modernsalesleader

Account Executive

Interview Advice at Databricks

Team,

I am interviewing for a role at Databricks and am looking for some career advice navigating an interview process. I currently am a Mid-Market AE at Salesforce with 9 years of software sales experience (Salesforce and start-up). I originally applied as an Enterprise AE, and the recruiter pushed me into the commercial (mid-market) process, stating I do not have enough big-data experience for Enterprise. During the process, I started to learn of others moving into the Enterprise segment with less experience than me. I pointed this out to the recruiter and she said she would get me in the Enterprise process but to keep moving forward with commercial. I am now at the final stage of the commercial process and the intro was never made to enterprise (despite me asking several times). While the commercial sounds like a great opportunity, Enterprise has been my ultimate career goal since I started at Salesforce. This is also my next promotion at Salesforce. Does anyone have any advice on how I could navigate an interview with the Enterprise team; without loosing the commercial opportunity should Enterprise not work out?

Thanks in advance for your help!

🗣 Interviewing

10

16 comments

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FormerStartupJobHopper

Tycoon

12

AE

Sounds like you need to flex your walkaway power. Are you really going to jump from Salesforce to another company for a lateral move? Or were you just placating them to get your foot in the door in enterprise?

If you really are only interested in in enterprise, just tell him. You'll see if he's willing to throw some weight around to get you in that process. "I appreciate the interest in me as a candidate. Like I mentioned, my goal at X was to crack into the enterprise group. After completing the interview process for mid market, I have confirmed that I'd like to work at X, but I am not interested in a lateral move.

Please withdraw my name from consideration for the mid market position. I'm reading the room that maybe there is no interest in referring me over to the enterprise team? Can you confirm that I am understanding that correctly? If not, how can I best help facilitate that intro?"

Stardust

WR Officer

2

President

That is some of the best advice.
Salesforce has an enterprise team - why not make the move internally.

modernsalesleader

Fire Starter

3

Account Executive

Thanks for the response! Salesforce does have an enterprise team and I could interview in the next few months. Because I came up internally, my base and OTE would still be less than even the commercial role at databricks or somewhere I could get externally

CavsIn7

Fire Starter

1

Senior Account Executive

facts

modernsalesleader

Fire Starter

2

Account Executive

Thanks for the response! I agree with you that taking a line in the sand for enterprise or nothing is the best route from here. I took the commercial interviews because I believed the recruiter that she would make the intro along the way, and I’d be able to interview for both. The commercial role is still better comp (Plus stock) than what I have today - which is what kept me interested.

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

0

Account Executive

Just plus 1 this comment. Anything more is disrespectful.

Hoopnip

Politicker

7

Commercial AE

I’ve also heard the commercial team kills it at Databricks and Enterprise is a very tough slog. Not a bad idea to get your data chops in commercial before making the leap… might make you a better rep and more prepared for enterprise wide data conversations … Databricks VP of Sales for Healthcare and Financial Services just came from Salesforce… Might want to reach out directly to him to get his take on you applying for that role. Also might get you on the radar much quicker since they are hiring like crazy. Not going to put his name on here but he’s very easy to find on LinkedIn.

modernsalesleader

Fire Starter

1

Account Executive

Thanks Hoopnip! Thats great advice and I like that approach.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

4

🦊

Go straight to the hiring manager. You have plenty of experience.

butwhy

Politicker

3

Solutions Engineer

I will just say - selling Databricks is insanely more technical/nitty gritty than Salesforce and probably a way more in-depth Enterprise sales cycle than Enterprise at Salesforce. I have done both before, big data is a long freaking opportunity length in Enterprise, especially against Snowflake.

The people with less experience over all might have direct data warehouse experience, and the recruiter could have a point. I agree overall with the advice to walk away if Enterprise is your goal, but I did want to chime in that selling any of the Salesforce products vs selling Big Data is a whooooollleee different rodeo.

modernsalesleader

Fire Starter

1

Account Executive

I appreciate the advice butwhy! Overall, the comp is pretty attractive, I really like the team, and I’m ready to move to the next thing. Enterprise is the goal, but I’m ok taking a commercial role depending on the circumstances. Am I understanding your messaging that commercial may not be as much of a lateral move as I originally thought?

butwhy

Politicker

1

Solutions Engineer

I don't see it as a lateral move if comp is higher, there is a planned path to Enterprise, and it is a much more intense sales cycle where you will learn more. I admit I am biased as an SE (not a rep) who enjoys technical/product upleveling and I have a very poor opinion of core team Salesforce sales process as a whole compared to other tech companies. Get Enterprise at DataBricks and it opens up a whole other world to you than the ServiceNow, Workday, Oracle side you are in now.

E_Money

Big Shot

3

💰

Sounds like you might be... shitting bricks about this... 😏

Too soon?

modernsalesleader

Fire Starter

1

Account Executive

Lol

PhlipOut

Politicker

1

Account Executive

I got the same talk track from them last year and walked away as I already had some experience with Enterprise (although not SaaS).
My impression is that they have different recruiters for the two segments, that's why that handoff doesn't happen easy

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