"Why do you do what you do?" is a question I have often asked over my recruiting and coaching career, to allow me to better understand the person more from a big picture perspective. One can never assume why someone likes it or how they got to that point in their career, and because of that, I love sharing stories of people in my network that inspire and show folks that there are many ways to reach the same goal - not all of them how you might assume! For my blog in 2021, I'm focusing on highlighting a variety of professions to share with folks out there who are either still figuring out their next step, or know what they're interested in, but could use a little external motivation!
Today's spotlight is on Ben, a past career coaching client who I worked with when he returned to the States after working abroad for a number of years. In this interview, Ben's describing for us not only what his work as an Account Executive is all about, but also how he got there, why he loves it, and his number one piece of advice for job seekers looking to work in Sales.
Check out Ben's professional journey...
Describe what you do as an Account Executive.
I lead a sales team at a real estate software solutions organization, focusing on condo and HOA management companies and associations.
What do you enjoy most about this kind of work?
The most gratifying part of my job is seeing individuals I’ve coached break through and succeed!
Describe your career path to get here.
I fell into real estate tech after business school, when a friend talked me into moving to Costa Rica and launching a Real Estate MLS and marketing platform. We spent 6 years developing the software and growing the business across Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Nicaragua. Transitioning back to the U.S. job market was challenging, as many companies I applied to didn’t know what to do with my international, entrepreneurial background. However, when the right company took a chance, there was a lot of industry knowledge and management experience which carried over and allowed me to contribute and advance quickly. My work with Aimee also played a pivotal role in helping me organize those experiences and present them in a way that was both authentic and digestible.
How did you gain the skills to do the work? What helped you advance?
Going back to school to earn my MBA helped a great deal. Having a theoretical framework allows you to assimilate real life experiences much more quickly so that when you fail, you can tweak strategies and behaviors to improve with each repetition. I’ve been fortunate to have had a number of incredible mentors who have taken the time to share their knowledge and provide feedback that has helped me develop in many different areas.
What advice would you offer to someone wanting to get into this line of work?
The clock doesn’t start until you hear your first no!