Best way to transition to becoming a sales engineer? Currently have a background as an SDR and computer science degree. Most jobs seem to require 3-5 years of SE experience.

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Find a very small company willing to take a chance on you, and have a really good story to tell about why you would crush it as an SE.

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Great advice! Thanks a lot will definitely do that

Are there SE roles at your company? Usually an internal pivot is the easiest when changing careers

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I also started as an SDR and moved into an SC position (could be similar to an SE, the names are interchangeable most of the time).

In my SDR role I made it a point really network and befriend the head of SCs at my company, and made a case to move onto the team. Spent a year doing that, and have since moved to another SC role that I love. Once you get the experience somewhere, you’re golden.

I also have no comp sci background, and everything technical I’ve learned myself on the job through reading documentation and studying. I could be wrong, but Outreach doesn’t seem like a super technical product. Just stick it out as an SDR, and try and move internally at Outreach. Get your experience and make your next move!

You’ve got this!

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SEs have to be quick learners and be able to make shit happen, you need to think hard what you can make happen either at your current company perhaps prepare demos for a big prospect before even the SE touches it? Prove internally that you can do the job before you're offered the job

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That or find a company that you feel confident that you'd be able to pick up their tech quickly, better yet get an SE coach, polish up your CV and interview techniques and presentation skills, then sell yourself to small or medium companies that are hiring SEs.

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I'm confused to how you got into SDR role instead of being a SWE...

Easiest to move internally through networking. It’s harder to get hired for the first SE role externally (even as an awesome SWE doing lots of technical things because you can’t prove the good sales acumen). The best way in is through networking. Once you have presales experience, you can switch companies for a salary and benefits bump.

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