Leaving sales, doing an MBA only to end back in Sales

Hello Savages,


Long time no talk. Tl,dr is I'm finishing my MBA and interviewing for a DACH company expanding into the UK after completing my MBA. I thought I would end up leaving sales altogether and go into some Bullshit consulting gig, but many of those roles have been cut at the junior level.


I guess my question is, has anyone else done a master's only to end back at square one as an AE lol, cuz this is what it seems like this is what's going to happen. I thought maybe I'd so something else, but with my limited technical/software skillset, I may just be destined to stay in sales.



๐Ÿ‘ฅ Hiring
๐ŸŽฏ Career Development
โœ๏ธ Sales advice
16
Pachacuti
Politicker
7
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
You never leave sales. Ever.
Gasty
Notable Contributor
2
War Room Community Manager
Ah Sales, the marathon with no finish line.
FeelItInMyPlums
Executive
1
Sales Account Executive
This
Justatitle
Big Shot
4
Account Executive
Here is what I am assuming you might be running into. It's really hard to find a job that lets you earn what you did as an AE that performs well in a company. Making 140-180 Slinging software is pretty solid.
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
3
Account Executive
Finding anything in the 6 figure range that's not something super technical is hard. That's definitely part of it, but I feel like putting all the effort into literally moving countries only to end up doing what I was doing before is a bit of a copout.
Justatitle
Big Shot
2
Account Executive
Whats the copout that you worked hard to better yourself and have a job offer? You could decide to say screw it all and collect unemployment checks, now theres a copout. Unless you will be truly miserable in sales I really don't see anything wrong here.
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
3
Account Executive
That's true. I just expected my imposter syndrome to decrease a bit after my degree, but that's a personal thing.
Justatitle
Big Shot
3
Account Executive
We're all imposters my man, The things I am doing today I haven't done before but I sold someone on the idea that I can do them, in reality you just gotta believe you can do it.
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
3
โ˜•๏ธ
Are you settling for what you know rather than what you want?
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
3
Account Executive
Yes, but that's also because the job market is universally crap and I've had no luck with anything outside sales.
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
1
โ˜•๏ธ
What was your MBA focused on and where were your internships/for what?
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
1
Account Executive
AI and Management. Had an internship at a small startup doing some GTM stuff, so basically sales, but less pay lol.
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
1
โ˜•๏ธ
Dawg. Go find a technical cofounder and build something in AI. A basic plan and conviction will get you far in the VC world.
Justatitle
Big Shot
2
Account Executive
Are you my therapist???
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
2
โ˜•๏ธ
Have you watched the show Shrinking?
BTQ
Politicker
3
Fractional SDR
Great show
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
nope
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
1
โ˜•๏ธ
Ah, well itโ€™s v funny. My reference wonโ€™t make sense until you do.
3
Retired Sales Professional
Resistance is futile.
Sunbunny31
Arsonist
2
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
You could always go to that consulting gig when the market shifts.

In the meantime, welcome back!
jefe
Arsonist
3
๐Ÿ
That door definitely shut. It's just not opening quite as easily right now.

Congrats on the degree, @Gyro25 !
MRK47
Tycoon
2
Head of Growth
Congrats on the MBA....it takes a lot of time /effort to complete.

Depends on your reasoning for doing the MBA and having managed expectations - if done as an exit path from your sales career, then OK, immediate objective not necessarily achieved just yet. But for me, an MBA is a long-term investment vs a tool for that delivers immediate valueโ€ฆand as more generic vs domain specific, itโ€™s not always a tool for switching careers.

But once completed, you will have a more rounded thought process and perspective than when you started (though not saying an MBA is the only way to achieve this). As you look to progress your career (maybe in sales for now) and continue adding transferrable skills, you will have a differentiator for when a future opportunity arises (potentially outside of sales). It took me 2 role changes to be able to realize its value and assign some measurable ROI.
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
1
Account Executive
I appreciate the insight. It was initially done as an exit path because I so burned out from Sales and wanted something different. I don't think I've shifted my mindset yet towards the long term investment, probably because I'll be in like <4 months, but maybe down the line I'll see it.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
๐ŸฆŠ
Congrats on the MBA that shit ain't easy.
Gasty
Notable Contributor
1
War Room Community Manager
Sales isnโ€™t bad. Whyโ€™re you sad?

You got your MBA โ€” Congratulations!! Start applying to some amazing jobs, crush it there and then start a business after saving some $$ saved. Put your MBA to use.

I think this sounds like a plan!
Rosie
Catalyst
1
Sales Director
Issue really is that sales has a very low entry threshold. Anyone can do it - which is good and bad. Good because it allows anyone to perform but bad because we end up having unqualified and really poor talents on the pool - affecting reputation overall. Hence if you can find something sales related but requires specialisation then that would be good, maybe.
SomeDudeOnline
1
Strategic Account Executive
Not a waste. You can go back into sales, choose an org where you can use your MBA down the line โ€” maybe on the sales leadership, sales ops, or CRO career path. If thatโ€™s something you want and can get paid for. Think of it as expanding your toolset and network. Youโ€™re a more hire-able and promotable asset now.
SafetyKnight
Executive
1
Account Executive
I just finished my MBA in November, tbh not sure what else there is for me...
Gyro25
Notorious Answer
1
Account Executive
What was the original plan going into your MBA from sales? I'm having that same feeling currently. At some point I felt I'd leave direct IC roles and go into management, but the bar is far too high even with an MBA currently.
SafetyKnight
Executive
1
Account Executive
I was in a mentorship program with the CEO of my last job, and he recommended that I get it, so I did. Plan A would be to go full-time with my own business, which I'm currently building - but plan B, was hoping to land a cushier, higher paying position like a VP role, but idk what that is exactly.
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
0
ERP Sales
I know a couple people who have, usually fast tracked to leadership
0
Head Of Marketing
You should have looked at doing an MSc in Sales (Yes, they exist!) - much more related to the sales role, and based on a work-integrated model e.g. your assignments are based on real-life challenges that you're trying to solve for your organisation!
Joel23
Good Citizen
0
Community Manager
damn that's crazy !
10

If you could go back in time and tell yourself one thing before starting your sales career, what would it be?

Discussion
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23
Members only

Is this the end of my sales career?

Question
32
The end of Randy Lahey's sales career?
29% Yes, you greasy, greasy bastard
47% No, Personalization, amirite?
24% You're going to have to start hookin' for cheeseburgers again
79 people voted