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HappyinSaaS

Account Executive

Fire Starter
Contributor

Why Did I Not Get The Job (turned down 4x)

I've been in the job market for my next SaaS opportunity and am running into a frustrating and puzzling situation - no offers are coming my way. I'm by no means a sales wizard or God's gift to the professional world, but throughout my career, I've usually never had to fight too hard for an opportunity. I'm charismatic, passionate, hard working and high performing, and that has taken me a long ways.


Here are my stats:

  • 18 months in SaaS
  • Background in business and non-profit sector
  • 6 months in a row of 200%+ quota
  • Rookie of the Year, multiple sales rep of the month

I'm getting interviews, but all of them are passing over me for 'more experienced candidates'. I'm new to SaaS and the SaaS world...is that a legitimate statement? They knwo how much experience I have before they invite me to an interview, so it must be something I'm saying. Is it the market right now? I'm just very confused and frustrated, I'd like to learn here, but employers are not very transparent. Any feedback would be helpful!

👥 Hiring
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23 comments

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Pachacuti
Politicker
9
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
18months = throughout your career?!

It may seem like a lifetime, but you’re very junior. I’m sure that’s not the entirety of your sales career, but with the candidate availability currently,any companies have their pick of many more experienced sales people.

Good luck in your search though.
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
2
Bravado's Resident Asshole
Exactly my thought. Very new still
HappyinSaaS
Fire Starter
1
Account Executive
Great question -

No, 18 months in SaaS, 3yrs total in sales. Prior to that experience in business and non-profit world, creating growth in every organization.

But your response is helpful, I suppose if you're looking for a deeper bench of talent, you can certainly look further than 18 months
Mendizo
Opinionated
7
Sr. Director
First, I appreciate the spirit of how you are asking; many people simply point fingers, but you are looking to improve... kudos!

While the macro environment today is indeed very different than even 4 months ago, the AE job market is still fairly strong, and AE positions are plentiful, I'd say. I think you yourself have seen evidence of this given that you are seeing openings, and even getting interviews.

Given that it seems you're having trouble advancing in the process after your initial interview (but please provide any specifics you want on what their feedback was), here's a few thoughts (I took the liberty of looking up your profile on LI since it's easily found, so I could provide a more real-life assessment):

-You have a fantastic track record on paper (with no reason to doubt you, but know that to a hiring manager it's still on paper), so great job in your time as an AE so far! 18 months' experience is what I would consider early career for an AE still, but personally that doesn't matter as much. As a sales leader, I prize aptitude over experience and am willing to give people a chance. I think this also is true for some of the companies you are applying to since you are getting interviews. With the glut of AE's at the moment on the market, there is the unfortunate reality too that there are some easy pickings for AE's with more experience, but that may change again in a couple months.

-The next item would be the type of role you are applying for, compared to the experience you have. Are you applying for B2B SaaS roles? Selling any particular systems? Your background is fairly niche, as in, the solutions you sold are for that one segment of nonprofit, and a very particular sales motion. This is where a hiring manager may find it questionable for whether you can succeed immediately. Don't take this personally. If I have two candidates, you and someone who has sold B2B SaaS for 5 years, it's "safer" going with them... and that may be exacerbated right now due to the candidate glut. To maximize your background, I might say look for jobs in the nonprofit sector. Many of the leading companies such as MSFT, Salesforce, Google etc all have teams focused on nonprofit. For example, Microsoft has their Tech for Social Impact (TSI) team, which focuses on nonprofit, and you may find your background standing out there.

-Given your niche focus and early AE career, my advice in an interview would be to lessen your articulation on any nonprofit-specific experience and really continue to draw their attention to the process you have. If I'm a hiring manager, again what is in the back of my mind for you is "does this guy really have a handle on the sales process, and do I think he can hit the ground running, learn the solution and connect with customers?".

Perhaps highlight things such as your ability to learn solutions quickly (of course, only if supported by factual stories you can back it up with), to hone in on the value proposition, to be able to understand a customer do a degree before you ever talk to them, and how. The more that you can land confidence that you have the operating principles down, the less they will focus on your niche experience. For each interview, I hope you are also absorbing the company's products and in essence weaving in your own pseudo pitch during the interview and why you are excited to have an opportunity to sell it.

Happy to chat further if you'd like!
Sunbunny31
Politicker
3
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
This is a great response, and very good of you to be so thorough.

Also made me realize OP put his real name up in an anonymous forum - so might want to change that moving forward.
HappyinSaaS
Fire Starter
0
Account Executive
Mendizo - thank you! This was very helpful and thorough, I really appreciate it!
CuriousFox
WR Officer
5
🦊
Have you asked for feedback? What could you have done better etc?
HappyinSaaS
Fire Starter
3
Account Executive
Yes! Hubspot said: "

During the role play you were able to build rapport and connect well on a personal level, but hisfeedback was that you needed a bit of improvement in your consultative approach where you showed a limited number of questions and pushed the conversation more towards yourself vs the prospect - focusing more on the "why" for the customer."

Others have repeatedly said: "We're going to move forward with more experienced candidates." Like every single time. Which is deeply frustrating, bc my experience wasn't a surprise to them.

This has happened at nearly every stage of the interview, typically though around the 2nd-3rd interview.
punishedlad
Tycoon
3
Business Development Team Lead
It sounds like you were always the second or third choice for these roles and they truly did have more experienced candidates that they were vying for. If they ended up losing those candidates to other companies, you were the fall back. With 18 months experience in SaaS this seems like the most likely scenario. Doesn't make it any less frustrating. I've been there many times before.
HappyinSaaS
Fire Starter
1
Account Executive
It makes it less frustrating when you understand it, thanks for this, it does make sense!
LordOfWar
Tycoon
3
Blow it up
There are like a million reps looking for work in what everyone is saying will be a recession soon, so it is a tough go out there.

I don't get a call back when I apply to places. Its not just you.

A better path might be to find a recruiter that works for you, rather than just be a number in someone else's inbox.
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
2
Sales Rep
Really sorry to hear this. It’s tough right now since not as many places are hiring. Due to the amount of layoffs, the candidate pool to choose from in SaaS has increased dramatically. Unfortunately this caused great candidates still not able to get the role since there might be a perfect one.

Is there a common part of the interviewing process where you are getting denied? That might help to indenting an area to focus on improving.

Don’t beat yourself up, it’s a grind out there due to the market!
Diablo
Politicker
2
Sr. AE
If you are invited for an interview I won’t assume it’s the market. Where are you getting turned down? Initial rounds, last round… is that the only feedback you are getting from companies that are not moving forward?

There is a great article in Bravado Academy called ‘Nailing the interview.’ You might want to have a look at it if no already done!
Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
This is great advice.

And I too am interested in what stage the rejection is occurring. Maybe we can help.
punishedlad
Tycoon
1
Business Development Team Lead
Echoing this sentiment. Back when I was in the interview circuit last year, I reached final round with multiple companies and was given the same reasoning. Since it was final round, I was inclined to believe them. It was likely down to me and one or two other candidates, and since at that point I was only at 4 years working in SaaS it seemed a believable reason.
ChumpChange
Politicker
1
Channel Manager
Are you applying for SDR/BDR roles or AE roles? If it's for an AE role then most companies are looking for 3-5 years of experience unless you're rolling the dice with a Series A that's just looking for bodies to build a pipeline. My suggestion to apply for a BDR/SDR role and kill it till they promote you.
HappyinSaaS
Fire Starter
1
Account Executive
I've considered this. Frustrating since - at least imo - I'm a proven AE, but guess 18mo isn't enough from the comments here. Very helpful yall!
ThatNewAE
Big Shot
1
Account Executive - Mid enterprise
18 months can be considered as low, considering one needs to get accustomed to the product and all in the first 3-4 months.

In the world we live in, number of years of experience still triumph over the awards you have.

Also - the market is not great right now. Either a freeze or layoffs. So you might want to tread water with care.
HappyinSaaS
Fire Starter
1
Account Executive
Makes since and very helpful. Thank you!
CRAG112
Valued Contributor
1
Account Executive
Start asking hard questions and dive in to discovery immediately. Do it with the recruiter, the HM, the VPA, the CEO, literally the same with every single person you speak to in the interview process.

how urgently are you hiring?
How many people are interviewing internally?
how many externally?
How many people actively interviewing have double or more years of experience than I do?
how often have you made a hiring decision that was not based on years of experience?

basically, start bringing up the objections before you hear them and it’s too late. Use those sales techniques!!
bababaRICE
Personal Narrative
1
Account Executive
If it makes you feel better, I have 5yrs experience with promotional/marketing products (experience with custom made from scratch too), closed about USD $3million in 2021-22, and I'm trying to move into the SaaS industry cause its the next big thing.

I think I've been in about 30-40 interviews for SDR/BDR/AE roles for just November and I think I'm definitely facing some heavy competition from recent layoffs - why would HR/Hiring Managers risk it with someone like me without the background in SaaS right?

I just keep trying and keep going for it - their loss! right?

Keep confident and keep working at it, never give up and persistence!
Blue_Turtle
Opinionated
0
sdr
This is hands down the worst time to look for a job in SaaS in a very long time
Coastal_crusher
Politicker
0
Sales Director
I think we've all been here. Keep your chin up and don't take your foot off the gas. GL :)

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