Dunbar

Account Executive

Would you a take a small base for higher OTE?

Hey everyone, would love to get some advice.

Currently in the interview process for an AE position for a SaaS company. I'm currently working as a CSM but looking to get into tech sales. I've learned the base is lower than my current role but the commission and OTE are significantly higher. Through conversations I've had so far, the current team hit their numbers and has a team average of 116%

Despite the smaller base, is a high upside to the OTE worth taking a smaller base? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

💰 Compensation

🗣 Interviewing

13 comments

Sort by:

CoorsKing

WR Officer

Retired King of the Coors Knights

What is the industry, what is the market, what is their market cap, are they growing internally or is there high turnover, did they hit earnings last quarter, are there lots of possible buyers in your geo region?

If good answers to all of those I would say take it, but I would be personally wary of anything higher than maybe a 35/65 base to variable split

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

To add to this, if they are adding reps and expecting the growth rate to continue, I'd be wary.

Dunbar

Good Citizen

Account Executive

Market Cap: 3.5B - was told there are massive opportunities
They promoted about 50% of Sales reps last year
Have hit earnings consistently and shown steady growth YoY
Lastly, the base/variable is 50/50

saaskicker

Celebrated Contributor

Enterprise AE

FWIW every single company you interview with is going to tell you there is a massive opportunity. When start ups flood the team with reps after averaging 100%+ attainment these numbers will drop. I'd ask what the current split is on inbound vs. outbound opps. More reps = less inbound to go around, coming from the CSM world I'm imagining it taking you a few months to ramp up an outbound pipe gen motion.

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

What's your current ote and what are they offering?

BmajoR

Arsonist

Account Executive

Take it

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Don't stop til you get enough 🎶

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Yes this is normal in some areas. Do a little market research and see what your peers are making.

IYNFYL

Politicker

Enterprise SaaS AE

I would find out ramp to get to that point as well. Many companies say that the reps have hit their numbers, but they hide it that they don’t do that until year 2. So I always ask what was quota attainment for a typical first year rep

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

No I would not take a lower base for higher ote....you can always find a place that will give you a higher base and a higher ote. You just have to keep looking

saaster

Fire Starter

Account Executive

Unless the sales cycle is really fast I’d leave it. There are tons of companies paying market bases with 50/50 splits that would love CS experience on their sales teams. If I’m you I shoot for an inside AM spot because it’s an easy shift from CS and you’ll get experience to then move to a field AE role.

Jewcan_Sam81

Politicker

Account Executive

I’m really more of a 50/50 split kinda guy, but if I had to choose I’d go higher base for those sometimes, or all too often dry spells that happen to the best of us

Beans

Big Shot

Enterprise Account Executive

Nope.

Bravado is a community of trusted sales professionals endorsed by their customers.

Products

The War Room Jobs Salary Guide Tech Sales U

Company

About Us How It Works Blog Bug Bounty

Contact

Press Careers

If you are hired as a contract sales rep by a Bravado customer, we may ask you to prove access to the employee email account provided to you by that customer. This data will be shared with customers to track your sales productivity; customers can use this data to confirm you meet the minimum activity requirements to pay out your ramp stipend and commission.