Job Opportunity in New Jersey/PA, technology sales $80,000+

[Greg]

Working with one of my clients.  Founder lives in massive 10,000SqFt house and wants the US sales-hire to be close so they can meet once a week.


Interested in technology and data, computer security applications, data analytics, heat mapping or any similar background.

Job is connecting and hunting new business.  Basic salary is $80k and you would double that with commission.  He and other founder do the selling for the first 12-18 month while you learn by attending the meetings and listening.  You still get paid commission regardless.  Working from home 4 days and from his home 1 day per week on average but ad-hoc.  You'd need to be a 1-2 hour drive or less from Newtown PA to work at his home when required.  He has a 800sqft office there.

[JubilateDeo]

I'll see if I know anyone. 

[Heinrich]

Sounds like an age discrimination lawsuit.

[Hat And Beard]

Interested in technology and data, computer security applications, data analytics, heat mapping or any similar background.

I hope your client finds a good candidate, but I can't imagine being good at these areas while at the same time wanting to work in sales. That being said, anyone that can bs the interview enough to make your client think that they're good at these obviously has a future in sales.

[Greg]

Which just goes to show what nonsense age discrimination laws are.

There's a good reason for age indication.  At less than 25 you are unlikely to be taken credibly when calling a senior manager and introducing a new idea, because most sub-25 year olds don't have the experience to be credible.  If you are not taken seriously when they speak to you on the phone, or look at your On-line profile then it is going to be impossible to engage new customers.

At over 35 years old if you haven't made a success of a career in sales already then you are almost certainly not going to.  There are exceptions of course, such as the late starter and the particularly mature 23 year old but those are rare.  If you have made a success and you are 36 plus, then you want more than 80k basic salary.

Laws don't make employers hire people they don't believe are the best fit for the job.  They just waste the time of people sending their resumes in who have next to no chance of being selected because employers must use the law of averages and their experience to filter out the likely fits they want to interview and those criteria are what they are despite what any law says.  Will some 24 and 37 year olds get through?  Of course if other factors are very strong.  But only once in a blue moon will a 21 year old or a 45 year old get a starter or second job direct sales position for the simple reason that employers know they will fail for lack of experience or all their "experience" will be that of failing at the sales jobs before.

[Akavit]

I could go on for pages on the various ways different companies have tip-toed through the discrimination law minefield to hire the people they wanted to hire in the first place.  One local company doesn't hire outsiders at all.  Only people with family working at the company have a chance to get in the door.  Other companies post job ads with ridiculously tailored qualifications for potential hires listed as requirements.

"Must be a proficient welder with 5 years experience, have a working knowledge of Quickbooks, Excel and SQL and possess a CDL."

And another trick is to go through tons of temps until a good one comes along then offer a full-time job.

[Greg]

Interested in technology and data, computer security applications, data analytics, heat mapping or any similar background.

I hope your client finds a good candidate, but I can't imagine being good at these areas while at the same time wanting to work in sales. That being said, anyone that can bs the interview enough to make your client think that they're good at these obviously has a future in sales.

Because you have a shallow view of what makes a good salesperson.

Elon Musk and Steve Jobs are two examples of technically competent people who are good salespeople.  Trump is another.  His technical knowledge of engineering and construction is very strong.

How do you think complicated technical products are sold other than by people with an affinity for them?

[Southern Ascetic]

I'd hop on this in a heartbeat, but I live in the south. I have a ton of IT experience and some sales as well.

[YeOldeFustilarians]

Interested in technology and data, computer security applications, data analytics, heat mapping or any similar background.

I hope your client finds a good candidate, but I can't imagine being good at these areas while at the same time wanting to work in sales. That being said, anyone that can bs the interview enough to make your client think that they're good at these obviously has a future in sales.

Because you have a shallow view of what makes a good salesperson.

Elon Musk and Steve Jobs are two examples of technically competent people who are good salespeople.  Trump is another.  His technical knowledge of engineering and construction is very strong.

How do you think complicated technical products are sold other than by people with an affinity for them?

I've worked in software sales.  The best software salesmen are just good conversationalists who understand their client's industry and needs, or who at least show that they want to.  You'd be surprised how much leeway a client will give someone who seems (and is) trustworthy.  Commercial sales are far more about relationships and genuity than presentation pizzaz.  Good b2b salespeople are good because they can sit down and talk to their clients like adults and not feel like they have to arbitrarily fluctuate their vocal inflections like Billy Mays. 

There are some customers that you can shoot in a barrel when it comes to b2c sales.  But not really in business sales, especially not in any sort of sales that involve a service relationship, which software sales almost always do.  The elevator pitch doesn't really have much of a part to play in long-term business relationships.  You'll have far more success just being an authentic (unless your personality sucks) and congenial person with a good product to offer that you aren't shy about than if you burst into a room doing cartwheels trying to get executives excited.  They've seen that before.  They hate it.  It's a waste of their time and it's embarrassing.

There's a stereotype about IT people being socially retarded.  Really, it's just about being able to drop the unnecessary jargon depending on your audience.  Tell the CTO all the ins and outs about protocols, scripts, code, etc. but just tell the CEO what it does.  Most executives don't care how software works, they just want to know what it does, and if it will work.  Most of the IT people I know are actually fairly adept at explaining to inquiring non-technical minds some thing or another about technology, and they know they have to use a different language to do so.  All it takes is a little social awareness and intelligence.

Really, depending on the product, it would suffice to know virtually nothing about the actual technical specs so long as you can explain with competence and confidence the business terms of what the product does.  That's more important (at least from my experience which isn't extensive but I did it for a few years) than being able to tell someone exactly how to move/change MX records or some other back-end, behind the scenes activity that doesn't really matter for general ordinary use.

[moneil]

Excellent response Greg, as well as good comments from YeOldeFustilarians.

I worked as an independent representative selling biological products (frozen semen for dairy and beef cows) and related technical services for over a decade.  In other positions I've been responsible for sourcing and / or purchasing products and equipment in the livestock field.  In these circumstances there is no substitute for a sales representative having "hands on" familiarity with a product and its application.  A "slick willy" type memorizing a spec sheet and developing a canned speech from that "might" work with the average consumer but defiantly doesn't cut it when a businesses performance and profitability depends on the product.

Another reason why someone with a very strong technical background would go into sales in their product area is that almost always they will have the potential for greater income than if they remain in a salary or fee for service position.

Interested in technology and data, computer security applications, data analytics, heat mapping or any similar background.

I hope your client finds a good candidate, but I can't imagine being good at these areas while at the same time wanting to work in sales. That being said, anyone that can bs the interview enough to make your client think that they're good at these obviously has a future in sales.

Because you have a shallow view of what makes a good salesperson.

Elon Musk and Steve Jobs are two examples of technically competent people who are good salespeople.  Trump is another.  His technical knowledge of engineering and construction is very strong.

How do you think complicated technical products are sold other than by people with an affinity for them?

[YeOldeFustilarians]

Yep yep.  The only people who care about the really technical aspects of the product are the guys in the IT department.  Depending on organizational structure, you may never meet them.  You have to sell the guy with the checkbook, and he'll be far more impressed by you showing him what the product can do and how to use it than by showing him how it works.  Like you say Moneil, "hands on familiarity."