I'm just trying to make enough to live my life. Inflation sucks.

At a startup the past 6 months that's in seed funding where I'm at a 55k base with a 75k OTE. The OTE isn't working out, virtually no one on the team has hit quota, because up until now, management was pushing for us to just book meetings with whoever had a heartbeat to look good for investors with MQLs.


I was hired with the expectation that I'd be transitioning to a closing position or something similar to full cycle sales in 6 months and I'd be primarily outbound, not a phone jockey making 100+ calls a day.


There's no plan of that happening soon because we can't hire BDRs due to our terrible comp offered. AE's are paid 100k bases so it seems like a priority thing. We recently got some big funding and hired a VP of Sales who is finally taking us to focusing on outbound, expecting slow results for the next 3 months, and for it to ramp up in the next 6.


I was recently propositioned with a CSM offering at a much larger company for a 63k base and 90k OTE. Since this company is public and I've invested in their stock before considering employment, I'm more open to believing that the OTE is achievable there. They're hiring because the bulk of the team they had received promotions from the last year (sounds pretty good).


I'm thinking I could either request more before seriously considering the offer from the larger company, or stay where I am and start actively applying for something better.


At the end of the day I have about 6 years of saas/non-saas sales experience and I'd like to not feel poor as fuck/have my own house and provide for my SO and I. Inflation keeps dicking me over on that so it seems like I need to be chasing a 20% salary increase at a minimum but shoot for a 120k OTE with at least a 70k base.


Thoughts? Recommendations?

🙏 Mental Wellness
☁️ Software Tech
💰 Compensation
13
Sunbunny31
Politicker
6
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Are you open to looking for additional AE positions elsewhere? It might be time to start searching.
Omztheonetwo
Fire Starter
2
Account Executive
if you're not happy look around
Goomba
Opinionated
1
Director
Yes! It’s also why I created a profile here and am starting to actively apply! Definitely open to remote AE roles
Sunbunny31
Politicker
3
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Check Bravado jobs if you haven’t already. Best of luck to you!
Jewcan_Sam81
Politicker
5
Account Executive
Yeah, find another place to work, you have too much experience to not be making really great money
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
3
Account Executive
We're hiring BDR managers I belive for North America. If worst comes to worse and nothing happens, ping me and I can try and help. We've got about $130 mil on series B from Q4 and fully remote. 
Goomba
Opinionated
3
Director
Thanks for networking Gyro I'll be sure to keep it in mind!
Jewcan_Sam81
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Wait, we can ping each other now? When the hell did that happen?!?!
IndianaShep
Politicker
0
Director of Sales and Marketing
Sayyyy, got any hot tips for a lateral move for a Director?
CuriousFox
WR Officer
3
🦊
That is how I got burned at the one start up I worked for back in the day. 
Goomba
Opinionated
3
Director
I'm legitimately salty that the OTE mentioned by the COO has been confirmed bullshit by all of the reps missing quota.

I took a low base, with a fair OTE, in exchange for the premise of getting promoted in 6 months to something involving closing.

Getting none of the positives on that. Meanwhile they're still hiring new AEs.
SalesBeast
Politicker
3
Sales Director
Bro. 6 years sales experience. Get a new gig making over 100k base easy. Market for jobs is hot. Just interview. Leave and get remote SaaS sales job. You will make 200k+ OTE.
bandabanda
Tycoon
1
Senior AE Mid Market
@BDRMadoff ^^ was going to say this if someone didn’t!
You have way too much experience. You can be making $75k base EASILY. Leverage LinkedIn and connections. Check out Aspireship for jobs or need some in with some decent companies.
Market is HOTT right now. You can be well over $100k base in less than 2 years from now if you make strategic moves too.
My 2 cents - don’t do the counter offer thing. I’ve seen it not go well countless times. And even when it does, most people leave in 6-8 months after anyway. If you already know you want to leave, just leave.
Lots of saas jobs out there now, you’re gonna be fine. Best of luck!
Goomba
Opinionated
0
Director
Updated the resume for the most recent one pager and I think it looks pretty good all things considered.
godpull54
Praised Answer
3
PDR
I’ve notice Inflation has really screwed a lot people over. I hope companies start realizing what going on and up there salaries. I’m most worried about the poorer individual that were already struggling with below average wages and trying to survive. It’s going to get even harder on those people.
Diablo
Politicker
2
Sr. AE
You mentioned both the options - negotiate if you get what you want or wait for another one if you think you can sustain in your current org while you hunt 
Filth
Politicker
2
Live Filthy or Die Clean
Get away from the coasts - cost of living just too damn high. Life is cheap in the midwest brother. Best of luck!
Goomba
Opinionated
1
Director
I live in Alabama, currently hardly able to afford a one bedroom apartment on my own.

More money would definitely give me less problems at the moment.
Filth
Politicker
0
Live Filthy or Die Clean
Fair enough brother - I'm not a money can't buy happiness kind of person, I am fairly certain it can if you do it right. 
wolfdad
Contributor
1
Senior Account Executive
There are lots of good jobs out there and $120K OTE should be the lowest you would go. I see lots of stuff with OTE of $150k to $200K+. Hustle and grind for what you are worth. 
Goomba
Opinionated
0
Director
Care to share any opportunities you know of?
wolfdad
Contributor
0
Senior Account Executive
Look at Glassdoor for jobs. You can often find salary information posted by current sales reps, or the job description will include mention of a base. I was able to line up a few interviews through Glassdoor. 

Another thing you can do is set yourself to actively look for work on Linkedin. This will increase the number of recruiters that reach out to you. Linkedin will hide that you're actively looking for work from your current employer. Most recruiters will tell you the OTE before you book a call. 
Smilesndialz
Politicker
0
SDR
I’d tried to look for AE roles but if you like the CSM role, I’d go for it. You gotta take care of yourself first.