Might be moving from support to presales engineering - any tips?

[Taverner]

A little background: I have a graduate degree in Journalism that is collecting dust on my shelves. After grad school, I wanted to pay off school loans so I kept my job as a tech support guy for a dialup ISP for a while. Newspaper jobs didn't pay squat (my best offer was from the Modesto Bee for $8 per hour as a PT stringer.)

The tech jobs did pay well, but I never really LOVED my work. I moved up the tech chain, working for iPlanet and then going into IT, where I worked at Apple for 3 years. Laid off, and then went back into support where I am now, at a company which makes large datacenter-level file servers.

Support is OK, but it's getting old, and I always had a desire to go into a more sales-ish role. So they just had openings in the pre-sales engineering department here. I submitted my resume and am in the mid-stages of interviews. They like me, and I feel confident I will get the job.

Now although it is technical, it is also very much a sales role. I will have a chance to write a lot more (which is good) and I will have a chance to use that ubiquitous "excellent written communication skills" that has bullet pointed the end of every resume I've sent.

So for those in sales - what should I expect? I know the sales world can be rough and it is numbers driven. But is it a world of alpha-male and alpha-female wannabe's clawing at everyone around them?

I'm just nervous it will be Arthur Miller or Glengarry Glen Ross out there...but perhaps I'm being needlessly nervous. After all, I know I can kick ass at this.

[Racenut20]

1. You might have some trouble

Spending all the additional money you will probably make.

[Dookus]

2. I think it sounds like a great opportunity

to combine your writing and technical skills.

I don't think sales in that particular market are anything out of Glengary Glen Ross - don't worry too much about it. Sounds like a good move to me.

[gnofg]

3. Pre sales

Pre sales is a very good position The skills you really need are excellent presentation skills to groups of 10 or less, good listening skills, knowledge of product, knowledge of how the application will improve their business and save them money. The key to a good sales team is listening and answering questions. If you say these in your interview you will get the job. Eventually, if you learn these skills you can move into sales. The risk and financial rewards are at the salesperson's level. I was in sales for twenty years and opened my own business but I still understand sales.