Here to discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly in terms of how the pandemic affected you on an individual or professional level.
softserve
What role has the pandemic played in your sales career?
30
I'm one of the lucky ones. I sell software for securing remote workers. The last 18 months has been absolutely bananas!
In addition to just $$$, I've found that I'm more than capable at working from home. I had the option before, but never thought I could perform when I wasn't in the office. I've had a much more enjoyable work/life mix and have spent more time with my young children than I ever thought I'd be able to.
In addition to just $$$, I've found that I'm more than capable at working from home. I had the option before, but never thought I could perform when I wasn't in the office. I've had a much more enjoyable work/life mix and have spent more time with my young children than I ever thought I'd be able to.
Love that silver lining! Our company has definitely expanded its horizons in regards to work at home life. The flexibility now to be half in the office and half remote has been a live saver for even the smallest things (like doing laundry mid day or some casual meal prep for the in office days).
Wow! That is a dope business to be in during a Pandemic
Right there with you @SlingingSoftware . My company was vital to business continuity. Truthfully, the pandemic accelerated the rate at which Early Adopters viewed technology - especially in the SaaS world.
#blessed
#blessed
Advanced it by 3-4 years probably
Same here but maybe accelerated it by 2-3 years. Jumped ship from a company I probably would have kept grinding at for peanuts if the pandemic had decimated that industry.
Gave me time to learn
Got laid off from my recruiting position in 2020 because of the pandemic, forced me to look for a new role which brought me to the company I'm with currently. Couldn't be happier - I would have ended up in sales anyway but the layoff forced me to get started a lot earlier.
Sometimes a tiny push is needed. This is a happy story 🌟
Definitely! I had been toying with the idea of moving on for a while but figured I'd stick it out for another 6-9 months and start applying then...really happy I didn't.
Buying a house this year because of it. Gave me an opportunity to jump from an SDR to AE role at a significantly better company. I'm also much happier and a harder worker without the 3.5 hour door to door daily return commute I used to have.
Bought my first house this year too because of pandemic growth. Still commuting, but at least the boss knows it is not needed if I want to work from home for a few days.
The pandemic actually accelerated my career. Like SlinginSoftware my company was one of the "enable remote work" ones, so the pandemic accelerated a few massive deals for me which in turn got me a promotion to a more strategic patch.
On an individual level, I learned a shit ton about myself. I didn't realize before how much I enjoy being around other people. HOWEVER, I am also much more productive WFH than I was in the office.
On an individual level, I learned a shit ton about myself. I didn't realize before how much I enjoy being around other people. HOWEVER, I am also much more productive WFH than I was in the office.
Nice! I'm going to a company that is similar to yours. Hope the market isn't as saturated anymore!
Made me more independent minded and a problem solver
Got layed off. Found a great gig right after
Lost my job at the start of the pandemic, had a very helpful two month rest period then found my current job which is the best environment I've ever worked in
Accelerated it for sure, if you were selling SaaS in the right market during the peak of the pandemic it was a license to print money. Not only that it did wonders for sales reps around the globe who worked for companies that were anti-WFH - it proved we could do it and still crush our numbers.
i'm more empathetic and i'm able to communicate on my own terms and more efficiently (internally)
Doubled our business and proved to me and the boss that I can still crush it from home.
Made me fall in love with remote work! After spending a few months working from home, my wife and I needed to get away so we started to rent our place and have traveled around while still working full-time.
We spent three months in Miami, two in South Carolina, and are currently in DC. Our job has asked for people to start returning but seeing that I can work like this they have been supportive and are fine with me continuing to travel while working.
We spent three months in Miami, two in South Carolina, and are currently in DC. Our job has asked for people to start returning but seeing that I can work like this they have been supportive and are fine with me continuing to travel while working.
Took me back 3 years, but only because the second week of March 2020 I accepted a new job in a new industry. My timing was AWFUL. I had a fat pipeline but hated my employer, so it was time to move on. Went to someplace that I love but had to build a pipeline from scratch in the worst year possible to do it.
Really fucked me, but wouldn't do a damn thing differently.
Really fucked me, but wouldn't do a damn thing differently.
It proved that you don't need to be on a flight every week to close deals! Unless you want to be!
It got me into sales. I graduated and not a lot of roles were open, but sales roles were, and so that was my in into this lovely world.
Welcome to sales! Its a rollercoaster of a ride.
Thanks! I've heard haha
I started just 1 month the pandemic started and did not get fired on the massive fires of July2020 so I have had great luck. And I´m in a great company and have learned plenty of new things in the last year and a half so accelerate it for sure
Moved Cities, Started a new job then within 3 weeks I was fully remote. Sell a product that was good for remote work and first responders so just accelerated our sales.
Extremely lucky to be in one of the few thriving industries from the pandemic. Interest rates all time low, business has been at an all time high for me!
Productivity & quitting smoking, weirdly.
I have definitely moved up faster due to the pandemic. Have had the chance to meet with and impress leaders from across the country within my company, and got a very quick promotion off of a refferal. I am definitely lucky to be in an industry that has not been negatively affected by the pandemic.
It helped me sleep more, which made me more excited on my demos, which translated to more $$$.
I wouldn’t be in sales without the pandemic. I was getting out of the military and planning to go into “Program Management” (whatever that means) but no one was hiring March/April 2020 so I gave SaaS sales a shot and love it.
The pandemic has actually been a game changer for me. My company is now allowing its employees to work remotely which has freed me up to live anywhere I want.
I'm moving to Manhattan in 2 months and I never could have done that if the pandemic didn't depress rental rates in the city and my company didn't move remote.
I've also been promoted twice since the pandemic started, all while working from home. Unreal.
I'm moving to Manhattan in 2 months and I never could have done that if the pandemic didn't depress rental rates in the city and my company didn't move remote.
I've also been promoted twice since the pandemic started, all while working from home. Unreal.
Taught me the need for creativity in my selling habits, now that things are on the upswing for O&G it has taught me the need to carve out time for mental sanity!
I had an offer for a pretty big SaaS company in the bay around late Feb 2020, as you'd imagine, my offer got rescinded, and went on unemployment for a few months.
Got a temp job in mid-June and got hired 3 months ago at a startup with some serious series A cash. Pandemic showed me that everything is a grind, I applied to like 50 SaaS jobs and treated it like high volume prospecting and tracked everything. I feel grateful for the position I'm in after struggling so much, but that's life/sales.
Got a temp job in mid-June and got hired 3 months ago at a startup with some serious series A cash. Pandemic showed me that everything is a grind, I applied to like 50 SaaS jobs and treated it like high volume prospecting and tracked everything. I feel grateful for the position I'm in after struggling so much, but that's life/sales.
Made it remote!!! And I’m still remote and love it
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