Most Important Skills For An Enterprise Account Executive At A Cybersecurity Startup
Shawn, an Enterprise Account Executive at a cybersecurity startup, emphasizes the importance of both "hard skills," such as understanding software development and solutions architecture, and "soft skills" in their role. The ability to "build trust and building relationships" is key to success, as these soft skills are crucial for bringing in sales and are harder to acquire than technical skills.
Software Engineering, Sales, Relationship Building, Communication, Problem-Solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Shawn Sullivan
Enterprise Account Executive
Cybersecurity Startup
University of Arizona
N/A
Business Management & Admin
Technology
Sales and Client Management
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Understanding the technical skills (hard skills) such as software development, solutions architecture, and application building is crucial for success.
2. Strong soft skills, including building trust, forming relationships, and maintaining them, are equally important, often surpassing technical skills in importance.
3. A combination of hard and soft skills, developed through education and experience, are vital for career progression and success in sales-oriented roles within the cybersecurity field.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
I would say there are two different sets of skills that you learn about in school: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are the technical skills of understanding. For me, that's software.
It involves understanding the underlying nature of development, solutions architecture, how computers are spun up, and how applications are built. These are some of the hard skills that my job requires, at least a general knowledge of.
The more important thing, I think, would be the soft skills, because you can't really teach or coach them as much. They are harder to learn. When you're working with people, it's the soft skills that will help win them over, build trust, and maintain relationships.
Whether those are your internal folks or external customers, the soft skills that you're able to hold onto and grow lead to my job, which is bringing in sales.