Transition from IT Pro to Sales Engineer: How?
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I think that AJ is correct with his support versus sales thinking here. I can support a lot of things that I don't think are the best. I almost always have to support sub-optimal setups and approaches. My job, normally, is to do the best possible given what is available. The artificial constraint is fine.
In sales, you don't want those artificial constraints. In support, the customer has clearly agreed to the constraints. In sales, they have implicitly but your job is to make them forget that the constraints are there to their own detriment.
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@scottalanmiller said:
I think that AJ is correct with his support versus sales thinking here. I can support a lot of things that I don't think are the best. I almost always have to support sub-optimal setups and approaches. My job, normally, is to do the best possible given what is available. The artificial constraint is fine.
In sales, you don't want those artificial constraints. In support, the customer has clearly agreed to the constraints. In sales, they have implicitly but your job is to make them forget that the constraints are there to their own detriment.
We've all been there. We'd be lying if said otherwise. I've supported software that wasn't as good as it could be. But I don't take to public forums and pronounce it all the time. Instead, I take customer suggestions / wants, add them to what I think would be good and then work with developers and product managers to make it a reality. It's an attempt to be part of a solution instead of continuing a problem.
IMHO, it's not fair to even compare sales vs technical support. But how can you expect to be promoted from within when you badmouth a flagship product? It turns opportunity in the wrong direction.
The sales engineers I work with are the go between customers and developers. They facilitate the solution.
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I will say this - Don't let your job title define you. I can be a janitor and be happy as long as I'm treated okay at the job. At the end of the day as long as I'm paid enough to live off, and just as important treated well (don't leave a good job for a higher paying one, seriously I learned that the hard way. took another job just because it was higher paying. Big mistake.)
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@scottalanmiller said:
I think, AJ, that you need to work on three plans.
"Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans"
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@Carnival-Boy said:
@scottalanmiller said:
I think, AJ, that you need to work on three plans.
"Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans"
This is very true. Make plans but don't expect to stick to them. If you have no plan, you will probably flounder. If you stick rigidly to a plan, you will certainly flounder. Use a plan to force yourself forward, but abandon the plan when opportunity arises.
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I like the three planning points idea. Write out your plan now. Start thinking about how to get to point A. Does that require a new cert? Get working on that cert. Does it require learning a new skill, get working on that skill. It will help to keep you from flapping between ideas that might prevent you from achieving a short term goal.
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Thanks everyone. I will take these suggestions to heart!
