#256 The Power Of Networking In Driving You to Your Wanted Destination

Notes:

How does one become a Sales Engineer when one is starting from scratch?

In this episode of the We The Sales Engineers Podcast, I share with you a comprehensive look at my journey to becoming a Sales Engineer.

I was recently interviewed by Joseph M. Smith, Founder of Techniche Tips, about how I transitioned from communications engineering to sales engineering, how I found my first job after university, what my day looks like as a Sales Engineer, and so much more.

Key Takeaways:

What it was like growing up in Lebanon
The value of education
How to commit to something even if you have to pivot
How I switch from Civil to Communications Engineering in college
How I navigated being job search process after university
The importance of building connections when looking for a job
How I pivoted from communications engineering to sales engineering
My definition of sales engineering
Three types of knowledge required for all sales engineers
The proper way of connecting with people in LinkedIn
How Sales Engineers’ days differ
What my day as a Sales Engineer looks like
How to find available sales engineering positions
The difference between boot camps and an academy at a company
Why being an SDR does not guarantee you an SE job
How to be a sales engineer without being one
The advantage of having a coach
The number one characteristic that an SE needs to cultivate

Quotes:

There will be sacrifices. As long as you have the family in mind First, you will most likely succeed. At least that’s how I see it. — Ramzi Marjaba

Don’t say you’re tired. Don’t say you don’t feel like it today. You commit to something, whatever it is, go do it and go try different things. — Ramzi Marjaba

It’s not that I can’t do it, it’s how can I do it. — Ramzi Marjaba

I didn’t learn anything in university that actually helped me with my job. It was a piece of paper to show that I can learn. Everything I learned for the job was on the job. — Ramzi Marjaba

Resumes don’t get you jobs; connections get you jobs. So go to barbecues, where we talk to people. — Ramzi Marjaba

Don’t send LinkedIn connection requests without any messages. — Ramzi Marjaba

You’re trying to show the value. Someone wants to pay you money. And what you’re giving back in return has to save them more money. — Ramzi Marjaba

It’s nice to have as many answers as you possibly can. Because that will speed up and help close the sales, the deal faster, help answer the customer faster. And that way, you don’t have to worry too much about following up and worrying about other stuff. — Ramzi Marjaba

You can apply and try your luck. But you can always increase your luck with connections. — Ramzi Marjaba

If you look at the 8020 rule, the Pareto rule, where 20% of your effort leads to 80% of the results. That 20% should be connections. — Ramzi Marjaba

If your end goal is to be a sales engineer, SDR is not necessarily a stepping stone there. It’s its own career. — Ramzi Marjaba

I would say start being a sales engineer today. You don’t have to have a job as a sales engineer to start thinking like one. Sales engineering is all about solving problems and seeing the value. It’s about active listening, asking the right questions. — Ramzi Marjaba