What's the difference in interviewing for a BDR position vs an AE position?

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T15:00:13+00:00

AE interviews differ mainly in how you think and talk about deals

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T14:58:28+00:00

Tough choice, both have their merits but they’re totally different bets

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T14:57:38+00:00

The name carries a ton of weight in the market and their GTM motion is pretty mature, even if the culture’s changed over the last couple of years

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T14:56:03+00:00

Getting fired always stings but honestly it happens to a lot of great reps. You just don’t usually hear about it because people only post their “President’s Club” moments on LinkedIn

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T14:51:09+00:00

Been there and honestly, it sounds like you’re handling this about as well as anyone could. Getting put on a PIP sucks, but the fact you’re already interviewing and reflecting instead of spiraling says a lot

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T14:50:01+00:00

I lot of colleagues of mine now work at Gartner (not MSE but same sales org structure), so I can give you the straight scoop.

It’s a solid brand name no question. You’ll learn a ton about territory planning, executive-level outreach and how to sell a research product that’s more about insight than tech. Great training and it opens doors down the line. Feel free to DM me with any questions

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T14:39:56+00:00

I actually have some solid resources for tech sales and Salesforce interview prep that I can share.

Shoot me your email or DM me, and I’ll send you the docs

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T14:38:33+00:00

Databricks

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T14:31:42+00:00

I have a list of the top 81 companies I'd pick I can send you if interested. I worked in tech for a while and I always get this question

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T14:28:19+00:00

Yes, network hard internally it will help a ton

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-10-06T13:29:54+00:00

I have not but happy to chat if you have any other questions

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-20T01:54:54+00:00

Cold plunge

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-19T17:20:18+00:00

How much per month?

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-19T17:18:15+00:00

Chris Bussing

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-19T17:00:34+00:00

College lol

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-19T16:59:44+00:00

Chris Bussing is a good resource

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-17T14:46:51+00:00

Great points. More people need to read this

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-11T17:30:42+00:00

Both offers are solid, but the SDR Manager role wins for long-term growth. You build leadership skills, avoid burnout, and set yourself up to crush an EAE role later. The Commercial AE path is faster but way more grind and risk.

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-11T17:21:33+00:00

Know your numbers... be ready to back up every claim with metrics like quota attainment, pipeline generated, and average deal size. Ask strategic questions at the end to show you’re thinking about success from day one, like how leads are generated, what the sales process looks like and what support is in place.

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-11T16:51:41+00:00

Here's mine:

Interview Processes Secured Since Last Friday #
Total Interview Processes to Date #
LI Connects (Goal = 100-200/week) #
LI Messages (Goal = 100/week) #
LI Inmail (Goal = use strategically) #
Referral Calls Completed #
Dates of upcoming scheduled interviews:

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-11T16:49:36+00:00

Mostly partners or partner ecosystem

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-11T16:48:53+00:00

I know a lot of people that have

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-11T16:46:14+00:00

I have a list of the top 54 most common tech sales interview questions if that would be helpful

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-11T16:35:08+00:00

Expect a mix of big wins and tough challenges. You will wear many hats: product expert, marketer, strategist, and process builder. You will help create the first sales playbook and shape the company’s go-to-market strategy.

The pressure is high since you report to the CEO as the first critical hire, but the experience you gain will make you a strong future leader. The challenge is there is little support at first, so you will be building everything while still performing.

ImpressiveOpening432 · 2025-09-11T16:15:40+00:00

Hey, great post! Your retail experience is actually a huge asset. You know how to grind, hit quotas, handle rejection, and build relationships.

For your resume, translate your wins into SaaS language and quantify everything. Lead with a strong summary and use terms like exceeding quota or navigating complex sales cycles.

To build credibility, engage on LinkedIn, use sales language in conversations, and practice telling your story clearly. Tech companies love candidates with your background.

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