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So @KeirstenBrager got me thinking let me dedicate a thread to what a Sales Engineer is. If you got questions feel free to ask here or dm. Most people fear they will have to be overly sales focused so they shy away. Below is the description of what Sales Engineers do
A SE (sales engineer) is paired with a strictly Sales oriented person. That Sales rep owns the quota. Each rep is assigned a yearly quota basically the amount they have to sell a year. Now an SE doesn't carry a direct quota.we are mostly tied to the regional number. Like central
That number is influenced by the greater group at large. There are about 3 different models you normally see
1. 1 to 1 (rep and Se)
2. Pool model (common Iditarod supports top Sales rep)
3. True pool model more a few for all SE works with all reps
I have worked in all the 1st 2
1. 1 to 1 (rep and Se)
2. Pool model (common Iditarod supports top Sales rep)
3. True pool model more a few for all SE works with all reps
I have worked in all the 1st 2
Are idea it allows you to get a good chemistry for how you will work as a team.
Now that the pairing is out the way. Let's talk Roles and responsibilities
First let's dive into what reps do then we will tackle SE's
Rep
1. Generate pipeline ( basically find people to sell to)
Now that the pairing is out the way. Let's talk Roles and responsibilities
First let's dive into what reps do then we will tackle SE's
Rep
1. Generate pipeline ( basically find people to sell to)
2. Establish relationships and secure customer meetings
3. Depending on the Org do early qualification ( that's just making sure we are a good fit for the company's needs)
4. Build relationship with Executive management ( we call this Executive alignment)
5. While POC is going on
3. Depending on the Org do early qualification ( that's just making sure we are a good fit for the company's needs)
4. Build relationship with Executive management ( we call this Executive alignment)
5. While POC is going on
Keep building relationships and share information
6. Contract and all legal ( headache )
7. In step one I should have mentioned forecasting that's predicting when deals will come on that you worked on
8. After poc get the Purchase order( get payment abs signed Contract)
6. Contract and all legal ( headache )
7. In step one I should have mentioned forecasting that's predicting when deals will come on that you worked on
8. After poc get the Purchase order( get payment abs signed Contract)
That's a short summary ok on to my favorite part
SE
1. Early on technically qualify deals ( do we meet their expectations, features etc)
2. Lead the meeting once the reo secures or ( there you will talk about the company's strategy for overall technology how you fit & how you
SE
1. Early on technically qualify deals ( do we meet their expectations, features etc)
2. Lead the meeting once the reo secures or ( there you will talk about the company's strategy for overall technology how you fit & how you
Can help achieve their business goals
3. Run the proof of concept. ( that's them evaluating your company's technology in there environment)
4. All things technical you on, all support
5. The goal of the POC is to secure the technical win of meeting all the customer's needs
3. Run the proof of concept. ( that's them evaluating your company's technology in there environment)
4. All things technical you on, all support
5. The goal of the POC is to secure the technical win of meeting all the customer's needs
That concludes that part now things that are expected but not so much in that structure
6. You should really be about to speak to most things in their environment security wise. So you will need to stay up to date on the industry and constantly read, research etc
6. You should really be about to speak to most things in their environment security wise. So you will need to stay up to date on the industry and constantly read, research etc
7. Presentation preparing, you will prepare a lot of power point Presentations and deliver them. You will need to note how to create them, graphics etc. I learned this at Proofpoint
8. Most important part you have to be very good with people. The majority of the job is customer
8. Most important part you have to be very good with people. The majority of the job is customer
Facing. You will meet with CIO's, CISO's, IT director to soc analyst. You need to be able to Taylor your message to each group.
9. Means you have to know what's important to each role in the security organization as well as speak their language.
10. Got to learn your company's
9. Means you have to know what's important to each role in the security organization as well as speak their language.
10. Got to learn your company's
Language as well.
11. Support you will need to be good at providing tech support, and taking on things that may not concern you. Resolving other issues like support are important especially so customers feel the value and renew.
12. Strategy is important that's best teams are
11. Support you will need to be good at providing tech support, and taking on things that may not concern you. Resolving other issues like support are important especially so customers feel the value and renew.
12. Strategy is important that's best teams are
Strategic. They map out a plan for the year, and execute that quarterly.
The higher up you go as an SE the more strategy grows as far as success.
You will need to get along with your rep and be good with flowing with each other & supporting each other. That's enough for now
The higher up you go as an SE the more strategy grows as far as success.
You will need to get along with your rep and be good with flowing with each other & supporting each other. That's enough for now
Feel free to ask or DM oh yeah most every SE position has a base of 100k or more with 100k being on the lower end for base.
Hope this helps people
Hope this helps people
I thought i would add a few more things you can do flexibility wise from the SE position
12. You will get the opportunity to speak at industry events around your company's technology
13. You also get the flexibility to do side project researching so you can speak at events too
12. You will get the opportunity to speak at industry events around your company's technology
13. You also get the flexibility to do side project researching so you can speak at events too
14. Most companies will pay for Sans training, cissp training, & other training plus certs.
15. There are different rules you can travel a region supporting multiple states, you can be a SME(subject matter expert) and travel the country potentially world, or your local state
15. There are different rules you can travel a region supporting multiple states, you can be a SME(subject matter expert) and travel the country potentially world, or your local state
16. One thing I forgot to mention is that you get to influence and shape the direction of the technology your company produces. You get to work with the product & dev team to share feedback from customers on features they want. ( basically you get to drive innovation on features)
That's all I can think of for now but being an SE has been the best career decision I made
I remembered this
17. There are junior SE roles and inside SE roles in order to build up your skills. Those roles are usually direct work from home roles where meetings are held on zoom or another platform.
Pro of this is you learn the SE role. Not as much travel & you still make
17. There are junior SE roles and inside SE roles in order to build up your skills. Those roles are usually direct work from home roles where meetings are held on zoom or another platform.
Pro of this is you learn the SE role. Not as much travel & you still make
6 figures.
You may travel quarterly or twice a year.
That's really it for now if I think of more I will add it.
You may travel quarterly or twice a year.
That's really it for now if I think of more I will add it.
Most important part i left off hope so you get in.
18. The good thing is being an SE doesn't require a certain degree. This will take a bit let me explain. First I have an associates degree in computer networking work 0 certs. I know people who have bachelor's of arts degrees
18. The good thing is being an SE doesn't require a certain degree. This will take a bit let me explain. First I have an associates degree in computer networking work 0 certs. I know people who have bachelor's of arts degrees
So the the emphasis isn't on education its on what you know % can produce. Can you speak to technology, do you understand security and can you work with it. Use to be more Linux based etc, a long with understanding the network concepts firewalls, etc. Now it's more cloud focused
But if you can speak to those things if you are a system admin or responsible for a particular product at your company think splunk, email, firewall or endpoints. Then a hiring manager would hire you for an SE role in a heart beat. So if you have aspirations work on some of the
Products in your company that will put you ahead of other SE'S because your unique perspective of being a customer will translate better to existing customers ( basically you know their pain & can speak to it better)
So if you meet this apply for am SE role
So if you meet this apply for am SE role
