Technology April 10, 2023
By Calethia Daniel
Photo by Corinne Kutz on UnsplashReady for a career change and great pay?
It’s the 21st century and everyone is seeking to break into high-paying careers, preferably ones that pay six figures. When looking at the facts, the average graduate degree holder only makes around $81,000 a year, according to payscale.com.
According to U.S. News, the top five most desired careers in 2023 were software developer, nurse practitioner, medical health manager, physician assistant, and information security analyst. All positions earn at least $101,000 per year. However, each of these careers will require at least a bachelor’s degree or higher.
When we look at society’s revised norms of inflation and the surging cost of living, having a higher source of income is pretty much necessary, but going back to school is often not an option. So the question is; how can you achieve the goal of a high-paying position with less of an investment of your time and money?
With the country still facing economic challenges due to COVID and a host of natural disasters, finding a recession-proof career sounds almost impossible without either a ton of experience or an advanced degree. So, what is a thriving career? Tech sales is the route you should consider.
According to Indeed.com, technology sales is the act of connecting customers with technology that can provide a solution to a specific problem or challenge. Different technology companies and organizations might sell varying products depending on the type of sales they work with, such as unique technological hardware and specialized computer software.
Now, this sales career is mainly business-to-business, as opposed to individual sales. According to Glassdoor.com, the average technology sales representative earns a base pay of $101,378, but after additional benefits and commission, a representative could make about $229,447.
Tech sales careers are in demand by some of the largest tech companies in the world. To name a few, I would start by looking into Salesforce, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Hubspot, Google, and Dell – these companies sell everything from software to computers. So how do you break into the tech sales world?
There are many reasons why people may consider career paths centered around technology to be very promising, but challenging. However, when looking at tech sales careers, it turns out it doesn’t require a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in computer science, but you do need a few additional skills.
According to Career Karma, a tech sales career doesn’t require a degree in technology. Rather, recruiters seek degrees in marketing, business, engineering, information technology, and computer science. Some don’t even require a degree at all and instead look for those who have completed bootcamp programs. While a degree can be a start, it is not required.
Along with their educational background, recruiters often look at an applicant’s soft skills. Having excellent listening and organization skills, a strong work ethic, product knowledge, and effective communication are among the most desired skills. Coursea.org is a great source for finding starter programs that range from one to six months long.
Here are a few more programs that can help get you started:
All these programs are ranked at least 4.8 stars and are proven to support a tech sales career.
Once you have a degree or certification to support your career, you need to prepare a resume and begin to search for a job.
1. Build a tech-oriented resume – this can include any sales or customer support experience. Use keywords to communicate to the company the ways in which the skills you possess can relate to the position you are currently seeking. Ask yourself questions like, “When in my current position did I use customer service skills? At what point in my career did I have to persuade someone to try an idea or product? How well do I present information?” These types of questions will aid in telling the story of who you are and why you will do well in this position.
2. Networking – use sites such as LinkedIn to find people who either work with the company you’re applying for or are currently in tech sales. Try joining interest groups related to the field.
3. Research – study the companies you are seeking to work for and learn their product and sales language. Learn the company’s history and key products.
4. Reach out and ask – learn the company’s sales process by asking recruiters, or any other sources, quality, open-ended questions to learn about their target audience and client. Ask questions about problems that need to be resolved.
Career changes can be overwhelming. However, this career isn’t difficult to start working toward. In some cases, many may already have applicable skill sets. If you don’t have the skills, some of the bootcamps on the market can provide learning alternatives that are as short as 90 days. So don’t waste any time if you think this career is for you. According to Springboard.com, by 2025 technology sales are expected to reach a market value of $436.9 billion, growing 12.5% annually. Plus, there is a need for more women in tech sales.
According to Maria Rotelli’s article “Why the World Needs Women in Tech, According to a Female Data Scientist,” The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report revealed that women only occupy 34% of sales positions in tech. Since this field is growing, it has a lot of room for women to break in if they’re willing to make a career shift. In the words of the great Beyoncé, “I don’t like to gamble, but if there’s one thing I’m willing to bet on, it’s myself!”
What are you waiting for? Take a chance and bet on yourself. There’s a tech sales job with your name on it – so go get it!
