What Type Of Person Thrives In The Software Sales Industry According To A Head Of Global SDR From A Linkedin Top StartUp
Success in software sales hinges on grit and resilience, as "99% of the time you're being told no," requiring a focus on learning from small wins and consistent hard work to overcome a lack of inherent talent. The ability to learn from others and resources, coupled with analytical problem-solving skills, proves more valuable than pure extroversion.
Resilience, Hard Work Ethic, Learning Agility, Problem-Solving Skills, People Skills
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Iain Rodoni
Head of Global SDR
Linkedin Top StartUp
UCSB
N/A
Biology & Related Sciences
Technology
Sales and Client Management
Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Grit and resilience are essential: The job involves frequent rejection, so the ability to persevere and celebrate small wins is crucial.
2. Hard work surpasses talent: Consistent effort and a willingness to learn will lead to greater success in the long run than natural talent alone.
3. Learning agility is key: Actively seeking out knowledge from various sources (e.g., colleagues, documentation) is vital for improvement. While liking people helps, strong analytical and problem-solving skills are equally important for success in sales.
Transcript
Who thrives in industry?
How would you describe people who typically thrive in this industry? I would describe people that thrive in software selling as gritty or resilient. The reality of the job is that for at least the first three to five years, 99% of the time you're being told no. You have to be okay with that.
How do you become okay with that? You realize it's the reality and you find ways that you can learn. You celebrate the little wins along the way. Even if the answer is no, you also have to be pretty willing to do the work. There's no way around it.
I think about this talent equation. Hard work beats talent every day of the week. Everyone has some talent and some work ethic. Most people aren't that talented, if you're like me. If you just emphasize the work ethic part of that equation over a few years, that can pay massive dividends, and you'll outpace anyone with talent. So, you have to work hard and be willing to learn.
You have to be willing to learn from other people and from documents. No one's going to tell you how to do it. Your ability to pay attention to what people are doing and say, "Oh, that's really good," or "I really hate that," is important. Seek out documentation, resources, or people opportunities to learn from others, as well as your own day-to-day experience.
You should also probably like people; that's important if you're selling all day long. But honestly, some of the best salespeople I know are introverts. So that's not even a requirement per se. They're great because they're analytical, love problem-solving, and figure out the communication with humans along the way.