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Do You Want to Improve Your Career?

Adam Purvis provides our guest blog, Do You Want to Improve Your Career?

Adam Purvis is an Enterprise SaaS Sales Account Manager. He blogs about sales outreach, business software, and SEO at adamjohnpurvis.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn.

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Improve Your Career

How I Changed Careers From Recreation Management To Tech Sales

If you had told me three years ago that I’d be working as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) sales rep, I wouldn’t have believed you. Today, I wanted to share my experience of shifting from a “cushy” government job that I could have stayed in for 30+ years to the field of SaaS sales and how I managed to do it successfully.

For ten years, including as a teenager, I worked varying part-time jobs in my hometown’s Recreation & Culture department. Eventually, I became a mid-level manager overseeing my hometown’s summer camps, youth center, and skatepark. 

My role involved hiring and managing over 200 part-time staff and a team of 7 office staff. I also oversaw a business portfolio of ~$1.3m and was responsible for planning and operating all programming. During the summer, we accommodated around 7,000 children in our camps. Despite being only 23 years old, I managed this team responsibly.

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and I, being a full-time contract worker, was let go due to the cancellation of camps. At this time, I realized that I did not want to work in recreation management for the rest of my life, as I was feeling stagnant and demotivated, so I began to think about my next move.

I started applying for jobs for remote work, looking for something that would allow me to move and live in Toronto. After several applications, I secured the final interview for a customer success position with a B2C Software-as-a-Service startup selling to realtors.

In the final interview with the CEO, he influenced me to move to the sales team. I was hesitant but jumped in head first and immediately loved it. I immediately crushed my quota of setting appointments and was promoted twice in six months, where I remotely led a team of 6 other SDRs across Canada.

I then transitioned to my current company and was promoted twice, and I’m happy and thriving. While I still have so much to learn, I’m now an Account Manager and have built a solid foundation for a successful career in SaaS sales.

Tips that Helped Me to Advance My Career. 

“How Can I Break Into Tech Sales?” is a common question on r/sales (Sales Reddit) and other Sales communities. The purpose is to share my perspective on successfully transitioning from another industry for you to do similar should this be your desire.

Be Humble And Be Prepared To Take A Haircut

To gain experience in tech sales, I started from the bottom and had to take a significant pay cut. If you’re changing careers, expect to do the same. However, remember that your income will substantially increase once you advance to a role that involves securing the business. 

Almost anyone can begin as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) at a tech company. It’s an entry-level role that only requires a little experience other than the willingness to be coachable, work hard, and pick up the phone. 

The job involves cold calling, cold outreach, and setting discovery meetings for your company’s Account Executives (AEs) daily. It’s a grind, but if results drive you and you’re indifferent to rejection, you’ll advance quickly. Be prepared to take feedback and learn from it as well. Set your ego aside and take the blunt feedback from your colleagues on how to get better. It’s essential for quick progress.

A Successful Career Change Requires Consideration of the Following:

• A possible pay cut or bravery to request 100% commission in a sales role.
• A contact either working at the company or who knows someone that can make an introduction for you. 
• Weigh the pros and cons of changing roles and companies to further your career. 
• Consider whether you will take the risk of lesser benefits to prove yourself and advance your career.

Make An Irresistible LinkedIn Profile

Some people may not like to hear it, but your appearance matters to recruiters and prospects. Posting a professional-level, DSLR-quality https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography/discover/dslr-camera.html headshot that portrays you as warm, trustworthy, and inviting can make a huge difference in getting someone to read your LinkedIn profile.

Optimize your LinkedIn Profile  

• Quantify everything in your job experience. 
• Fill out every section possible; be succinct and speak to your desired position.
• Be authentic and showcase your personality in your job descriptions or profile header. Sales depend upon being likable and at ease in connecting with people. 
• Showcase a compelling story; a brief bio is a great way to do this.

It’s essential to optimize your LinkedIn profile fully because LinkedIn Easy Apply is a great way to apply for entry-level sales positions. Without sales experience, applying and interviewing with every company you believe may be a match is best. 

Caution: With LinkedIn Easy Apply, you can apply to dozens of jobs per day. Be forewarned that you must tailor the introductory cover letter to the individual company, mission, and applicant search. 

Accept Every Interview, Even If You Have Doubts

Practice, Practice, Practice is a motto to keep in mind at all times!

Doing so gives you the necessary experience for an interview to acquire a better offer ultimately. 

Know that not all interviews are successful or personalities compatible. Use the lessons from each experience and apply them to the following interview. The effort will pay off, making it worthwhile.

Examples:

• Could you have asked better questions at the end of the interview?
• If the interviewer asked you about quota attainment and you didn’t know what to say, come prepared for the following interview with an answer to that question.
• Your home mirror is the perfect practice tool for speaking and watching your facial expressions and body movement. All gestures must be in sync and compatible with your words.

In Conclusion:

Changing careers can be a daunting process. But, with focus, determination, and the right attitude, you can open a new world of experience and opportunities. Committing to learning, trial, error, and never giving up will be your differentiator for achieving your desired success.

For More Insights:   Visit Elinor’s Amazon Author Page

‘Communicate to Attract Interest‘

Authentic Relationships Are Essential

Be A Story-Teller

“Believe, Become, Empower“

Related Blog Stories:

Sales Tips: Improve Your Career

1. Embrace the fact that interviewing can be highly frustrating on multiple levels.
2. After each interview, take time out to enjoy an activity that allows free-flowing thought to consider the pros and cons of the conversation.
3. Realize how you may improve after each interview.
4. Before the following interview, review how you may do better to move the process forward.
5. If applying for a sales position, ask to meet with a team member.
6. Become adept at story-sharing, notably how you overcame a previous career obstacle to rise above.
7. Upon meeting with a team member, do so off the premises (buy them coffee) to receive honest input.
8. Prepare to negotiate the offer because they typically differ from what you expect.
9. Always send a thank you message, email, and-or a handwritten note to the person interviewing you to stand out from the crowd.
10. Celebrate Success!

Today’s insights are provided to help you achieve the Smooth Sale!

RESOURCES FOR PERSONAL AND BUSINESS Growth: 

Advisorpedia  Publishes information to help advisors build their practice, and those interested in the markets choose investments and find inspiration.

BabyBoomer – A trusted media source that collects and curates all the news, resources, and shows of interest for the Baby Boomer Generation.

BizCatalyst360  Presents a life, culture, and biz new media digest as a hub of creative expression and personal growth.

CatCat Build your future one skill at a time.

ContactOut is a web-based platform that enables users to search for contact information and uncover contact details, including email addresses, phone numbers, and other personal data.

Greg Jenkins Consulting LLC  – Helping organizations realize the value of diversity to build inclusive, evolving, high-performing cultures.

Growth Hackers – Helping businesses globally grow with lead generation, growth marketing, conversion rate optimization, data analytics, user acquisition, retention, and sales.

Inclusion Allies Coalition   “Everyone is welcome here.” Learn more to train teams and join the advocacy program.

Internet Advisor Find the internet service right for you among 2083 internet providers across 36,380 cities; plus, Cellphonedeal compiles excellent deals on phones, plans, and prepaid to furnish you with the best options in your area.

Kred  Connect with top-rated influencers to learn from and grow your networks.

LinktoEXPERT  “It is not who you know – who knows you and what your expertise can do for them, plus understand the value of hiring you.” 

Lotus Solution LLC Helps organizations create diversity and inclusion to ensure fairness and work through customized consulting, training, and keynote speeches.

Onalytica Find relevant influencers for your brand.

SalesPop!   Purveyors of Prosperity; How to Compete against Yourself to Excel in your career.

Simma Lieberman, “The Inclusionist,” helps develop inclusive leaders from the inside out to champion diversity and build equitable, inclusive cultures at every level.

Yoroflow offers a comprehensive suite of digital workplace platforms to help you streamline your day-to-day operations, manage your finances, and grow your business.

Vunela  Provides a unique opportunity to view Videos and read articles by World Leaders.

WebTalk is the one-stop platform To build your marketplace and grow social connections. 

Win Win Women is the world’s only interactive network and an international community for women. Women WIN when they receive solutions + Experts WIN when they provide solutions = Win Win Women.

The post Do You Want to Improve Your Career? appeared first on SmoothSale™.

Elinor Stutz International Best-Selling Author

Elinor Stutz broke through barriers long before doing so was popular. Against all the odds, she defied the theme “women can’t sell” to become the top producer at every company she ever worked for, ignoring attempts to get her to quit.

Eleven years later, I lay motionless on a stretcher with an irreparably broken neck. Two visions appearing before me, and a brilliant gold light encasing my entire body, gave me a reason to believe I would recover. I wholeheartedly knew I was about to empower audiences far and wide. At the moment, I negotiated a full recovery with the promise to be of service. The surgeon and hospital staff anointed me with the title “The Walking Miracle.”

As the CEO of Smooth Sale, Stutz adapted the motto, “Believe, Become, Empower.” Believe in yourself; Become the person you envision; Empower your audience to do the same. Stutz is on the Social Media Committee for Inclusion Allies Coalition devoted to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.