you know of some companies that hire junior AE roles?

Mintea

Personal Narrative

Account Executive

Some companies highly value internal referrals so if you can, build a strong relationship with everyone in the company. You never know if they, or their friends can refer you into a role in the future.

Bravado is a community of trusted sales professionals endorsed by their customers.

Products

The War Room Jobs Salary Guide Tech Sales U

Company

About Us How It Works Blog Bug Bounty

Contact

Press Careers

If you are hired as a contract sales rep by a Bravado customer, we may ask you to prove access to the employee email account provided to you by that customer. This data will be shared with customers to track your sales productivity; customers can use this data to confirm you meet the minimum activity requirements to pay out your ramp stipend and commission.

wholesumdimsum

How do I get an AE role as a SDR/inexperienced AE?

28 comments

Related posts

AEs: How did you get your first AE role?

Going from SDR to AE

SDR TO AE TO SDR again?