Entry 1: A snapshot of the journey so far
Introduction
If you are reading this, then hello and welcome to ‘Diary of a Tech Sales Reccy’, a series of diary entries following my journey in the world of tech sales recruitment. Together we will unpack the wins and losses, the ups and downs and everything in between. Each entry will also include some tips aligned with the topic discussed. I can’t wait to bring you all along on this adventure! Our first entry will share my story to date, coupled with some tips on how to break into the industry for anyone who might be looking for some guidance.
My journey
Despite having only recently moved into my new role leading our Tech Sales desk, my journey in the industry goes way beyond my time with CircuIT. Fresh out of university, I set out to find my first 9-5 job. Like most 18-year-olds, I was clueless with regards to what my long-term career goals were. After many rejection emails, mostly because I had no relevant experience, I finally received an interview request for an Account Executive position at a leading prop-tech search software company. I can vividly recall being absolutely petrified to interview. Prior to this I had only worked in retail, so the imposter syndrome had kicked in. To my surprise they decided to give me a chance and I was offered the job. After an extensive training program and guidance from a team leader (who I still reach out to now for advice), I learnt the foundations of account management and found my love for building relationships. It was also at this point that I kindled my passion for tech. Fast forward 18 months, I decided to pack my bags and jet off to travel Asia for 3 months and then settle in Australia. After a short stint working short term contract roles, mostly in administration I wanted to reignite my passion for the tech industry and was approached by a recruiter to work a 6-month contract in a sales role for a health tech group. My role involved selling software to physios and medical centers across Australia. It was during these 6 months that I learnt the art of negotiation and found myself wanting to delve deeper into the sales and account management space. Once my 6-month contract had finished, I was made a permanent employee and moved into a Client Relationship Manager role with a portfolio of 40 national clients. This was my most challenging role to date and required a huge amount of resilience which eventually left me feeling burnt out and looking for a career change. After lots of consideration, I decided to make the move to recruitment. I joined CircuIT in July of 2022, initially working in our Java vertical. Here I gained a baseline understanding of the technologies and frameworks used by leading tech giants in Australia. Towards the end of last year, I met with my directors to discuss the next steps my career. It was agreed that the natural progression would be for me to lead our tech sales desk, given my previous experience. From then on, it has been a combination of emotions – excitement, trepidation and apprehension which took me back to my 18-year-old self, stepping into the unknown. However, overall, the feeling has been one of mass satisfaction, and knowing that I can, and will, navigate and cultivate a successful career in Tech Sales recruitment – in line with my experience to date – and the overall support from our leadership team, who are just as invested as I am in making my remit highly valuable to the Tech Sales community.
Tips:
For those have you that have got this far, I thought I would share with you some tips for breaking into the world of tech sales with no relevant experience: BUILD YOUR NETWORK – My biggest piece of advice to anyone who is looking to immerse themselves in the tech sales industry is to build your network. I stand by the quote ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’. LinkedIn is a great tool to build your network so I would suggest engaging with content at target companies and having as many conversations as possible with people at those companies. HONE IN ON TRANSFERABLE SKILLS – I would say almost anyone has transferable skills that will be beneficial when trying to tap into tech sales industry. The communication skills you developed working at a café or the leadership experience you gained in your role at a clothes store - all relevant and applicable. Some of the leading tech sales pioneers have come from backgrounds in hospitality, retail or leisure. It is imperative to ensure these skills are easily accessible in your resume and that you mention them when interviewing for a role. DO YOUR RESEARCH – It is crucial to take the initiate to immerse yourself in the tech industry. You can do this by mapping out any companies you would be interested in working with – LinkedIn is great tool to use. Doing so will allow you to obtain a baseline understanding of the industry, the language used and the types of roles available. GET CERTIFIED – This one is largely a segway from our last tip. There are several free tech sales certifications available online that are valuable for those new to the industry. Completing these courses will allow you to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of tech sales and more importantly demonstrate your initiative and drive to your prospective employer. If you are reading this and would like some more guidance or tips on how to set yourself up for success working as a tech sales professional, please feel free to reach out to me at: james.b@circuitrec.com.au Our next entry will unpack my first quarter building a tech sales desk from scratch – stay tuned!!!