Introduction

For engineers looking to make a career change into sales, it can seem daunting to switch from a technical role to a client-facing one. However, with the right strategies, your engineering background can be a competitive advantage. Your technical expertise and problem-solving skills are highly valued by sales teams selling complex products and services.

Should You Make the Switch?

First, reflect if a sales role is suited to your interests and strengths. Sales requires direct customer interaction, communication abilities, and a drive to exceed targets. Consider your personality and goals to determine if a sales career aligns. The analytical nature of engineering and deadline-driven environment of sales do share commonalities, however, folks in true tech sales roles typically hold a quota, and underachieving on that quota can easily lead to expulsion.

On the flip side, if you are motivated by closing deals, building relationships, and connecting clients to solutions that meet their needs, a sales role could be very rewarding. The compensation structure in sales also provides opportunities to earn commissions and bonuses on top of base salary. It is common for SaaS companies to offer a package for Enterprise Sales Reps with a total compensation of $320K ($160K base + $160K commission), with the commission structure having no cap if you exceed quota.

How Engineering Skills Translate to Sales

While sales and engineering require different skill sets, many of the competencies obtained in an engineering role lend themselves well to a sales career:

• Technical Expertise - Your deep knowledge of engineering principles, systems, and tools offers credibility when selling and demonstrating complex products. You can communicate specifics clearly to buyers.
• Problem Solving - As an engineer, you honed the ability to troubleshoot issues and find solutions. This enables you to develop custom sales strategies based on each client's unique needs and challenges.
• Data Analysis - Your experience using data to inform engineering projects helps you synthesize customer data to gain market insights and identify potential leads.
• Project Management - Juggling various engineering projects develops organization, planning, and time management abilities valuable in a sales role.
• Communication - Explaining technical specifications to team members and stakeholders strengthens the public speaking and writing skills needed for sales.

Pro-Tip:

Read “The Qualified Sales Leader” to get a true understanding of exactly how tech sales works within SaaS companies.

Transitioning into a Sales Role

When looking to transition into a sales career, consider these steps:

• Target technical sales engineering or pre-sales solutions roles where engineering expertise is highly desired. Total compensation for mid-level to senior levels can range from $150K - $220K. Sales engineers are also heavily embedded in the sales process so it is very common for SEs to switch over to an Account Executive role.
• On your resume and LinkedIn, emphasize past collaboration, team management, and communication experience.
• Obtain sales certifications through online courses to build sales knowledge around SaaS products, CRM platforms, sales processes, and pipelines.
• Update your networks - connect with sales leaders on LinkedIn and join industry associations to build a sales-focused community.
• During interviews, explain how you apply analytical thinking and data-driven decision making from engineering to understand customer needs and identify solutions.
• Consider starting in customer success or solutions engineering to gain adjacent experience before fully switching to a closing sales role.
• Once in a sales role, seek out a sales mentor who can provide guidance as you learn the ropes.
• Be patient - it takes time to build the relationships and sales acumen to thrive. Don't get discouraged.

Conclusion

With the right transferable skills and preparation, engineers can find fulfilling second careers in sales. Your technical background brings immense value that cannot be taught. Sell your specialized experience, continuous learner mindset, and passion for problem solving as you make the exciting transition.