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npm55434 profile picture

npm55434

Business Development Representative

Catalyst
Good Citizen
Contributor
+1

Upward Mobility

Entering a sales organization at the bottom level (BDR, SDR, ASR, associate, etc.) should the path to the next level (ISR, AE, Sales Director) be clearly drawn out? I believe at that level the associate/rep should know that they need to achieve A, B, C to be qualified to make the jump.


What is your experience with navigating these conversations with a manager if the path is not clearly drawn out on how to advance your career at the same company?

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poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
3
☕️
It's all dependent on organizational maturity. In some companies, it's an HR business directive to erect (pause for laughter) career ladders for all positions that show clear paths for mobility within the org. In others, it's on the managers and department leaders to do that...and they often don't make it super clear. 

If you cannot see your path to the next level, and you want to know exactly what you need to do to get there, then you should be asking your manager and/or VP to lay it all out. If they cannot, or worse, if they refuse to, then it may be a red flag that you're in a tough spot that will only get tougher.
Accidental_Sales_Guy
Politicker
3
Account Executive
If the path is not drawn out, that gives you an opportunity to make your case for a promotion! (i.e. historical quota attainment, quality of meetings, training your peers, etc.). More control for you!

If the path is drawn out, consider it a bare minimum requirement. Always be doing more that what's listed because every internal candidate will be checking the same boxes. Bring up metrics no one else is checking like...

-what % of your meetings are accepted into pipeline vs average
-how much closed $$$ can be tied to your sourced meetings?
-what specific ways are you helping your team?
-how many calls/emails/activities do you produce compared to average?
npm55434
Catalyst
1
Business Development Representative
Great, I like the practical insight!
Rallier
Politicker
3
SDR Manager and Consultant
It's really important to tell your manager what you want your next step to be. It should be outlined by the organization, but always be open about it
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
Completely agree.
softwaresails
Politicker
2
Sales Manager
This definitely depends on the organization. 

There isn’t going to be a path to becoming Manager / Director / VP of Sales if there is already someone there doing the job. 

But there is always an opportunity something happens that opens that position up and you just need to be in a position that helps you take that spot. 

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