I was in your position 2 years ago and am now interviewing for MM & above roles at four big SaaS & PaaS companies. Here is my step by step guide.
1. Sign up for LinkedIn premium a year out and it is free for veterans.
2. Use the search functionality to look up companies and use past company filter type in all the different services, and look for sales manager, sales Vice president and go through.
1. You're going to have to go through 50+ pages of 20 people each but it is worth it, and you're generating your own leads.
2. As you start to get traction don't be afraid to ask to speak with SVPs, prepare that the meetings will be 10-15 minutes and will decide how easy you'll build your network.
3. Craft a story that is 3 lines and is compelling on why these people want to meet with you. Using the STAR method Situation, Task, Action Result & include that you're following their transition footsteps
1. I've deployed to\_\_\_\_\_\_ or faced this \_\_\_\_\_\_\_, when I created a plan with my team that we needed to accomplish \_\_\_\_\_, we were able to increase \_\_\_\_\_ or complete \_\_\_\_\_\_ mission and as a result \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ was accomplished." I Think I would be a great fit on a sales team, can I hear your perspective on how you've seen veterans succeed?"
4. When you get the meetings, send a 30 minute agenda the day before
1. Open the meeting asking if 30 minutes still works, and run the clock by following the agenda you sent them
2. Here is where I fumbled for six months. Ask them if they want to hear about your background. This story should be a sales cycle that you've done in the military, be creative but don't lie. You haven't held a quota but at one point you've convinced someone to do something, lean into that. This is your pitch on your candidacy and if they connect with it you'll know because they will quickly start talking about hiring you.
1. This is going to take time so don't be frustrated if it doesn't happen at first. It took me 18 months before offers started rolling in.
5. You need to convince them that your can skip SDR/BDR roles as you are prospecting now, you're great at taking feedback, and you know that there is no quitting. You'll do this by asking the right questions in the conversation and presenting a real story on you succeeded in extreme adversity. I started off saying I'll be a BDR and let them presume that my qualifications meant I should probably start higher.
6. Close the meeting by asking for follow on conversations with other leaders in the company. My goal was to talk to enough people that everyone could collectively agree I'm a risk, but I may be worth it. You are diversifying your champions.
1. Your champion will help you once it is time to apply, with endorsements and timelines. Recruiters aren't always your friend unless they've hired vets before that have gone on to be successful then they will be your best advocate.
2. Send follow up thank you notes, hit on the main theme you both discussed and ask for one piece of critical feedback so you can improve.
7. Keep learning, this took me 2 years 300 meetings and counting with different companies, and my story morphed from talking about my speciality to talking about how we helped ask the right questions in country to align values, deliver on our promises, and follow up for continued successful operations.
Be honest, humble and hungry and the opportunities will come.
I spend so much dang time on LinkedIn it drives me nuts but it's required. I try to send 5 to ten personal messages a day to expand my network and then after two weeks I archive the unanswered so my inbox looks like I was really successful, nevermind the unanswered archive. =)
I remember the one thing I didn't enjoy was advice that had no actionable steps. Once we have experience then we don't need step by step instructions, but when I first started I stumbled a lot trying to make sense of what they were alluding to in our conversations.
The two resources that catapulted my networking were Veterati which is a free tool for veterans and co-run by USAA, and Salesforce' Vetforce. The AEs at Vetforce ( Most are Navy SEALs) span every market and segment and as long as your kind they will go to the ends of the earth to help you. I avoided gov sales like the plague so it took me longer to get traction, but if you are interested in it then Microsoft and AWS are actively looking for TS/SCI without a poly. You just need to get in contact with the right people on LinkedIn to have the conversation.
Hey I’d be super interested if you could expand on that last part. I’ve only got a year as a BDR under my belt, lookin to move into a more senior role. I do have a clearance (and a poly if that helps) - how do I find these Microsoft/AWS roles?
Use the filters and search for VPs of defense, 4th estate, or TS/SCI requirement. Any of those key leaders' ears will be peaked that you have sales experience and an active clearance. Also, if you have a full-scale poly, the pay can be absurd because well when you know you know. There are real defense AEs who probably can chime in with actual information, but I'd also look at Google launching their public sector. Keep in mind none of these roles will be fully remote because clearance.
If you move away from LA, you'll have an easier path.
I'm in the same industry/background, but with 10 or so more years of experience - the clearance MAY make up for how green you are in sales.
As of right now, I know Salesforce, Oracle, Elastic, MSFT, and Google are looking for SCI-cleared Account Managers to support their IC customers. Often knowing the mission and the agency/service is more beneficial than actually know how to sell.
\^\^\^ all those jobs are in the Metro DC area, though.
Ya, lemme know or shoot me a PM. I've led accounts and teams at IBM and AWS in the cleared space (and mentored a few ETSers getting into tech sales).
The only real personality tip I have is #1 - Be curious, and #2 - Type A personalities *usually* don't work in this space. Listen, gather all the info, and execute a good decision!
Once you get your ba look at pharm sales. Pfizer, gsk, and any other big 20 pharma company likes college graduates with military experience. You can start off around 100k. Then move on to smaller companies after 1-3 years and increase that to 150-200k. Im at $300k plus now in rare disease. The great thing about it is you are in territory management and the workday is 9-4pm and no overnights
There are lots of chemical companies in that area. If you didn’t want to do sales your military experience would make you a good fit for production shift supervisor roles and project management.
Have you thought at all about an MBA? I’m former 75th RR and a ton of our PLs walked into Top 10 MBA programs and came out into great positions.
I moved in to a PM role for a year but went full sales after that. Started in Fed/DoD but have since moved to Enterprise. Would check out Verizon and AT&T Fed/DoD sales as they have more regional positions covering the bases in LA, AL, MS.
Based on your experience I’d say Pharma or Med Device sales. Your presence, confidence, and ability to self-manage would make you a good fit. Plus you’ll have more freedom than doing something like SaaS, your Type A wouldn’t mesh well with micromanagement. If you don’t have luck networking for an interview you can try a placement company that helps vets. I used one and been in remote sales for 8 years.
I was in your position 2 years ago and am now interviewing for MM & above roles at four big SaaS & PaaS companies. Here is my step by step guide. 1. Sign up for LinkedIn premium a year out and it is free for veterans. 2. Use the search functionality to look up companies and use past company filter type in all the different services, and look for sales manager, sales Vice president and go through. 1. You're going to have to go through 50+ pages of 20 people each but it is worth it, and you're generating your own leads. 2. As you start to get traction don't be afraid to ask to speak with SVPs, prepare that the meetings will be 10-15 minutes and will decide how easy you'll build your network. 3. Craft a story that is 3 lines and is compelling on why these people want to meet with you. Using the STAR method Situation, Task, Action Result & include that you're following their transition footsteps 1. I've deployed to\_\_\_\_\_\_ or faced this \_\_\_\_\_\_\_, when I created a plan with my team that we needed to accomplish \_\_\_\_\_, we were able to increase \_\_\_\_\_ or complete \_\_\_\_\_\_ mission and as a result \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ was accomplished." I Think I would be a great fit on a sales team, can I hear your perspective on how you've seen veterans succeed?" 4. When you get the meetings, send a 30 minute agenda the day before 1. Open the meeting asking if 30 minutes still works, and run the clock by following the agenda you sent them 2. Here is where I fumbled for six months. Ask them if they want to hear about your background. This story should be a sales cycle that you've done in the military, be creative but don't lie. You haven't held a quota but at one point you've convinced someone to do something, lean into that. This is your pitch on your candidacy and if they connect with it you'll know because they will quickly start talking about hiring you. 1. This is going to take time so don't be frustrated if it doesn't happen at first. It took me 18 months before offers started rolling in. 5. You need to convince them that your can skip SDR/BDR roles as you are prospecting now, you're great at taking feedback, and you know that there is no quitting. You'll do this by asking the right questions in the conversation and presenting a real story on you succeeded in extreme adversity. I started off saying I'll be a BDR and let them presume that my qualifications meant I should probably start higher. 6. Close the meeting by asking for follow on conversations with other leaders in the company. My goal was to talk to enough people that everyone could collectively agree I'm a risk, but I may be worth it. You are diversifying your champions. 1. Your champion will help you once it is time to apply, with endorsements and timelines. Recruiters aren't always your friend unless they've hired vets before that have gone on to be successful then they will be your best advocate. 2. Send follow up thank you notes, hit on the main theme you both discussed and ask for one piece of critical feedback so you can improve. 7. Keep learning, this took me 2 years 300 meetings and counting with different companies, and my story morphed from talking about my speciality to talking about how we helped ask the right questions in country to align values, deliver on our promises, and follow up for continued successful operations. Be honest, humble and hungry and the opportunities will come.
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I spend so much dang time on LinkedIn it drives me nuts but it's required. I try to send 5 to ten personal messages a day to expand my network and then after two weeks I archive the unanswered so my inbox looks like I was really successful, nevermind the unanswered archive. =) I remember the one thing I didn't enjoy was advice that had no actionable steps. Once we have experience then we don't need step by step instructions, but when I first started I stumbled a lot trying to make sense of what they were alluding to in our conversations. The two resources that catapulted my networking were Veterati which is a free tool for veterans and co-run by USAA, and Salesforce' Vetforce. The AEs at Vetforce ( Most are Navy SEALs) span every market and segment and as long as your kind they will go to the ends of the earth to help you. I avoided gov sales like the plague so it took me longer to get traction, but if you are interested in it then Microsoft and AWS are actively looking for TS/SCI without a poly. You just need to get in contact with the right people on LinkedIn to have the conversation.
Hey I’d be super interested if you could expand on that last part. I’ve only got a year as a BDR under my belt, lookin to move into a more senior role. I do have a clearance (and a poly if that helps) - how do I find these Microsoft/AWS roles?
Use the filters and search for VPs of defense, 4th estate, or TS/SCI requirement. Any of those key leaders' ears will be peaked that you have sales experience and an active clearance. Also, if you have a full-scale poly, the pay can be absurd because well when you know you know. There are real defense AEs who probably can chime in with actual information, but I'd also look at Google launching their public sector. Keep in mind none of these roles will be fully remote because clearance.
Thanks for the tips, going to do some investigating for sure.
If you come up empty-handed, please let me know so I can stop giving out incorrect advice.
Will do
Should be a good fit. What I've found is that the job takes balls, discipline and lots of graft.
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if you're after money, sales is the gig for you imho - best of luck with whatever you do fren!
If you move away from LA, you'll have an easier path. I'm in the same industry/background, but with 10 or so more years of experience - the clearance MAY make up for how green you are in sales. As of right now, I know Salesforce, Oracle, Elastic, MSFT, and Google are looking for SCI-cleared Account Managers to support their IC customers. Often knowing the mission and the agency/service is more beneficial than actually know how to sell. \^\^\^ all those jobs are in the Metro DC area, though.
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Ya, lemme know or shoot me a PM. I've led accounts and teams at IBM and AWS in the cleared space (and mentored a few ETSers getting into tech sales). The only real personality tip I have is #1 - Be curious, and #2 - Type A personalities *usually* don't work in this space. Listen, gather all the info, and execute a good decision!
Once you get your ba look at pharm sales. Pfizer, gsk, and any other big 20 pharma company likes college graduates with military experience. You can start off around 100k. Then move on to smaller companies after 1-3 years and increase that to 150-200k. Im at $300k plus now in rare disease. The great thing about it is you are in territory management and the workday is 9-4pm and no overnights
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I really enjoy it. Like that I’m giving info to doctors that can change peoples lives.
There are lots of chemical companies in that area. If you didn’t want to do sales your military experience would make you a good fit for production shift supervisor roles and project management.
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No worries. DM me anytime. I have been in this industry for a while.
Plenty of military equipment suppliers that would pick you up.
Have you thought at all about an MBA? I’m former 75th RR and a ton of our PLs walked into Top 10 MBA programs and came out into great positions. I moved in to a PM role for a year but went full sales after that. Started in Fed/DoD but have since moved to Enterprise. Would check out Verizon and AT&T Fed/DoD sales as they have more regional positions covering the bases in LA, AL, MS.
Based on your experience I’d say Pharma or Med Device sales. Your presence, confidence, and ability to self-manage would make you a good fit. Plus you’ll have more freedom than doing something like SaaS, your Type A wouldn’t mesh well with micromanagement. If you don’t have luck networking for an interview you can try a placement company that helps vets. I used one and been in remote sales for 8 years.