MoltisantiCapital

Storage Portfolio Account Executive

The next move?

need some advice ya'll. For context I've been with my company for about 18 months coming up this November. Crushing my SDR role for 5 consecutive quarters (25 tql, $2mill pipeline quota PER quarter). usually in the range of 150-170% blended quota attainment. The PROBLEM is....I don't make enough money. The company has done an amazing job training me and giving me the tools to be successful and grow. But they're not planning on hiring any AE positions anytime soon (according to my boss). SO....what's the next move? 18 months is plenty long in my opinion as an SDR and its getting stale and I feel like im losing motivation.

Appreciate any advice on this!

🦾 Hardware Tech

18 comments

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antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Start looking. You are worth more and you will find something better for your skills and abilities.

Telehealth_2the_Moon

Notable Contributor

Director of Business Development

It sounds like a great company to work for so you might not want to throw that away chasing a new role that might actually be available.

First question, are they aware that you will walk without an AE position? Time and time again I've seen things suddenly change regarding positions when that information is shared.

Also, is your boss someone who would benefit from you becoming an AE or would they be hurt by losing a high performer on the SDR team? If it's the second option then go find the manager that would benefit from you as an AE and talk with them.

Otherwise, start looking, @TennisandSalesdid a really good job breaking this down.

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

thanks homie!

Good points about clarifying if your company KNOWS you will walk if you dont get promoted.

MoltisantiCapital

Opinionated

Storage Portfolio Account Executive

I really like the company and culture and the hardware product we sell is a necessity and fits really well in the marketplace. Being a top performer has helped garner respect from my peers and bosses. For context, I sit basically 10 ft away from the SDR org director. They hear all my calls, pitches, etc. I even went in over this summer when RTO wasn’t mandatory to show face and play “the game”. But this is my first sales job out of college. Idk if I’m better off moving on and up and making more money, or staying and interviewing the next AE hiring round. I’ve talked with newer AE’s and they say the bump in base pay is a mere 10-12k. And if you’re not closing deals….the one rep i talked to said he made MORE in MY position last year. Which of course made me raise my eyebrows and think more about what to do

Telehealth_2the_Moon

Notable Contributor

Director of Business Development

Regarding the SDR org director being right there, that's someone that is motivated to keep you as an SDR. Go talk to the AE leaders and let them know you want to move up.

Whether you want to be an AE with this company is a different question and would need more information about AE's OTE, % that hit quota, etc.

Regarding AE base pay, depending on the field a low base is pretty common. Many companies expect AEs to bet on themselves, if you're not comfortable with that based on what you see from other AEs at the company you might want to start looking elsewhere. If most AE's aren't hitting quota and then that small increase in base pay becomes much more of a red flag.

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

100% start looking for AE roles elseware. you have EVERYTHING a company would need to see to hire you as an AE.

- doing REALLY well as an SDR
- Wants to be an AE
- Company is holding you back
Boom. great fit.

i would also mention that you have been told by your managers that you would be a great fit for AE and that you are next in line. But that that time line keeps getting pushed out.

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

100% agree with the above, you would be a great AE hire for a lot of orgs. One caveat is that while it is extremely easy to get complacent and bored after you have been tenured as an SDR, don't. Continue to find success at your current company as you explore other options so that if for any reason you struggle to find something externally, you are still the top dog when they do eventually look to promote you.

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

great point. do not let your performance slip!! keep grinding

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Really great points here - keep your focus, but you have great reasons to start looking elsewhere.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Start looking for an AE role in case your conversation doesn't go as planned.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

Time to dust that resume off, worst case you learn that you love the company and spend an hour meeting recruiters

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

1. If you love your job, company and product - you have to try proving your worth as an AE. I would talk about my career progressions and my expectations during my 1-1 to get more insights
2. If it doesn’t work out and you have no regret jumping ships with better opportunities (& more money)- start looking for one

LMHandle7

Personal Narrative

Sales Director

I would have a chat with your direct boss and his/her boss, and reflect on your feelings about where you stand and that you wish to be promoted to an AE, maybe give them an idea that you can be a Senior SDR or a Junior AE with a pay bump..and all the time that you are setting this up and chatting look for new role ASAP! They might lay you off...

slumdollamillionaire

Good Citizen

Franchise Owner

Here is what I would do:
1. Communicate to the ultimate DM your desire to be an AE and show proof of why you deserve the promotion. I would also make it clear you are under paid in current SDR role to this person. Understand it may not be in your bosses best interest for you to be promoted as now your boss likely loses their best SDR. In this scenario you need to respectfully find another DM to make sure your desire is heard by someone with the power to make the promotion to AE happen.

2. Once you speak to the ultimate DM you need to be clear that your motivation to succeed is driven by earning potential and reward of being promoted. Let them know you have performed at a high level that warrants promotion. Ask this DM if your last 18 months worth of production warrants promotion. If they say yes, then say OK, can we put together a timeline for me to move in to the AE role and discuss compensation.

3. If the DM is non committal or says "we arent hiring any AE's any time soon" this is a red flag. Company should never want to lose a top performer who has earned more opportunity and money. Try to figure out why they wont promote you. This part is tough because you have to be really honest with yourself. Is there something about you that leads the company to believe you aren't a good fit as an AE? Do they lack faith in you with a bigger responsibility? Is there something about you that causes them to pause ? It could even be that you are not viewed highly in the company from a social standing (ie you are not in the cool group--sadly this happens)...

Lastly, if you get these lame answers and are willing to stay an SDR you need a big raise. In order to be engaged people need to be learning or earning and ideally both. Sounds like you're getting bored so earning is the only other way you can continue producing at a high level. It's likely time to move on. If the company, or the ulitmate DM is really a champion for you then you would likely already have gotten promoted...

Valueselling

Member

Managing Director

I totally agree with slumdollamillonaire. The first thing you have to do when you want to be promoted to another job, is to find your replacement. Otherwise there is poor interest from your manager to promote you as he would be loosing. The key is to make the company understand they already lost you. You´re gone. You are no longer going to work as SDR any more. The question is if they want to keep you at another job or let you go. Already taken decision.

Then, the decision point for the company is different. It is not to keep you as SDR or not, as you are no longer to work as SDR. The decision is about to keep you as a high performer in a different job or let you go.

It is a flanking strategy Vs frontal. You are changing the game´s rules.

Hope this works

MoltisantiCapital

Opinionated

Storage Portfolio Account Executive

Really appreciate the insight guys thanks a lot

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

Why move to AE? Could you move in to a different department, get paid that way?

khiz

Fire Starter

Account Manager

Ask yourself two questions:
1- are you getting paid enough?
2- are you learning enough?

Ideally it should be both. Worse case it should be one. Leave if it's neither

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MoltisantiCapital

The next move?

18 comments

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