S
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smilendial

Sr. Account Executive

Contributor
Good Citizen

Moving from IC to management - advice?

For the last 7 years i have been with the same company as an IC and have done consistently well, 150%+ every year. I have a good relationship with my customers and it's relatively low stress as i feel i have the success formula pretty well figured out. I'm generally happy with where the company is going however I feel I need a change and an opportunity has come up to manage a small 4-AE sales team for new business. This role didn't exist before as it was being done by the sales director that also managed our AM team.


The OTE increase is roughly 10% at best, so not exciting in any way on that front but the prospect of managing a team is something i have been asking for and believe it would be good to advance in my career. However, I have trepidation over not running deals myself anymore and working through others to hit and exceed my number.


So I have a choice, stay in the role i'm in which i know i can do well with (strategic AM role) at same OTE, move up to management for 10% increase in OTE and all the challenges that comes with, or seek a move to another company entirely.


I am leaning towards the move to management but would love to hear from other sales savages that have faced a similar situation.

What would you do?

Attached poll
*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.
๐ŸŽˆ Mentorship
๐Ÿงข Sales Management
๐Ÿš€ Career Goals
13

12 comments

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TennisandSales
Politicker
6
Head Of Sales
so I have contemplated this as well. I had a chance in the past and turned it down. another opportunity might be presenting itself to me at the start of the year and i might take it.

what I think is, in order to find happiness and success in management you have to take satisfaction in helping other ppl excel and grow. if you dont care about that, stay out of management.

A small team of 4 AEs sounds like a great place to start too!
jefe
Arsonist
6
๐Ÿ
The answer to this always depends on whether you'd like to try management, and are well suited to it.

It sounds like you'd like to give it a shot, so I say do it. If you were a pure hunter and just got off on the kill, I'd say don't.

Let us know what you choose.
braintank
Politicker
3
Enterprise Account Executive
Unless you're dead set on management, stay put
Sunbunny31
Politicker
3
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
If you want to be in management, then this looks like a good opportunity to see if this is a fit for you. You sound like you want to try, so why not?
Diablo
Politicker
1
Sr. AE
Depends upon you goal and what you see your self doing. For me - I would take up the management role as that's what I was going when I was not in tech Sales.
alonzoharris
Politicker
1
Partner Manager
I'd take the management role and build on that
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
๐ŸฆŠ
Do what's best for you and your family.
Pachacuti
Politicker
0
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
If you like the company, the team, solution, etc. and you're just looking for a new challenge, I would take the promo. Worst case is you go back to being an IC.
YoursTruly
Politicker
0
Account Executive (SaaS)
Management. But thatโ€™s me because i donโ€™t want to be an AE when Iโ€™m 40
gamingseller
Personal Narrative
0
Head of Sales
If you want to manage, I say go for it. Starting with a smaller team will be fulfilling and will bring new and fun challenges and learning opportunities. I love mentoring so it was a fun transition for me.
amyhyoung
Politicker
0
Vp ops
It depends on where you want to take your career. If you want to become VP sales/CRO, you will need to get experience managing a team and this will be a good step in that direction. To be a manager takes different types of skills. You may find out later you don't like it or aren't great at it - and that's okay! - it doesn't mean you still can't grow a career as an IC salesperson. I think a mistake many people make is that in order to climb the career ladder, they must become a manager, but not everyone actually is great at being a manager. If you don't know that, it's worth taking a shot now and gaining that experience and skillset.
WhoDey
Opinionated
0
VP of Sales
Moving from IC to manager is never about money. Top performing IC's will make more than their manager. Go do what you're passionate about doing.

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