I have been asked many times what the most pivotal moment in my career was, something that established the foundation for my future in the world of tech sales. My answer lies at the start of it all: the training and mentorship I received at Xerox Corporation as a new grad in 1988. Thanks to the guidance of my family and mentors, I chose to start my career at a company that invested in me and developed me as a salesperson, a manager, and a leader. The sales training program at Xerox was legendary. I can look back and see its influence on every career step I’ve made since moving from the copier business into the world of tech.
Some wisdom that my mentor Jerry shared with me, and which I’m sharing with you today, is that learning from the best companies in the industry will equip you with foundational career tools that will serve you for a lifetime. Don’t settle for the first offer that comes your way or get distracted by the excitable founder promising a big (and far-off) payday. Instead, prioritize growth. Ask companies tough questions. How will they invest in your skills? Who will mentor you? What happened to others who took the role? Find that company willing to train you, develop you, and actively mentor you to become the very best version of yourself in and out of the workplace.
My leadership team and I have been building and perfecting that opportunity for the past two years at Snowflake. Today, that effort comes to fruition. I am proud to announce our very own Snowflake Sales Development Academy, a global training and mentorship program investing in the very best tech sales talent across 10 cities, 7 countries, and 4 continents.
What exactly is the Snowflake Sales Development Academy? It’s the talent pipeline for the future leadership of Snowflake and the tech industry as a whole. Our Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) are responsible for generating new sales pipeline for the field sales organization as well as serving as a talent pipeline for the business. SDRs at Snowflake are equipped with resources spanning from in-depth industry-based sequences, strategic campaigns with our cross-functional business partners, and a world-class tech stack to ensure they can reach and exceed their goals. The Sales Development Academy includes four weeks of intensive onboarding, fifteen months of advanced sales skill development, and continued mentorship from a management team with over one hundred years of combined Sales Development leadership experience.
Our four-week onboarding program prepares you for success as an SDR with comprehensive, role-specific training on the company and product, vital tools and skills, best practices, and more. New SDRs are paired with an experienced mentor to help along the way. Our ongoing enablement programs are designed specifically to up-level top performing SDRs and prepare them for an Account Executive role. SDRs can expect as many as 100 hours of training per year, with established, measurable promotion tracks and timelines.
We challenge each other to do our best every day and support one another with world-class leadership and mentorship, and provide the coaching and career development necessary to grow and achieve each person’s goals. Our ambition is to provide nothing less than the life-changing experience I received at Xerox over three decades ago. If you think you have the fire in your belly, then read more about the program here.
