YACCT: Sys Admin > Sales Engineer?

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Sep 7, 2009
12,960
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Sounds like you need a better IT job, that you're ready for more of a management-type role..



Keep in mind that once you head out to sales it's extremely difficult to get back into IT.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Sounds like you need a better IT job, that you're ready for more of a management-type role..



Keep in mind that once you head out to sales it's extremely difficult to get back into IT.

Once your in sales and see all the money why on earth would you want to?
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
Been dealing with a lot of sales "engineers" lately...what does it matter, we always purchase from our local contract anyway, the sales guy never gets the actual sales.

Plus, they're relatively clueless about specifics we want to know ... I don't see their purpose, just have the real techs sell the stuff, I hate talking to sales people :S
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com

I deal with users a lot, and as you can see, I've become a jack of all type person here which I think in the long term is going to hurt my career.
I did not think it would be such a mess when at first. Lo and behold, 8 months later it still is because management doesn't want to change anything yet.

This is right on... you don't want to be jack of all trades forever.
 

Beer4Me

Senior member
Mar 16, 2011
564
20
76
This is right on... you don't want to be jack of all trades forever.

Yeah, I think I'm going to look for more senior or management level type opportunities. I'm going to refresh my resume in the meantime. I'm just really disappointed as this job was a referral from a friend, and I had high expectations based on what I was told. D: The up-shot is that I do see the economy picking back up here along with increasing gas prices... ugh.
 

wheresmybacon

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2004
3,899
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Sales IMO would absolutely suck, but if you're the right personality type and have a product people want, maybe it would work for you.

In my professional experience, the big company sales engineer types last maybe a year or two, then they just disappear. Maybe they all get promoted? More likely, the constant travel and high-pressure nature of sales burns em out and they either move laterally, get fired, or just quit.

Specifically, I'm talking about technical sales guys from Dell, IBM, and HP who try to sell me and my company products and services.

This is of course just my experience and conjecture.
 

wheresmybacon

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2004
3,899
1
76
highest paid with the least right to be called an engineer

The only reason they put Engineer on the title is to make potential customers think they actually have a clue besides rattling off bullet points and buzz words.

Pretty much this. In the last couple years the sales people I meet travel with a real SE who can clarify and answer technical questions.

More often than not, a "sales engineer" isn't really an engineer, he just knows enough to through around technical terms with some semblance of believability.
 
Feb 19, 2001
20,155
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Pretty much this. In the last couple years the sales people I meet travel with a real SE who can clarify and answer technical questions.

More often than not, a "sales engineer" isn't really an engineer, he just knows enough to through around technical terms with some semblance of believability.

See, here's the problem. There's pure sales people which are only good for low level shit like going to sell solar panels or to sell cars. I've met with tons of sales engineers from semiconductor/engineering equipment companies. Probably only 25% of them had a REAL sales guy who had little technical knowledge who needed a actual engineer around to provide technical assistance.

The other 75%, are usually guys who have done engineering degrees, worked on the product before, before jumping to sales. So they know their stuff very well. A few of them actually have PhDs and went from engineering to sales.

So it depends who you're talking about. I applaud the guys who've done plenty of technical engineering work and then made their way into sales. They really know their stuff. And it's nice to be able to joke about doing your PhD dissertation with them and have them tell you their story.
 

BTA

Senior member
Jun 7, 2005
862
0
71
They still lie for a living. I guess if you're okay with fleecing people every day then it's a fine profession.