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Aman, Account Manager at ELREPCO: Advize Career Interview
A mechanical engineering graduate's bold move into the high-tech Bay Area led to a remarkable career trajectory.
Starting with internships and leveraging strong interpersonal skills, this individual rapidly advanced from entry-level positions to a high-earning Account Manager role at ELREPCO, increasing annual recurring revenue by tenfold in under three years.
The role demands a unique blend of business acumen, negotiation skills, and emotional intelligence, navigating complex sales cycles in the semiconductor industry.
Success hinges on prioritizing high-impact activities and building strong relationships, while the industry's constant evolution provides a dynamic and intellectually stimulating environment.
This individual's journey underscores the importance of trusting intuition, embracing challenges, and developing essential interpersonal skills, even those learned outside of traditional sales training.
The experience highlights the potential for unexpected career paths and substantial financial rewards in the high-tech sector.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Aman Sheth
Account Manager
ELREPCO
Purdue University Class of 2019
Currently pursuing MBA at UCLA Anderson
Engineering - Mechanical
Electronics & Semiconductors
Sales and Client Management
Immigrant
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Career Path of an Account Manager at ELREPCO
After graduating with a mechanical engineering degree, Aman transitioned from a year-long co-op at an agricultural chemical company to a career in the high-tech sector in the Bay Area, despite having "virtually no sales or semiconductor industry experience." This bold move, starting with an internship at Toshiba Memory and then joining ELREPCO as an account manager, led to significant growth, increasing annual recurring revenue from $5 million to over $50 million in under three years.
Main Responsibilities Of An Account Manager At ELREPCO
Aman's role as an Account Manager at ELREPCO involves "generating new business" in the Data Center and autonomous driving sectors, encompassing the entire sales process from lead generation to deal closure. The position is less about direct customer persuasion and more about internal coordination, "piecing together all these different groups of people" to navigate complex supply chains and long lead times inherent in the semiconductor industry, acting as an "orchestrator" to ensure successful deal execution.
A Day In The Life Of An Account Manager At ELREPCO
Aman's day-to-day responsibilities as an Account Manager at ELREPCO are highly varied, managing accounts ranging from a "$30 million account" like LinkedIn to smaller startups, requiring constant status checks and communication; a typical day involves numerous phone calls coordinating with various stakeholders—legal, technical support, suppliers—to navigate different deal stages, aiming for a balance of phone calls, virtual meetings, and in-person relationship building with key decision-makers.
Most Important Skills For An Account Manager At ELREPCO
Aman, an Account Manager at ELREPCO, emphasizes that the most crucial skill is "general people skills," mastering the art of negotiation in numerous interactions. Further success hinges on strong business acumen for prioritization and strategic thinking that considers long-term relationship value, essential in sales cycles spanning "six months, 12 months, 18 months, two years long sometimes".
Favorite Parts of Being an Account Manager at ELREPCO
Aman, an account manager at ELREPCO, finds the most fulfilling aspect of the role to be "going through the motions of actually having to close a deal right from start to finish," a process involving understanding customer needs, collaborating with internal teams, and ultimately making "that marriage happen." This process, coupled with the "hundred percent commission role" and the resulting high earning potential, makes the position incredibly rewarding.
Biggest Challenges Faced By An Account Manager At ELREPCO
Aman's biggest challenge as an Account Manager at ELREPCO is the inherent unpredictability of sales: "you eat what you kill," meaning income directly correlates with performance, creating a "high risk, high reward" scenario unsuitable for those seeking stable paychecks. The role demands constant effort in finding new opportunities, as consistent performance is paramount for financial success.
Favorite Parts of Working in the Semiconductor Industry as an Account Manager
Aman's passion for the high-tech industry stems from a fascination with how "semiconductor technology underpins all technology," and the continuous advancements in this field. This curiosity led Aman to deeply explore the physics of data storage and actively follow emerging technologies, enjoying the unique perspective of seeing "what's coming down the lines one or two or three or four years from now."
What Type Of Person Thrives In Technical Sales, According To An Account Manager At ELREPCO
To thrive in account management at ELREPCO, a trifecta of skills is essential: "curiosity," a love of learning to stay informed about advancements; "persistence," maintaining a positive mindset and building relationships without being overbearing; and high emotional intelligence ("EQ"), understanding people's needs and adapting communication accordingly. These qualities enable successful account managers to add value and build strong customer relationships.
What an Account Manager at ELREPCO Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Sales Industry
Aman, an account manager at ELREPCO, learned that "activity does not equal productivity," a crucial lesson for commission-based sales roles. The most effective approach involves prioritizing high-return activities, saying "no" to unproductive tasks, and focusing on adding genuine value for clients and suppliers, rather than merely appearing busy.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Account Managers
While a customer-facing role straight out of college is "extremely rare," a common entry-level path in sales or tech involves starting as a business development representative, "responsible for lead generation"—a role that, while challenging, provides valuable skills like cold-calling and networking. After gaining experience as a business development representative, inside sales representative, and then outside sales representative, a career progression toward account management becomes more attainable.
Significant Career Lesson From an Account Manager at ELREPCO
Aman's most significant career lesson involved trusting their intuition: "following your gut on when you feel like you're not in the right place," leading them to abandon a planned engineering career despite societal pressures, ultimately discovering and excelling in a field that better suited their talents and passions. This involved taking "the risk to go out there and figure out what I'm really good at doing."
College Experiences That Helped An Account Manager At ELREPCO Succeed
Aman's unexpected journey from a socially anxious engineering student to a high-performing account manager highlights the unforeseen value of struggling through challenging coursework. The necessity of constantly asking for help during their engineering studies, "the most uncomfortable conversations," inadvertently developed the crucial interpersonal skills—emotional intelligence and relationship-building—essential for a successful sales career.
How Identity Has Influenced An Account Manager's Career At ELREPCO
Aman's experience as an immigrant heavily influenced their career choices, pushing them to take risks and pursue "something extraordinary" rather than settling for a conventional path. This "immigrant mindset," born from leaving family and familiar life for the "land of opportunity," emboldened Aman to prioritize passion and ambition over safety, leading to a more fulfilling, albeit unconventional, career trajectory.
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