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Brandon, Master Principal Solution Engineer at Oracle: Advize Career Interview
A career path spanning sales to customer experience applications, demonstrating technology to customers, and facilitating software sales, the Master Principal Solution Engineer role at Oracle sounds dynamic.
Internal meetings, discovery calls, and tailored product demonstrations characterize the day-to-day, requiring a blend of technical acumen and listening skills to understand and meet complex client needs.
This constantly evolving industry demands curiosity and a proactive approach to learning, yet it teaches individuals to not be intimidated by people at different levels of companies.
Ultimately, a foundation in computer science and communication, coupled with valuable internship experiences, prepares individuals for success in entry-level sales programs or product development, offering a fulfilling career in tech.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Brandon Ray
Master Principal Solution Engineer
Oracle
Wake Forest University
N/A
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Communications, Computer Science
Technology
Sales and Client Management
Scholarship Recipient
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Career Path Of A Master Principal Solution Engineer At Oracle
Brandon's career path began with college internships, where a sales role selling advertisements revealed a preference for "customer management, working with different customers, client facing roles," while back-office IBM internships validated a desire to work in tech but not behind the scenes. This led to a role at Oracle, spanning database sales to social media and eventually the current position in customer experience applications providing customer demonstrations for marketing, sales, and service.
Main Responsibilities of a Master Principal Solution Engineer at Oracle
As a solution engineer at Oracle, Brandon's main responsibility is demonstrating the company's technology to customers, primarily through software demos and answering technical questions about how the software integrates with existing architectures; this role is "sales adjacent," requiring working with internal sales reps and product teams to ultimately facilitate software sales.
A Day In The Life Of A Master Principal Solution Engineer At Oracle
A Master Principal Solution Engineer's day involves internal meetings to understand sales opportunities and client backgrounds, followed by "discovery calls" to grasp technical requirements. Tailored product demonstrations are then given, often virtually, with subsequent follow-ups and engagement throughout the sales process across multiple clients, highlighting a varied daily routine centered on product expertise and leadership.
Most Important Skills For A Solution Engineer At Oracle
Brandon, a Master Principal Solution Engineer at Oracle, emphasizes that "listening is such a huge component" of the role, as understanding the client's needs is crucial; while technical acumen is helpful for explaining the technology's inner workings and distilling complex information into presentations, the ability to tailor the message to each specific client makes the role a combination of "art and science."
Favorite Parts Of Being A Master Principal Solution Engineer At Oracle
Brandon wishes someone had told them not to be intimidated by executives, realizing that "people are people at the end of the day," and understanding this helps humanize demonstrations by appealing to shared "raw human emotions," regardless of their position. Recognizing shared human challenges and emotional reactions allows for adapting demonstration styles to connect with individuals, from entry-level positions to CMOs.
Biggest Challenges Faced by a Master Principal Solution Engineer at Oracle
As a Master Principal Solution Engineer at Oracle, Brandon's biggest challenge is customizing demos to meet the complex and specific needs of large enterprise clients outlined in their RFPs, because a generic, "canned demo" won't cut it when competitors are tailoring their presentations to address customer pain points with the specific "order, format, [and] type of data" that they are seeking. Meeting this challenge is time-consuming but crucial for success.
Favorite Parts Of Working In Tech As A Solution Engineer At Oracle
As a Master Principal Solution Engineer at Oracle, Brandon finds the constant evolution of the tech industry most exciting, emphasizing that software is not a "static widget" and is consistently updated with new features like AI, keeping career professionals on their toes. The competitive market further fuels interest by requiring continuous awareness of industry trends and competitors' innovations.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Technology Industry, According To A Solution Engineer At Oracle
Brandon, a Master Principal Solution Engineer at Oracle, believes "curiosity" is paramount for success in the industry, as it's difficult to train and crucial for understanding both software functionality and customer challenges, adding that being "a great listener" and striving to grasp a customer's experience are also highly beneficial.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Solution Engineers At Oracle
For undergraduates or graduates seeking entry-level positions, a "class of program" focused on sales, like the one Brandon participated in as a Business Development Rep, is a great entry point at many tech companies, and, additionally, for more tech-focused individuals, starting in product management or development at a smaller company to "get their feet wet" is another viable path to Solution Engineering.
Significant Career Lesson From A Master Principal Solution Engineer At Oracle
Brandon, a Master Principal Solution Engineer at Oracle, believes that being "self-motivated is a huge, huge factor" in career success, which involves proactively seeking knowledge and opportunities rather than waiting for direction from management. This initiative, coupled with "internal curiosity," has driven career advancement by pursuing product knowledge and new experiences.
College Experiences That Helped A Master Principal Solution Engineer At Oracle Succeed
Brandon, a Master Principal Solution Engineer at Oracle, credits a computer science and communication double major as foundational to career success, emphasizing how computer science informs technology understanding while communication develops crucial client-facing skills, yet asserts that "internships were probably some of the most valuable experiences" because of the exposure to real-world application and the sales cycle at a big tech company, reinforcing how classroom lessons need real world applications for lessons to be learned.
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