tazman2

Investment Sales Associate

Reaching out to current employees at a (small-midsize) company I’m applying for… How high up should I go?

Happy Thursday everyone,

I'm applying for SDR jobs and I always reach out to current sales people on LinkedIn before submitting my application.

Not only because it's helpful for me to hear a bit about the company and their experience, but also because usually they're willing to give advice/help me out with getting an interview. After all, I'm in sales, cold outreach prospecting is what I do.

The question is, should I be messaging SDRs? AE's? I kinda just want to say fuck it and go straight to director of sales (~200 person company)

Who should I be reaching out to to learn more about a job opening, show interest and hopefully get my foot in the door?

You’re interested in a SDR role and you want to connect with an employee before applying. Who is the best to reach out to?

Attached poll

Another SDR/BDR/grunt AE/Senior AE VP/Director of Sales

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

🤝 Interviewing/Offer

👨‍💻 LinkedIn

👨‍🌾 SDR

9

17 comments

Sort by:

CuriousFox

WR Officer

6

🦊

I'd contact both AE and VP/Director.

SaaSam

Politicker

2

Account Executive

Depends on your goal. If it's simply to determine if you want to apply, SDR.

If you want a leg up on other applicants, VP/Director.

Personally, when researching a company that I might want to join I don't put as much emphasis on current employees as I do ex-employees.

tazman2

Opinionated

2

Investment Sales Associate

Yea I already have determined that I definitely am interested. Now I want a leg up on all the people who just do "quick apply" on LinkedIn. Thanks for the advice 🤝

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

If you can find the hiring manager for the role you want, that's the person you need to reach out to.

Pumpkinlips

Good Citizen

0

Enterprise BDR

How do you find ex employees?

tazman2

Opinionated

4

Investment Sales Associate

Idk. From what I've heard, the exes usually live in texas

TheIncarceration

Politicker

1

SDR Manager

If you have Sales Navigator, you can find ex-employees using the filter for "Past companies"

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

LOL, winner of an answer.

Pumpkinlips

Good Citizen

0

Enterprise BDR

🍑🤤

FattySnacks

Politicker

2

Senior Account Executive

I go to whoever looks like they head up the department I’m looking to get into. Can always check down after that.

It’s also probably worth your time to try to make nice with a counterpart. If you can find someone you can get to engage, ask them about a referral. They’ll be comped and it gives you a much better shot.

Nairobi

Politicker

1

AE

I’ve seen many JD where it says who the SDR will be reporting to ( i.e., SDR will be reporting to the Director of Sales). So then, just go in LI and figure out who’s in the role, reach out.

jefe

Arsonist

1

🍁

Straight to the top.

But also AE to get a good understanding of day-to-day and the realities of the job.

Pachacuti

Politicker

1

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Rather than looking at "how high" you should go, I'd try to reach out to someone with whom you have something in common. Search the company on LI and see if anyone there went to the same school, etc.

cashmachine

Politicker

0

AE (Account Executive)

contact the person who can sign off on hiring you, if you want to get the job.

if you want info on experience working with the company, contact an ae.

SADNESSLieutenant

Politicker

0

Officer of ♥️

I get interviews anyway I can because I'm a savage. Check out my posts.

Go to the SDR'S and AE's for insight/reccomendations

To the hiring managers, recruiters, sales managers and directors for a hard pitch on why you're the fucking shit and you're the best fucking decision they could ever make.

Referralls have the highest close rate and incentive, but the direct reach out works great as well

Gasty

Notable Contributor

-1

War Room Community Manager

I’d go bottom up. Take the pulse from BDRs. Then reach out to AEs. And if need be, VP

Gasty

Notable Contributor

-3

War Room Community Manager

Go Bottom-up. Like funcoupons does

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

© 2024 Bravado Inc. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy Legal and Privacy Center Sales Jobs

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.