Goomba profile picture
Goomba profile picture

Goomba

Director of Shitposts

Opinionated
Valued Contributor
Praised Answer
+5

What’s with failed SDRs that don’t want to cold call thinking they deserve an AE role?

Seriously, I see multiple stints less than a year. average tenure is like 8-10 months. Total relevant professional experience often less than 2 years total. Many less than 1. 

These MFs failed at sales, some of them tried to get back on the horse (commendable but they need to get on it again until they're actually successful) but they don't deserve more money and more responsibility because they're allergic to cold calls. 

Tired of seeing this entitlement. I had to eat shit over and over to cut my teeth. 

Am I being a boomer by thinking you earn success in sales? No one deserves handouts?
😟 bitch
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22 comments

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StringerB
Politicker
8
Senior Account Executive
Eh, Im an AE who doesnt cold call and I W2ed 160k last year. My best friend is an ENT Rep who doesnt cold call and he makes 300k at a large tech company. Jobs like that are out there. Additionally I was an SDR/BDR for 2 years and Id argue its more sales-ish than actual sales. Getting someone to agree to a meeting is not even close to the same as getting revenue out of that person. There might be some overlap in the skills but imo its a very different set. While I agree that most shitty SDRs will be shitty AEs, Ive seen a lot of good SDRs flame out of AE careers, and some average SDRs kill it as an AE.
jefe
Arsonist
5
🍁
Oh man, that's the dream.

But this does happen, it's just not easy to find these gigs.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
It just takes time and patience to get into one of those jobs. Yes, a good reputation and solid skills, too, but you generally shouldn’t expect to get there right away.
oldcloser
Arsonist
5
💀
Dunno man. Maybe they just had bad luck. I mean it’s hard to call people you don’t know and ask them for money. Fkkkk
Goomba
Opinionated
2
Director of Shitposts
Sales is hard. Confirmed.
Space_Ghost20
Executive
3
Account Executive
I don't know, I typically avoid speculating or commenting on people's work unless I've actually seen it in action or worked with them before. Last few years there have been a lot of companies crop up that did not have their act together, but thought they could mass hire SDRs and AEs and rake in the revenue. Often these teams were managed by people whose only qualification to manage was being the first sales hire and sticking around long enough to hit their targets. Not a recipe for success.

Not to remove any responsibility from them, but there's probably a ton of SDRs whose only experience in the role is dysfunction, short tenures because the company ran out of money or never had PMF, and ineffective management. The AE role is viewed as having at least somewhat more control over the situation so it's little wonder they want out ASAP.

You do have to work your way up in any field. But I try to understand the motivations behind what people do or say because it's very rarely a simple matter of being a character flaw.
oldcloser
Arsonist
2
💀
Solid points here. Many pop-up shitholes that shouldn’t have the right to define anyone’s abilities.
TennisandSales
Politicker
2
Head Of Sales
you 100% need to earn success in sales. well to get my respect at least.

BUT i think the SDR role is the HARDEST role to get out of in sales.

i have seen really talented ppl just get fucked over by stupid internal rules and policies that keep them from advancing their career.

Getting closing experience is the most important thing a sales rep can do.

So i never blame a person for doing what ever it takes to get it.

That being said, when people think they are better than the SDR role, or just deserve a closing role because they "tried hard" or they think they can close even before they have done it, i get scared.

You need to have confidence, but entitlement is something I cant stand. Those who can walk that line i think will have the most successful careers.
lowhangersalesbanger
Executive
2
Account Executive
.32 years as an SDR that got PIP'd out because they wouldn't pickup the phone? Sounds like it's time for a transition to running a podcast about sales!
Goomba
Opinionated
0
Director of Shitposts
Instantly a sales consultant
braintank
Politicker
1
Enterprise Account Executive
They'll either:
• pivot to marketing
• find some pre-revenue start-up that's desperate
• try to become influencers hawking clay spreadsheets
Goomba
Opinionated
3
Director of Shitposts
lol the third one is spot on
BasstheBear
Valued Contributor
1
Account Manager
Not only will they blow out all the AE roles with huge amounts of job applications and make getting actually hired more difficult for actual qualified employees, they will then talk about it on LinkedIn and say how much a grind getting hired is.

Bitch BE AN SDR AND LEARN.
Goomba
Opinionated
0
Director of Shitposts
Fucking right. Eating some shit is good for youuuuuuu
MRK47
Personal Narrative
1
Head of Growth
SDR gig is perhaps hardest sales role.....most are expected to churn out within a year (can take only so much rejection) so seeing <12 month stints is not uncommon....and from a hiring perspective, for an SDR to be in the same role for more than 18 months, that's also a red flag (unless they are masochists) .....companies want to have a bench of future AEs from the SDR pool....as inbound lead gen gets harder (or lack of lead gen investment), they assume AEs with SDR background can help better fill the gap with outbound/prospecting efforts (and their onboarding / ramp periods can be shorter).....personally have elevated a few SDRs with only 1-2 years experience to AEs and worked out well...very much depends on the size / stage of business / support systems in place...not a model for enterprise / long cycle sales...def need to first earn your stripes / do your time in the trenches (more than 2 years)
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
1
☕️
They’re not the only problem in the equation. It’s the sales leaders the keep giving then hope by hiring.
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
yup, entitlement
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
To be fair, SDR/BDR did not exist when I started out, and many of my colleagues were better at closing than cold calling - including me. That said, expecting to get a good six figure job soon after starting your career path is unrealistic and entitled, regardless of where you start or if you are or aren’t good at cold calling.
1
You wrote a post about being a bdr in May so Idk what your complaining about
cw95
Politicker
1
Head of SDR
An SDR I managed excelled throughout the probation period, yet after probation they seemed to slow down, of course, we naturally always put the most effort in at first to impress. A week after passing, they asked for a promotion to which I said that's not how it works here, you've only been here for 3 months!

They are still there now, it's been over a year, still haven't been promoted (after I left that is) as they would do well for a week, and then the next week you knew the question was coming...'Can we discuss promotions and pay rise' even after you kept explaining they had to be consistent and show they can do what it would take to be an AE. No drive to grind really.
Gasty
Notable Contributor
0
War Room Community Manager
Not handouts but if they’re performing even without said “cold calling” then what’s the issue?

I know so many SDRs who cold calling a lot but are still not hitting their numbers.

It really depends, maybe they have what it takes, cold calling a lot doesn’t mean they’ll be good/bad at AE level.

If you think someone deserves it based on performance then why not?
Goomba
Opinionated
0
Director of Shitposts
Yeah this is assuming they’re not and can’t hold a sales job at a lower level while wanting one at a higher level.

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