So I've got 3 years as a BDR in 3 companies, and I'm just trying to make it to AE. My current company is a total clusterfuck tech startup and I've interviewed twice internally for AE and lost to more experienced BDRs.
My company has started hiring "junior BDRs" paying them a 20k lower base and they're really ramping up hiring, while not opening more AE slots. I can feel pressure from all sides like it's inevitable that I'm going to be squeezed out. I'm worried about trying to jump ship to a new company, as going from BDR to AE externally seems extremely difficult in the best circumstances, and in our current job environment seems outright impossible.
However, I'm also worried about my overall presentation of how I look on paper. I don't want to be a forever BDR, should I alter my past experiences so my first BDR job looks like something else? Do I lie about being an AE right now to get an AE role elsewhere? Either way, I don't think I'm long for this current company.
Three years as a BDR across three companies isn't a red flag if you can explain why you're ready to close now. Have you looked at smaller companies or startups where the jump from BDR to AE is less rigid? Sometimes getting the AE title anywhere, even at a scrappier company, is easier than waiting for a promotion at a place that keeps passing you over. The junior BDR thing is a sign they're cutting costs, not investing in promoting people up.
I say stick with where you are and figure out what gaps you have. If they are promoting from within that means you have a real shot.
You could shoot for a very entry level AE position just to get it on your resume and go from there. I started as an AE selling Yelp ads to SMBs fresh out of college. Was not a glamorous job and pay was very low but I completely skipped having to be a BDR and have been in SaaS sales for the last 9 years
How do your numbers stack up?
Compared to the BDRs that got promoted to AE, one's numbers were better than mine and the other's wasn't but that one was the most tenured person on the team. They've made it kinda clear at my current company that performance isn't everything when it comes to consideration for AE.
If your company is ramping up BDR hires, surely they must have a plan for more AEs? No? From your description is it a company where you'd want to sell as an AE, or no?
If no, you could start interviewing elsewhere. But you might consider giving it one more shot at it. And really trying to have a blow out Q1 in your current role and then see if that gets you into an AE job. Because if you can show promotion and you're an AE, then it will be much easier for you to move to another AE role. Whereas if you've already been a BDR at 3 different companies it's going to make it hard to find another.
Do you think you could talk to your manager and say "I want to crush it in Q1 and get promoted. What would it take to do that?"
Given senior leadership’s previous decisions, I don’t think they plan much for anything. I’ll wait and see, maybe something will open up in Q1, and maybe I’ll be another frontrunner. My manager knows I want to get promoted and just tells me to “go crush your numbers” without any further actionable advice.
Whatever he wants to tell the interviewer. I heard he was #1 by a lot!
Relax… none of this matters.
There are thousands of sales jobs. Keep improving…
I left for external AE promo after 2 yrs as bdr. Its about positioning. A lot of companies will value the fact that you can generate pipe because a lot of AEs are not prospecting like they should be. Fine tune your story and emphasize being great at pipeline gen and discovery, with examples for both