SE for Life!
Like many Sales Engineers, I fell into the SE role. I started out my career as a software developer and very soon realized that wasn't my calling. I left a cushy job at IBM to join a startup to explore and acquire additional skills. Starting from an Implementation Consultant and then Account Management, I gained first-hand experience working directly with our customers and I LOVED IT. Due to my success in those roles, I started getting invited to the sales conversations and (voilà) became a Sales Engineer.
It wasn't easy in the beginning. The first few presentations and demos totally bombed. I knew our product inside-out and brought all my technical expertise to explain complex solutions to our prospects. Well, that was a problem. I relied too much on what I knew and eventually confused (and at times scared) the prospects away. Over time I realized the true skill of Sales Engineering....being consultative, educative, persuasive and solution oriented. It soon became addictive to see the audience light up with the solutions I was proposing. Of course, combine all that with a fun and non-stop sales culture, I was hooked.
I did try to venture out to other roles, but so far I keep coming back to Sales Engineering. It has been a rewarding career from all aspects. I am now committed and passionate about raising awareness for why Sales Engineering is critical to the success of every business.
Please join me in educating the world about Sales Engineering!
Sachin Wadhawan
