How to Connect With Technical Sales Professionals

‼️ Most People Job Search Backwards—Here’s How to Fix It When I broke into tech sales, I didn’t have SaaS experience. No recruiters were reaching out to a college grad with a finance degree. ⚙️ So I reverse-engineered my way in. Since graduating, I've helped dozens of friends land jobs at companies like HubSpot, Microsoft, Databricks, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). I can confidently say: 🚨 Most people job search backwards. They apply first, network later, and wonder why they get ghosted. The reality? The best roles are filled before they ever hit a job board. Here’s how to flip your approach and get ahead of the hiring process instead of chasing it: 🔥 Step 1: Identify the Right Companies Before They’re Hiring Instead of applying blindly to 100+ open roles, build a targeted list of companies that match your ideal career path. ✅ Use RepVue to find the best tech sales orgs based on compensation, culture, and growth opportunities. ✅ Follow funding rounds—companies that just raised $$ are actively building their sales teams. (Check Crunchbase & TechCrunch for updates.) ✅ Look at company LinkedIn pages—if they’re hiring AEs, they’re about to hire more BDRs. 🚀 Pro Tip: If a company just promoted multiple SDRs to AE roles, guess what? They’re about to backfill those SDR seats. 🔥 Step 2: Build Relationships BEFORE a Job Opens Up By the time a job is posted, you’re competing with 500+ applicants. But if you’ve already connected with hiring managers, you get early access to opportunities. ✅ Follow & engage with sales leaders at your target companies—comment on their posts before you ask for anything. ✅ Set up 10-minute “curiosity calls” with reps on the team. Ask them: “What’s one thing you wish you knew before joining?” “What makes a top-performing rep at [Company]?” ✅ Leverage referrals—hiring managers prioritize candidates who come recommended by their team. 🚀 Example: Kevin "KD" Dorsey & Richard Harris™ frequently share what sales leaders actually look for in candidates. Following & engaging with insights like theirs could give you an advantage. 🔥 Step 3: Apply Strategically (And Skip the Black Hole) Most people submit the same resume everywhere and pray for a reply. That’s why they never hear back. ✅ Tailor your resume for each role. Use ChatGPT or tools like TealHQ to match your experience to the job description. ✅ Send a cold email to the hiring manager. A great BDR doesn’t wait for leads to come to them—treat your job search the same way. ✅ Be proactive about follow-ups. No response? Follow up with value, not just “checking in.” 🚀 Example: At Gong, outbound-driven candidates stand out because that’s exactly what the job requires. Prove you can sell yourself first. Most people chase job postings. The best candidates create their own opportunities. 🧠 If you had to start over today, how would you approach your job search differently? #TechSales #JobSearch #CareerGrowth #SalesDevelopment #BDR

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀. 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺. Something I’ve noticed here on LinkedIn: more often than not, a new connection request comes with no context, or worse, an immediate sales pitch. I understand the eagerness behind it, but without taking the time to get to know me, my work, or my company’s mission, the invitation is transactional. It's lazy and desperate. Don't be lazy! It takes more than a few likes to my posts, too. That is not "true" engagement. 𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: ▪️If a request comes with no message, I decline. ▪️If a request comes with a pitch, I block. ▪️If someone connects and immediately pitches, I disconnect. What’s interesting is that my Professional Selling students at 𝗠𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗶 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆'𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 model a better approach. Before my students ever talk about a product or service, they: ▪️practice listening first ▪️show genuine interest ▪️build trust ▪️ask thoughtful questions ▪️uncover needs ▪️present a solution My team at The Management Sherpa™ does the same. We do not pitch our LMS. Rather, we uncover prospects' learning and development needs, then solve problems. This is how we've scaled to 15 countries globally. Your pitch is not a solution for everyone. People's needs are different. Take the time to uncover them. Do your homework. It's not a numbers game. 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛. #NetworkingDoneRight #AuthenticConnections #SalesTraining #ProfessionalSelling #TrustAndTransparency #RelationshipBuilding

Want to stand out in the crowded job market? Stop blasting 1,000 resumes and start networking smarter. Here’s a step-by-step guide to book more Tech Sales job interviews: 📝 Target Your Dream Companies: Create a list of tech companies actively hiring. You can find top-rated employers with open roles here: https://lnkd.in/ezHg9WAT 📝 Find Your Future Peers: Visit each company’s LinkedIn page, click the “People” tab, and identify employees in roles similar to the one you want. 📝 Make a Personal Connection: Connect with them and send a concise, friendly DM. Example: “Hi [Name], I’m inspired by [Company’s] work in [Industry]. I’m exploring their open [Role] and would love to hear about your experience there. Any tips for standing out in the hiring process?” 📝 Build Rapport, Then Ask: After a brief chat, share a bit about your background and passion for the role. Politely ask if they’d feel comfortable passing your resume to the hiring manager with a recommendation. 📝 Stay Consistent: Dedicate time daily to connect with 3-5 people. Small, steady efforts lead to big results! 💡 Why It Works: In my 20 years of sales experience, employee referrals are consistently the most productive new hires. Referred candidates often get prioritized, as they’re seen as better fits and faster performers. 🔥 Pro Tip: Personalize every message, keep it authentic, and follow up politely. Your next interview is just a connection away! Did I miss anything? If so, what’s your go-to tip for landing tech sales interviews?

Hate pitching yourself on LinkedIn? Use the “10:3:1” LinkedIn outreach system a method that builds warm connections, without feeling awkward or salesy. Last week, I spoke to six tech professionals. All job hunting. None with a system. Step 1: Search strategically • Use the search bar. Type roles you want next: “Engineering Manager”, “Product Designer”, “Tech Lead” • Click “People” • Filter by location (e.g. Sydney, Melbourne) • Filter by industry (e.g. Information Technology, Startups) • Add “Current Company” filter if you’ve got a shortlist Step 2: Choose 10 profiles daily (or weekly) Scan for: • Shared backgrounds (bootcamps, unis, career switches) • Work at companies you admire • Mutuals in common Save these to a doc or spreadsheet. Step 3: Personalise the connection note Don’t skip this, people remember those who take the time. 📍 Template: Referencing a post “Hey [Name], just read your post on [topic]super relevant as I’m exploring [similar role or space]. Would love to connect.” 📍 Template: Mutual context “Hey [Name], noticed we both worked in [X] or follow [Y]. Always keen to connect with folks solving interesting problems.” 📍 Template: Direct but friendly “Hey [Name], saw your profile while exploring [industry/role]. I’m currently in transition and learning from others doing solid work. Thought I’d say hi.” Step 4: Engage with 3 of their posts • Leave thoughtful comments (not just likes) • Highlight a takeaway or ask a follow-up • If they haven’t posted, check what they engage with Step 5: Nurture 1 relationship per week • Follow up with a question about their role, team, or journey • Offer something of value (a resource, intro, or perspective) • Ask if they’d be open to a quick virtual coffee Why this works: → You build visibility without spamming → You stand out with relevance → You learn directly from people doing the work Start small. 5 reach-outs per week is plenty. No automation. No sales pitch. Just real conversations. In tech, trust opens doors faster than resumes. If this helped, follow me (Eli Gündüz) for practical tactics that actually move your job search forward.