Which AE profile do you fit best? 

Believe it or not, these are 3 very different jobs.

1 - Founding AE:

These are your first 2-5 salespeople who wear many hats in sales, marketing, and customer success during the early phases of your startup. Unlike most full-time hires, they have an entrepreneurial mindset, they like to build and figure things out, and they perform best in a chaotic environment. These folks tend to lose interest when the company gets larger, and that's OK.

2 - Growth AE:

These are the hires that come after your Founding AEs. They reap the benefits of everything the Founding AEs learned. They like to be trained and given a playbook to execute, but they like the fast paced nature of a startup and can adapt quickly to changes. They won't work the same long hours as Founding AEs but that's to be expected at this stage of growth.

3 - Scaled AE:

These are the folks who prefer working at established BigCo's. They prefer employers who are profitable and have long-term career stability as a result. They're accustomed to working in slower environments with more levels of management and resources available. 

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As you navigate your tech sales career, it's wise to understand the differences between these role levels and determine which is a best fit for your preferences. 

It's unlikely the same person will enjoy all 3 of these roles equally.

This is something unfortunately most recruiters and even hiring managers know nothing about.

The reality is that there are AEs best suited for each of these stages.

Sometimes they grow out of one and into the next, but often they're very different hiring profiles as the company grows through these different stages.

Don't forget, there's also deal sizes (SMB, MM, and ENT) which play roles in these decisions, as well as other criteria like the industry or remote vs on-site.

If you don't like one sales gig, it doesn't mean you won't love another.

Happy Selling,