Did you know that you can break into tech and enjoy all the benefits that the industry has to offer without learning to code? A career in tech sales is one of the ways to explore the people’s side of tech.
Tech sales roles have high earning potential. As Glassdoor reports, the national average base salary for a Software Sales Representative in the United States is $91,915. Besides the base pay, tech salespeople also get various commissions and bonuses that are a significant part of their overall compensation package.
To get started in tech sales you don’t need to know how to write lines of code. Rather, your focus will be on understanding how the company’s software solutions can solve the clients’ problems and pains. Given that tech sales positions don’t require deep technical knowledge but offer good opportunities to make money, they often attract thousands of applicants. At the time of writing, there are over 730,000 Technical Sales Representatives in the United States.
So, how do you stand out in your job search?
Here is where The Daily Job Hunt (TDJH) comes in. TDJH is a daily career email for job-seeking IT professionals, which teaches you how to optimize your job search and effectively pitch yourself, turning your job hunt into a sales process itself.
The Daily Job Hunt daily email helps job-seeking tech salespeople stand out from the crowd by turning their job hunt into the sales process itself.
Sign up for The Daily Job Hunt newsletter.Essential Tech Sales Skills to Impress Your Employers
The Daily Job Hunt says that being a good communicator is not enough to succeed in tech sales. One should also be a good listener, have a high level of emotional intelligence, understand a potential customer’s needs, and manage time effectively.
In addition to that, TDJH points out some useful tech sales skills:
- Written and verbal communication
- Knowledge on how to deal with objections
- Familiarity with CRM software and Sales Enablement software
- Prospecting
- Ability to perform researches on markets and companies
- Product knowledge
With this skillset, you are likely to have better chances of landing your first entry-level role in tech sales without experience and setting yourself up for the daily activities at your new job.
Common Entry-Level Roles in Tech Sales
Let’s have a look at some of the most common entry-level roles in Tech Sales you can expect to kickstart your career in the industry.
Sales Development Representative (SDR)
A Sales Development Representative focuses on outreach, prospecting, and lead qualification. SDRs don’t close the deals but connect as many leads as possible and move them through the sales pipeline. Annually, they can draw an average base salary of $43,709.
Inbound Marketing Representative
Inbound Marketing Representatives are responsible for promoting products and services offered by the company. They launch sales campaigns targeting prospective customers to convert them into leads and customers. The average salary per annum for an Inbound Marketing Representative is $49,673.
IT Sales Account Manager
An IT Sales Account Manager looks at creating and maintaining new customer accounts managing all sales aspects of their organization. They earn an average annual salary of $58,591.
Sales Consultant
Sales Consultants are in charge of selling the organization’s products and solutions by matching them with the clients’ needs. The average salary for a Sales Consultant is $52,811.
Sales Operations Specialist
Gathering and evaluating sales data in order to estimate future sales is mainly what a Sales Operations Specialist does. The data is assessed to see if company goals are satisfied. These specialists can make an average salary of $55,275 per year.
The Daily Job Hunt Guide to Ace Your Tech Sales Job Hunt
To provide a better picture of tech sales jobs and how you can stand out, we interviewed Joel Bein, Growth and Content Marketing at The Daily Job Hunt by Crash. In 2020, Joel, whose background is in classical music and education, re-launched his career in tech sales after successfully pitching Crash.
Below he shares some tips and best practices on how to hack tech sales job search.
Start with Inner Reflection
Before applying for tech sales roles, it is good to realize your values. Joel recommends asking yourself what products or services excite you and what problems you want solved in the world. “For instance, take an audit of companies you already buy from. If you love using a meditation app, then why not pitch that company? It doesn’t even matter if they’re hiring. If you love them, you can create tons of value and stand out,” says Joel.
Create Value Upfront
When you are job hunting in tech sales, you need to prove your ability to sell throughout the process. Turn your job search into a sales process itself. Research on the company’s product and the problem they are trying to solve. Based on that, create and send the company a spreadsheet with prospective leads. In the words of Joel, “Do the job before you have the job.”
Don’t Send Your Resume
According to Joel, when you send your resume for a tech sales role, it just means you lack creativity and don’t know how to elevate yourself among others. Instead, record a one-minute cold-call mock script of how you would market the company’s product and email a video pitch directly to the decision-maker.
“I suggest going right to the VP of Sales or Head of Sales. I did this over a dozen times and landed interviews 80 percent of the time, even with no sales background,” says Joel. Of course, don’t forget to follow up every 24 to 72 hours until you get a reply.
Get the Training You Need from Top Tech Sales Bootcamps
Tech bootcamps are no longer just for coding enthusiasts. These training grounds have also expanded to cover roles that don’t necessarily require coding expertise like tech sales. The upside: you can get the immersive training you need at a fraction of the time and cost it takes to get a college degree.
Another upside: most of these bootcamps boast wide alumni and employer network, allowing you to build and grow your professional network even before you enter the job market. Check out Career Karma’s list of the best tech sales bootcamps to get started.
Resources to Help You Upskill in Tech Sales
The work doesn’t stop when you get a job. Remember that there are thousands who vie for a tech sales job every year. To remain relevant in the industry, The Daily Job Hunt has compiled a list of top learning resources that are easily accessible. You can leverage these resources to help you keep growing as a tech sales professional. The best part is, most of these are free.
Top Tech Sales Podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to learn for those who can absorb information while listening and engaging in multi-tasks. Below, The Daily Job Hunt recommends several podcasts to start your career in tech sales.
- SaaStr Podcasts. A podcast with the interviews of the most notable operators and investors to learn their best practices, techniques, and strategies for achieving success in the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) world.
- Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffmann. An original podcast hosted by Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and an investor at Greylock.
- a16z podcast. A short news podcast about technology, innovation, and change as it affects our daily lives.
- leadiQ. A podcast demonstrating some unique sales techniques and some of the best practices in the field.
- Enterprise Sales Podcast. A podcast that offers advice through interviews with well-known sales influencers.
- Nailing the Art of Cold Calling. A podcast hosted by John Golden and Martha Neumeister featuring fast-paced discussions on the topic of nailing the art of cold calling.
Tech Sales Reading List
If reading suits you better, The Daily Job Hunt recommends their top tech sales books where aspiring tech sales professionals find a ton of ideas on understanding people and the choices they make, and how to market more efficiently.
- David Sandler’s The Sandler Rules: 49 Timeless Selling Principles and How to Apply Them
- Perry Marshall’s 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More
- Aaron Ross’ Predictable Revenue: Turn Your Business Into a Sales Machine with the $100 Million Best Practices of Salesforce.com
- Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People
- Zig Ziglar’s Selling 101: What Every Successful Sales Professional Needs to Know
- Neil Rackham’s SPIN Selling
Top Sales Leaders to Follow
Besides listening and reading about the process, you might also be interested in looking to industry leaders who could inspire and motivate you to go further in this career. While you are free to find your own tech sales heroes, The Daily Job Hunt has offered their top list for you to consider.
- Sam Nelson
- Aaron Ross
- Brian G. Burns
- Jason M. Lemkin
- Ali Mirza
- Kevin Dorsey
- Joshua Jordan
- Jeremey Donovan
Break Into Tech Sales with The Daily Job Hunt
Standing out from the crowd is the biggest challenge for aspiring tech sales professionals. The Daily Job Hunt suggests changing your mindset and turning your job hunt into the sales process itself. Spend some time reflecting on your values and pitch the company whose products or services inspire you.
Don’t limit yourself to the tips above. Subscribe to The Daily Job Hunt daily email for more insights on the tech sales job hunt.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
