How to Get a Job as a Sales Engineer

Joseph Stubblebine
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If you have the right combination of engineering experience and sales savvy, getting a job as a sales engineer may be a great option for you. Sales engineers have thorough understandings of customer needs, and they use their knowledge to provide input on new product designs. As a sales engineer, you must be able to explain what your company's products do and why they're better than those made by your competitors. If you're interested in this career, follow these tips for getting a sales engineer job.

Great sales engineers are willing to learn the specifics of complicated offerings, and they're able to understand how to apply those specifics to a client's circumstance. They also perform well under stress and are comfortable with commission-based wages. As the mediator between company and client, a sales engineer must also be skilled at navigating relationships and requests. If you're interested in this position, the financial rewards can be considerable: according to the Nexxt salary center, the average annual salary for a sales engineer in the US is $77,497.

Some employers will hire you without a degree, but having a degree in a relevant discipline will improve your chances of getting a job as a sales engineer. Earn a degree in engineering or a related field before you start looking for jobs. Your degree program will help you develop strong computer skills and the ability to use math and the physical sciences to perform engineering tasks. If you plan to specialize in a particular industry, choose your concentration carefully—if you want to work as an engineer for a medical device manufacturer, for example, choosing biomedical engineering as your major could give you an edge over your competitors.

If you only have a year or two of sales experience, participate in professional seminars or workshops to enhance your skills. One of the biggest mistakes in sales is using the same script with each potential customer. Your customers have different needs, so you should be able to identify those needs and offer customized solutions. Attending a sales skills seminar will help you learn how to talk to customers and overcome their objections. You can also attend workshops designed to help you learn how to retain customers and make sales using social media tools. Participating in these programs helps you show potential employers you're committed to excellence in your field.

Make the most of your professional network if you're trying to get a sales engineer job. Some of your contacts might know of unadvertised job openings. If you know any executives, ask them to recommend you for sales engineer openings. Their endorsements could move you to the top of the candidate list for a particular position. Attend networking events so that you have the opportunity to find out about job openings before they're advertised in newspapers or on the Web.

Sales engineering is an interesting combination of identifying technical requirements, communicating with product designers, and helping customers understand the features and benefits of technical or scientific products. Getting a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, attending sales workshops and seminars, and using your professional network to your advantage will help you improve your chances of getting a job as a sales engineer. You can get started finding a sales engineer job today at Nexxt, and adding your geographic information to find opportunities near you.

 

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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