S
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SilkySlim

Senior Accounts Executive

Executive
Opinionated
Member
+3

Sales --> Solutions Engineer

Hi All!


I am looking at moving for Sales into Solution Engineering and curious if anyone had done so? Or if they had interviewed for a similar role?


I have been in SaaS for 10 years and exploring a change.


Thanks for the insight!

☁️ Software Tech
🚀 Career Goals
🤝 Interviewing/Offer
14

30 comments

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CuriousFox
WR Officer
6
🦊
Burned out friend?
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
4
☕️
What about being an SE/SA is interesting to you?
SilkySlim
Executive
1
Senior Accounts Executive
I have always been intrigued by the more technical part of what I sell and find myself more interested in the solution than the sales cycle.
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
1
☕️
Got it—and can you not get into the technical weeds without an SE? Aka learn the solution to the point you’re the entire solution team?
SilkySlim
Executive
1
Senior Accounts Executive
Valid point and something I will start doing in my current seat as I evaluate.
CaneWolf
Politicker
3
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
I seriously considered doing this early in my career and know a few folks who have. The big thing to remember is that you’re about to have zero control of your calendar and it’s no longer your show. Don’t like the way the rep is running the deal? Sucks for you.

That all being said, I’ve seen a few people NAIL this transition because they know what actually is gonna close the deal.
butwhy
Politicker
2
Solutions Engineer
Get thee to the PreSales Collective - you'll find lots of great resources there. As an SE - make sure you are ready to drop the fluffy and get your hands dirty. It seems to be the biggest challenge to the SE's I know who made this transition. 
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
2
Officer of ♥️
Sales are dope never ever stop selling
butwhy
Politicker
1
Solutions Engineer
SEs are in Sales, it's in the name! 
ABCvs
Valued Contributor
0
VP of Growth
But not really. They are sales support.
butwhy
Politicker
3
Solutions Engineer
Haha, if my AE ever told me that, I would slap him silly. I am an integral part of any sale that isn't a dashboard. Good luck convincing a Fortune 100 company to pay 2 million without my full engagement in account strategy and deal cycle. 
ABCvs
Valued Contributor
0
VP of Growth
Did I hit a nerve. Feels like I hit a nerve. Not saying SEs aren’t valuable, important to the process, etc etc. they are. It’s just not sales. They quite literally SUPPORT the sales process while the AE LEADS the sales process.

I have closed big ass deals with F100 orgs too. Done it with the help of SEs and totally solo. Just the nature of the beast.

SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
1
Officer of ♥️
SE stand there name is solutions engineers…
draculina
Fire Starter
0
process development specialist
Logistics sales support here, and literally the same. Good luck preparing an offer without me tbh.
ABCvs
Valued Contributor
1
VP of Growth
Hurting more feels with totally reasonable statements. Y’all do understand that every company has its own flow, right?

You understand that there are sales guys that understand their own products and can put together their own PO without the larger teams involvement? Once again, you guys are part of a larger team but you aren’t a sales guy.

If the SE’s and Logistical sales support (IT SAYS SUPPORT IN YOUR TITLE) are so confident in your your role, what’s your OTE compared to the AEs you work with?
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
0
Officer of ♥️
shots fired.
draculina
Fire Starter
3
process development specialist
@abcvs Tbh if you’re in logistical (and i mean contract logistics) “sales support” your title likely says “solution design” or “solution development” or something similar. You’re prolly an engineer, reporting in some capacity to sales, and your performance bonus is tied to the sales targets being reached. The only thing you don’t do is finding a lead (or basically anything that deals with CRM), but when the company is invited to a bidding, that doesn’t really matter either.

There are of course sales guys who can design operations from scratch, but most of the time

-when you promise a customer they’ll get a quotation tomorrow, i’m the one who analyses 1 million lines of customer data, preparing the solution, getting it internally approved so that you can present it the next day
-most likely i’m the one who prepares your powerpoint presentations that you show to the customer
-also most likely i’m telling the customer about the solution and convincing them why it’s the best.
-when the customer doesn’t like something, i’m the one that comes up with 3 different alternatives, going through the same processes for all of them

I am not saying sales support people are sales people (trust me, they have it ingrained in you that you’re a part of sales, but never as valuable as a sales person no matter what the case - whether it’s commission, or benefits & perks), but i have personally heard sales guys saying “but what does solution team even do that they’re getting any commish?” when without our effort, they wouldn’t be closing it.

It felt a little too close to that disrespect, that’s all.
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
0
Officer of ♥️
well put
SirCloseAlot23
Politicker
1
Business Development
Same company or a company change?  Change in pay or just duties?
SilkySlim
Executive
1
Senior Accounts Executive
Preferably staying but would be open to interviewing. It would be an overall decrease in OTE, but increase in Base Pay.
TennisandSales
Politicker
1
Head Of Sales
I dont see why it wouldnt work. 

Its a HUGE change of pace and work but if its what you want, idk why they would be opposed to it. 
Boutdamtime
Politicker
1
Client Executive
I’m about to finish my coding bootcamp this month. Still somewhat considering it myself. Nothing wrong being tired of the grind.
wildwhale
Member
0
Enterprise Account Executive
What coding bootcamp did you do??
The_Sales_Badger
Notorious Answer
1
Account Executive
@SilkySlim I'd be interested in hearing how this goes, or what input you receive from those that have done the same.  

This has always been an intriguing option for The Badger, mainly for personal gratification.  
Pachacuti
Politicker
0
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
You tired of the grind?
SilkySlim
Executive
2
Senior Accounts Executive
Mix of tired of the grind and looking for a new challenge.
Pachacuti
Politicker
-3
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
Do you have an technical certs? I usually see guys moving from SE to Sales but they all come in with heavy dry certs from like Cisco or similar.
SilkySlim
Executive
1
Senior Accounts Executive
I do from AWS, but that was more relevant to my past role in Data.
Pachacuti
Politicker
1
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
Your best bet, imo, is to talk to your current company and let them know you’d like to make that transition. Ask if they’ll support you in that and perhaps help you with some extra education in getting the applicable industry certifications.

It’s going to be hard to go outside your company without some technical certifications.
Maximas
Tycoon
-1
Senior Sales Executive
Sorry, wish I could help.

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