Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Account Executives at Route
Entry-level sales roles such as "sales development representative" or "business development representative" are great starting points, even without a bachelor's degree, and involve "cold calling, emailing," setting demos for senior roles. Alternatively, customer support roles at tech companies offer significant upward mobility, as illustrated by a colleague who progressed from earning "$16, $17 an hour" to over $150,000 annually within three years.
Sales, Entry-Level Jobs, Career Advancement, Tech Industry, Customer Service
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Travis Robinson
Account Executive
Route
Brigham Young University- Idaho
n/a
Engineering - Mechanical
Technology
Sales and Client Management
Honors Student, Pell Grant Recipient
Video Highlights
1. Sales Development Representative (SDR) or Business Development Representative (BDR) roles are common entry-level positions in sales that often don't require a bachelor's degree. These roles focus on activities like cold calling and emailing to generate leads and set up meetings for account executives.
2. Entry-level positions in customer support or customer service at tech companies can also be great starting points. Many tech companies promote from within, allowing employees to transition to other departments, such as sales, with experience and increased compensation.
3. Even if the initial salary is modest, career progression within a company is possible. An example is provided of an individual who started in customer support and significantly increased their income within three years by moving into a sales role.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
There are entry-level sales positions, technically titled Sales Development Representative or Business Development Representative (SDR/BDR). These roles are often used interchangeably depending on the company.
Those are great entry-level positions. They usually don't require a bachelor's degree, so if you can get one of those jobs, it's awesome. It's a great way to promote up in the sales organization.
In those jobs, you're strictly doing cold calling and emailing. You're not doing demos; that role is typically setting up demos for account executives, like the position I'm in now. It's a tougher job where you really have to grind. But it's a great way to promote up and gain good experience.
Other positions, even if you can't get an SDR or BDR role directly in sales, are also good starting points. Getting any entry-level position at a tech company, like customer support or customer service, is a great place to start.
Many tech companies like to promote from within or allow employees to move between departments. You should ask about this during the hiring process.
One of my good friends started in customer support, making perhaps $16-$17 an hour. Now he makes over $150,000 a year. This happened within a three-year period, moving up in the sales organization from a customer service rep. It's a great opportunity, and even if the pay isn't great initially, it will definitely increase pretty quickly.