When it comes to landing a job in tech sales, companies are looking for more than just the ability to close deals.
For example, being someone who always smashes their KPIs is good, but what’s even better is consistently exceeding expectations while still being open to learning new sales methodologies and tactics. Doggedly working to close deals is a trait everyone loves to see, but some roles call for a person who is willing to put in the time and effort to develop and shape a new market; work that doesn’t consistently involve banging the gong. And while no company expects an interviewee to be an expert in its solution, the more research you do, the easier it is to show that you’re actually as excited about a role as you might claim to be.
The above examples are all pulled from actual salespeople in New York who recently spoke with Built In about their job search and what they feel distinguished them during the interview process. Learn more about their search, including what brought them to their companies and what they love about the product or service they’re selling now.
What they do: As its name suggests, Riskified is out to make e-commerce less risky for companies and their customers. Its technology does this in several ways, such as by identifying fraudulent transactions in real time, stopping bots from buying out products, and preventing hackers from gaining control of customer accounts.
What attracted you to apply for a role at Riskified in the first place?
It’s pretty simple. I was compelled to apply after learning about Riskified’s solution. I was seriously impressed by their case studies about the value it delivers for merchants. In each case, Riskified was able to significantly increase merchants’ order approvals while cutting down fraud-related costs. I knew the solution was a winner and would be something I’d enjoy selling. I also wanted to work for a high-growth company in a startup environment.
I had thoroughly researched their solution, which came through during the interview process.”
Which skill or experience do you think helped distinguish you during your job search?
I am very goal-oriented and had previous experience in sales, but that’s not unique to me. What actually distinguished me was that I had thoroughly researched their solution, which came through during the interview process. I was able to present a strategy of how I’d position Riskified’s solution to different decision-makers within a merchant and identify further growth opportunities.
What do you enjoy most about selling Riskified’s product or service, and what do you find most challenging?
A lot of the time, the product sells itself because the benefits to merchants are so compelling. It’s extremely satisfying when decision-makers at large companies understand the value Riskified adds. On the flip side, because we are solving such complex problems, getting large companies to initiate change can be difficult at times. In those cases, we have to be persistent and creative when relaying the positive impact Riskified’s solution has on merchants across their entire organization.
What they do: Bread is a fintech company whose technology offers merchants the ability to offer shoppers the ability to buy now and pay later. Bread counts Hublot, BBQGuys and Digital Storm.
What attracted you to apply for a role at your Bread in the first place?
My friend on the product design team referred me for this position. Based on her feedback about Bread, I knew the company had a great culture, which made me excited to interview for the role. A few other aspects that attracted me to Bread include the growth opportunities in sales, the fact that the NYC office is close to my apartment, the competitive compensation and having the flexibility to work remotely as well as in the office.
I thrived in an environment that required a high volume of cold calling daily.”
Which skill or experience do you think helped distinguish you during your job search?
My sales experience at Yelp definitely helped distinguish me during my job search. I was part of the Yelp sales team for two years working with small businesses and owned the entire sales cycle from cold call to close. I thrived in an environment that required a high volume of cold calling daily. It was a role that gave me a great foundation for my career in sales.
What do you enjoy most about selling Bread’s product or service, and what do you find most challenging?
I enjoy working with and helping small businesses. Through working with them, I quickly learned and witnessed how passionate and dedicated small business owners are. I am always elated when I receive feedback from a business owner I’ve worked with about how they have seen success and growth thanks to the service/product I sold them on. Additionally, I have used Bread’s product in my personal life, so I entered the role knowing how it works and how it can benefit consumers and businesses.
The most challenging aspect of selling Bread’s product is how competitive the space is. There are many other financing and payment companies businesses can use, so we have to show them why Bread is more beneficial and will drive higher conversions and more revenue for their business.
What they do: Simon Data has combined a customer data platform with a marketing cloud to enable marketers to better know their customers and act on those insights all without having to navigate between multiple platforms.
What attracted you to apply for a role at Simon Data in the first place?
Simon Data’s in-house recruiter reached out through LinkedIn, and it’s always nice to see the actual company reaching out because they appreciate your background. My background is in martech and in my former role I had a unique opportunity to work very closely with clients. A lot of the problems my clients were facing, Simon was tackling head-on. That really interested me and made me want to learn more!
I really believed in the mission and the people who are leading us forward.”
Which skill or experience do you think helped distinguish you during your job search?
Having close to four years working in the martech space gave me a leg up, as well as the training I received prior to joining my previous company. Also, I find myself to be really coachable. I’m not tied to anything and am very open to trying new things. In that way I’m not a detractor. I’m someone who is going to buy into the team strategy and be open to doing things differently.
What do you enjoy most about selling Simon Data’s product or service, and what do you find most challenging?
I came to Simon Data because I really believed in the mission and the people who are leading us forward. It’s great to have a great product, but if the people steering the ship aren’t equally great, then it can be a real mess. I love the consultative approach we take to selling our software. We really dig deep in conversations to understand the needs of our customers. If there isn’t a fit or if the deal is not going to be a beneficial one for both parties, we aren’t afraid to walk away because it’s really in the best interest for both Simon and its client base.
Data and content is challenging, a challenge very successful businesses have built their foundations on top of. With complexity comes a steep learning curve: understanding the market, the vendors, the external partnership landscape and more. It’s a lot to digest, but the people here help in any way they can, which makes that learning curve a lot shorter.
What they do: Dataminr has created an AI-powered platform that pulls data from more than 100,000 sources in 100 different languages and analyzes it in real time so that companies can stay on top of emerging risks, journalists can stay on top of breaking news and first responders can get alerted to disasters and accidents as they occur and identify who needs help and where.
What attracted you to apply for a role at Dataminr in the first place?
First, I liked that they work with customers across a variety of sectors. I previously specialized in retail and hospitality, which I loved, but I was interested in working for a company whose software benefitted a wide range of industries. Dataminr ticked this box as our customers span a number of industries, everything from retail to energy and utilities and football clubs!
Second, it was all about how they are a fast-growing, highly-recognized and innovative company with multiple accolades. These include appearing on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500, Forbes AI 50 and Forbes Cloud 100 list. This growth enables me to grow with them.
I love how our product is so intuitive and easily adopted by users.”
Which skill or experience do you think helped distinguish you during your job search?
This would likely be a combination of both my account management and sales background, aligned with my expertise in the retail industry.
What do you enjoy most about selling Dataminr’s product or service, and what do you find most challenging?
It’s fantastic to be selling such an advanced and sophisticated AI platform, but I also love how our product is so intuitive and easily adopted by users. I also enjoy just how diverse the use case for the product is. The fact that Dataminr can really make a difference and help companies mitigate risk is gratifying.
What they do: YOOBIC has created a digital platform for frontline workers that is designed to make it easier for teams to communicate, manage tasks and learn new skills. A wide variety of companies, including Peloton, BurgerFi and Kenzo, use its solution.
What attracted you to apply for a role at YOOBIC in the first place?
Like a lot of people my age, I was looking for something that would keep me interested! I wanted a dynamic role at a fast-growing company where I believed in both the people and the product. YOOBIC gave me that combination — really good people building a company that addresses a real market need. I also wanted a role where every day was new and exciting and where I’d never stop learning. YOOBIC delivers that, in part because we’re so diverse.
We serve a global market, and I’ve been learning from and building friendships with people all over the world. It helps that the company has a true open-door policy and a commitment to a meaningful work-life balance. If you want to work remotely from a ski resort, you can do that. If you want to go to the YOOBIC offices in London, Paris or New York, or just work from a shared workspace with a few coworkers, that’s fine, too.
YOOBIC was looking for someone who would commit to really building and shaping a new market.”
Which skill or experience do you think helped distinguish you during your job search?
Well, it helped that I already had a lot of experience with MEDDIC and a sales methodology that was a good fit. But I also see myself as more of a consultative problem-solver than a traditional salesperson. The ability to solve operational problems is what makes YOOBIC really stand out in today’s challenging retail environment. I know that YOOBIC was also looking for someone who wouldn’t just try to land the next sale. They wanted someone who would commit to really building and shaping a new market.
We’re moving fast as a company, and we need talented salespeople with deep experience but who aren’t set in their ways. The aim isn’t just to follow a rigid sales playbook; It’s to keep innovating and evolving along with the industry we serve.
What do you enjoy most about selling YOOBIC’s product or service, and what do you find most challenging?
What I find most fulfilling is that we aren’t just selling software. We’re selling a genuinely new product that solves problems for real people and makes life better for frontline workers — the 3 billion of them worldwide — on a daily basis. It’s always exciting when you’re working with retailers or quick-service restaurant businesses and they realize they can get real, substantial efficiencies and bottom-line benefits by empowering their team. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Of course, any time you ask people to invest in a new product, they’ll have questions about whether the change is worth it and whether you can deliver real benefits. There’s always a need for education, and fortunately we have a great story to tell and clear evidence of the ROI that companies can get from empowering their retail teams.
What they do: Red Points’ technology is designed to help brands protect their reputations online. Its software scans the internet for counterfeit products and copyright infringement and, once offending items have been identified, companies can either request that offending items be pulled down from digital store shelves or have Red Points automatically remove the products themselves.
What attracted you to apply for a role at Red Points in the first place?
I really saw a need for a solution like Red Points. We make the internet a safer place for everyday consumers and the brands that we protect. When looking for a new sales position, this is the first thing I look for. I need to believe in the product and solution that I’m selling.
My transparency with what I was looking for and my background with consultative tech sales helped me stand out.”
Which skill or experience do you think helped distinguish you during your job search?
I think that my transparency with what I was looking for in a role and my background with consultative tech sales helped me stand out in the process. Also, a great culture fit was just there from the start. The people at Red Points are amazing.
What do you enjoy most about selling your company’s product or service, and what do you find most challenging?
I really enjoy that we are able to provide tangible ROI to clients throughout the sales process. We are able to show them the problem they have and provide a customized solution to fit their needs. The most challenging aspect of the job is finding new companies to reach out to, but it’s all worth it in the end.
