Gizmo profile picture
Gizmo profile picture

Gizmo

AE

Politicker
Catalyst
Valued Contributor
+5

“Senior” AE Roles are such a crock of shit

Let’s be honest. The senior roles people are promoted to are just an excuse for the company to raise your quota by 150% while giving you a measly bump in your salary/OTE.


Used to work at a company where it was so bad they started putting numbers after the SAE role e.g “Senior Account Executive II” like some bad B Movie sequel

Senior Roles overrated?

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14 comments

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Sunbunny31
Politicker
8
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
I’m a Senior AE and have the grey hair to prove it!

Seriously, it doesn’t do me much good. It’s like having a dedicated parking space a little closer to the door.
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
1
Sales Rep
Dedicate spot is a huge flex, only thing that tops it is a parking spot with your name on it
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
I WFH, so I pretty much can park where ever I please.
jefe
Arsonist
6
🍁
Never had the numbers myself, but you're mostly right. I was also a Senior AE immediately in my first job out of business school...
Avon
Politicker
6
Senior Account Executive
Maybe unpopular here but I was thrilled to get the bump to Senior AE. 25% base increase, looks impressive to my friends, and now the recruiters reaching out are offering bases 50% more than they used to so when im ready to jump I'll be better off. No complaints here.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
25% increase is no joke! I think we're all soured, because often it's just a title and no increase, distributed like candy, so it becomes meaningless.

I'm glad your company actually ponied up!
Justatitle
Big Shot
5
Account Executive
yeah, if the lead quality and exposure to larger deals doesn't come with that promotion than it is a crock of SH*T
CuriousFox
WR Officer
4
🦊
Can confirm. Crock o shizz.
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
3
Bravado's Resident Asshole
I have never seen that whole number system, but wtf lol. I have seen "senior AEs" just sit and get smoked by the new AEs. Sales in a company should NOT be about tenure, rather what is brought in.
salesdetroit
Politicker
3
Director
Clearly varies from org to org, but from my experience the pay bands between AE and Sr AE are significantly different. I’d also say that when you’re looking for your next role, having the Sr. In your current title opens you up to better opportunities and potentially better comp consideration.
Diablo
Politicker
2
Sr. AE
I agree I am a Senior AE but not much difference in compensation but the quota.
TennisandSales
Politicker
2
Head Of Sales
haha I have no problem with the senior AE title. if it means something.

There is a senior AE on my team and its clear she is going for a director title since her responsibilities are pretty different than mine.

Im totally against the whole Senior AE 3 and all those levels.

curious on what is actually different. from what ive seen its just an excuse to up your quota haha
Arzola
Valued Contributor
1
Business administration
Yes, 100% agree the lvl up in yoursalary is a joke
Mendizo
Opinionated
0
Sr. Director
Yeah, definitely varies greatly company by company. The companies that do it well ensure that it is an actual meaningful difference on the scale. My last company had a hard rule in the 4 'levels' of AE's that AE is one thing, Senior AE is another, Enterprise AE is something else, etc. If you get promoted, you get a pay bump. If they're not deserving of that pay, you can't just give them the title.

I definitely have seen many other companies not do it well and treat these titles (and any titles in general) as a make-up-whatever-you-want exercise. One company even let the admins of each division create their own titles for their divisions :). That was mayhem.

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