MCP

Sales Director

Valued Contributor

WWYD - career bumps in the road

This has been the strangest year for me professionally and I'm looking for some thoughts. I am a sales manager/Director who left a toxic environment a year ago after 3 years on the job (it was my 2nd tour of duty there, first was great, 2nd not so much) and landed with a small startup. They laid me off in January saying it was purely financial, being unable to pay me & said I could make far more out in the world. OK, fine, whatever.

In April I joined another company in a similar role for about the same amount, and they just let me go last week. Although it was a bit of a surprise (IT guy said it was shocking) let's just say it wasn't a good fit with the philosophical differences between their team of order takers and me trying to get them to be real sellers. I've never been let go like that before, but there's a first time for everything and this year marks the only weird section on my resume, everything else is 3+ years.

My question is would you bother putting the most recent gig on your resume? While I've got quite the list of things I did in just 4 months, I don't exactly have results data to show off, just the projects. I'm concerned that 5 months on, 3 months off, 4 months on and then let go isn't a good look on the resume. On the other side, it's also not a good look to show being out of work since January. I don't have the most recent one on my LI profile. It looks like I still work for the one prior, but that's easily confirmed and I don't have anything to share about them beyond January so there's that.

One other thing. I'm now trying to make the move to sales Ops leadership as I've pretty much had it with sales leadership and it's been 8 years since I've been an IC. My resume doesn't show being let go by the most recent, but that could eventually catch up if I'm out several months.

What are your thoughts on this? Include? Exclude?

🎯 Career Development

🤝 Interviewing/Offer

7

13 comments

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poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

8

☕️

If I may be radically candid: I don't think you're cut for sales ops given your previous posts here about certain reps you were unable to communicate with, and your desire to turn "order takers into real sellers" (as written in this post). "I've had it" is not a good reason to get out of something...you simply may have not found a good spot to stay in sales leadership.

As for your other question: put the role down, and create a narrative that explains why you were not the right fit for that org. You want to manage and lead a team of "real sellers"? Go find a company that has a reputation for it and use that motivation as a way to sell yourself as the right fit for that role.

MCP

Valued Contributor

3

Sales Director

I appreciate the candor, but don’t follow. Ops is actually my biggest strength, and I enjoy it much more than sales leadership. While I do think I’ve not been in the best places for sales leadership, I just don’t have the passion for the chase like I used to. I do for creating & fixing process, I like analytics and tech but I hate babysitting and being held solely responsible for the failures of others, particularly when I’m virtually powerless to make changes. I need a change and more stability and it’s common for sales leaders to have a short shelf life. Candor’s good, and I appreciate your suggestions. You’ve given me things to consider.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

2

☕️

You don't lose the babysitting when you join ops, it actually gets worse in some cases. Take it from someone who babysits three leaders and 5 reps.

Incognito

WR Officer

3

Master of Disaster

So, in this post alone you say:

“ I am a sales manager/Director who left a toxic environment a year ago”

Then

”it wasn't a good fit with the philosophical differences between their team of order takers and me trying to get them to be real sellers. ”

And

“While I've got quite the list of things I did in just 4 months, I don't exactly have results data to show off, just the projects.”

Once you take out all the fluff, it paints a much clearer picture of what the issue is.

Time for a “come to Jesus” moment, and I’m pretty sure @BigMeech is about 4 Coors deep right now. Just read his shit and maybe that will help?

CoorsKing

WR Officer

2

Retired King of the Coors Knights

8 deep and about to go to a Giants game lol

Incognito

WR Officer

3

Master of Disaster

Moral of the story: never underestimate the Coors mastery of Jesus

MCP

Valued Contributor

1

Sales Director

I think I’ve already done that which is why I feel like I want out of the rat race and more into helping other rats be better at racing. I was very good as IC, but wanted to challenge myself so I left that gig and threw my hat into the ring to build and lead a SDR team for a previously unmentioned company. That went exceptionally well, everyone there loved what I was doing and that’s where I learned about my interest in sales Ops. I even applied for a VP of sales Ops role there but was gently let down due to a lack of experience. I might have stayed if the toxic old flame hadn’t called and lured me back in with promises that never materialized and a big raise that she reneged on 6 months later. I soon remembered why we broke up in the first place, but like any bad relationship that’s had its good moments, I wanted to see if I could make it work. You already know how that worked out. So I left and found me a rebound, which never last and after that I said yes to a girl I knew I shouldn’t have who ultimately told me you’re not really my type which is whatever because I did everything she said she wanted but then suddenly didn’t want because her friends who never gave me a chance because I wasn’t like her usual told her she didn’t. I guess the moral is don’t go back, it will spiral your life. So before you say it’s me, consider all of the details which I hadn’t exactly divulged, apparently. Basically, I had what I thought was a good girl, but I broke it off with her because we were going in different directions. I found another, who really helped me grow, but the ex, who was really looking good lured me back telling me what I wanted to hear. That relationship turned toxic and I suffered for a couple of years but finally got out with a rebound. She helped fill the void for a bit, but broke it off because she wasn’t ready for commitment like I was. I was alone for a few months when the most recent girl who was more excited about me than I was her offered me. I knew I shouldn’t, because I knew she couldn’t handle me but it had been a few months and mom was pressuring me to get back in the game so I gave it a shot. Once I was in I realized she had real issues. I wanted to help her and at first she seemed willing but her bad influence friends who keep her down because they don’t want her getting better and leaving them behind swayed her so she broke it off with me, suddenly and rudely over text. So here I am, single again and wanting to stay away from these girls. I want something different with someone who appreciates what I bring but I don’t want to scare anyone off with recent bad luck / poor choices.

MCP

Valued Contributor

0

Sales Director

I just realized, I’m reliving my 20s through my career…

CuriousFox

WR Officer

3

🦊

You have the experience so show it and spin into a positive narrative.

Diablo

Politicker

2

Sr. AE

I think you have done great and you should follow what you heart says. When you present your self to a hiring manager, they will see if you can potentially solve the problem (through case study or something) and no one is going to ask you to produce data, but they might ask you if you did this that blah and the ease with which you translate your thoughts with clarity is what they'll look for.. It's my thought..

I would definitely put everything on my resume unless my resume becomes one encyclopedia 😁

MCP

Valued Contributor

0

Sales Director

Thanks Diablo, I appreciate it. I am trying to follow my heart with the Ops move, I just need to transfer the skills. I’ve done a lot of Ops work in the past, just not held the official title because the roles have been hybrid with small companies who can’t afford dedicated support teams. I have good stories there, just needing to transition in my life right now.

Diablo

Politicker

0

Sr. AE

All the best!

LordBusiness

Politicker

2

Chief Revenue Officer

Put the experience down, nothing good ever comes from leaving shit off the books

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