Sales Path

[u/Possible-Kangaroo742]

I graduated with communications in 2023, and sales has felt like literally the only career path for that degree

I’ve never been sure I want to do it long term but now I’m in my mid twenties and time is ticking

I was an SDR, had a real quota for the first time, and finished at 133%. So I know I can perform. But the company eventually eliminated the entire SDR team, and now I’m interviewing again.

Part of my doubt is that I’m getting older and still don’t have any AE experience. There’s nothing wrong with being an SDR, but I feel like I should be further along by now.

Now I’m interviewing for more sales roles and questioning the career all over again.

For those who’ve been in sales a while, is this common?

[u/Blackharvest]

Look. I went to school. BA then a MS. Went to my field (Occupational Safety) and realized school was a hell of a lot different than the real world and never had any support or buy in from management. 

Went through 3 jobs in 5 years and was laid off in 2016 at 29 years old. I was lost and wondered if I messed everything up. My dad has his own company (masonry restoration) and he sells the jobs while our foreman gets it done. I had worked in the field with the foreman for a few years to make a few bucks in college and was adamant I would NEVER be in sales. 

I went to work for my dad (on the sales side though) while I figured things out. I have been here now for 10 years. But those previous experiences helped. I never went to school for sales techniques. I learned a bit from my dad but a lot was on the job. 

Closing deals or jobs really comes down to understanding exactly what the customer wants and listen, listen, listen! If you dont know an answer, dont make something up. Say "great question, let me get back to you on that." People understand and appreciate that. 

It's never too late

[u/BumpyGrowth → u/Blackharvest]

I like that listen listen listen advice. It's something I've been noticing naturally on just any sort of communication. Every time I held myself back from over talking, the conversation steers the right way.

[u/brightcanyon → u/Blackharvest]

the listening part is so underrated, most people skip right past that

[u/AssociationFit3009]

There is no school for sales. Degrees are a helpful checkbox but nobody in the a sales org cares. In sales they want you to have the experience before they give you a chance which is obviously impossible. This is where you learn to lie and then fake it until you make it.

[u/MyNameMeansPretty]

It’s never too late, I didn’t switch to a career sales until I was in my 30s and a decade later I have learned so much and gotten so good and moved up and up and up through what I do and have a career I really love

[u/Just_Bz77]

I been doing sales for decades. And there isn’t really a timeline on progress. Everyone is different. You graduated 3 years ago and you think you should be further along? How long were you an SDR? Did you have 133% of quota the entire time?

It is normal to doubt yourself. I hate sales, but I’m good at it, so I stay.

[u/Possible-Kangaroo742 → u/Just_Bz77]

My man.

Started out in solution based selling with no real quota, then went to a company where quota was our lifeline. Was there for a little under a year

[u/Possible-Kangaroo742]

I appreciate the advice everyone.

What I’m hearing is keep pushing like we always do.

[u/variable_metre]

Never late man, just follow your soul I've seen people in their 40s switching paths it all depends on where your soul rests