What a Sales Executive at a Big Tech Company wishes they had known before entering the Technology industry
Bianca, a Sales Executive at a top technology company, advises aspiring sales professionals to prepare for a challenging first year, emphasizing that the reality of the job often differs from initial portrayals: "five to ten percent referrals and finding 90 to 95% of your business elsewhere." The long sales cycle and implementation timelines, potentially spanning years or months, demand consistent effort and resilience to succeed.
Sales, Persistence, Resilience, Industry Realities, Time Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Bianca Reanna
Sales Executive
Top 10 Technology Company
University of Arizona 2019
N/A
Finance, Marketing
Recruitment, HR & Related Professional Services, Technology
Sales and Client Management
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. The first year in sales is significantly harder than many employers portray during interviews. It involves far more cold calling and prospecting than often advertised.
2. Persistence and consistency are crucial for success, as the sales cycle can be lengthy and discouraging setbacks are common. Many leave the industry early due to the challenges.
3. Building and maintaining long-term relationships with clients is vital, as sales cycles can span several years requiring continuous engagement to secure business when contracts are up for renewal.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
I wish someone had told me how tough the first year in this industry would be. When I interviewed with ADP, they downplayed the role, saying it would be 50% referrals and 50% cold calling.
In reality, it's more like 5-10% referrals and the rest is finding business elsewhere because you really need to hit your quota. If you're not getting referrals, you have to get out in the field or cold call all day to book meetings and make sales.
Many people get discouraged when they realize the reality of the job and end up leaving. Turnover is high at large payroll vendors because people get overwhelmed.
They don't stay consistent, so months down the line, they haven't seen results and have to start the cycle over. You have to trust the process and try to bring joy into the job to motivate yourself.
Also, the sales cycle can be very long. A client might have a contract that ends in five years, and you need to stay consistent with them the entire time. This ensures you're an option when they're ready to re-evaluate.
Additionally, implementation can take up to three months for a mid-market business.
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