SE Worklife: Unlocking Your Future as a Sales Engineer – Episode 3: Why Choose a Sales Engineering Career?

Uncover why Sales Engineering is a top career choice in Episode 3! Kevin Kunz reveals six-figure salaries, tech challenges, and client impact that define this dynamic role. Through leadership stories, like a Snowflake retail win, and insights from Salesforce and ServiceNow, explore financial, intellectual, and emotional rewards. Learn practical steps to kickstart your journey with five actionable takeaways, from reflection to networking. Connect at Kevin.kunz@seworklife.com or seworklife.com to join the community. Tune in to fuel your Sales Engineer career!

Come visit us at SE Worklife http://www.seworklife.com - I expect all types of responses and requests from this community. We have one book out of three book series - grab a copy and get free access to my SE Journey. Our team is a collective of the brightest and most experienced SE leaders across world-class organizations like Adobe, Google, Oracle, Elastic Search, Snowflake , Mongo DB , Databricks and a ton of others out there.

Dive into the world of Sales Engineer roles in Episode 2! Kevin Kunz, with 30 years at Adobe (1999–2012), Oracle (2013–2017), Elastic (2017–2019), and Snowflake (2019–2022), unpacks titles like Systems Architect and Solution Consultant, revealing their unique skills. Through leadership stories, like mentoring of team’s at Elastic , learn how to find your career fit. Discover how future AI tools like Adobe’s GenStudio will streamline demos while sharpening your expertise. This episode clarifies job roles and equips you with insights to kickstart your tech career. Connect at Kevin.kunz@seworklife.com or seworklife.com. Tune in to shape your Sales Engineer future!

Overview and Listener Benefits:

This engaging Episode 2 of SE Worklife: Unlocking Your Future as a Sales Engineer offers a clear, exciting exploration of Sales Engineer job titles and skills, helping you navigate the diverse roles in this dynamic tech field. You’ll gain a deep understanding of titles like Systems Architect, Solution Architect, and Evangelist, learning their responsibilities and the skills needed to succeed. Through Kevin Kunz’s leadership stories, including a compelling 2018 Elastic demo, you’ll see how these roles come to life and how you can find your perfect fit. The episode also previews the future of Sales Engineering, highlighting how AI tools like Adobe’s GenStudio will enhance efficiency while emphasizing the importance of your problem-solving skills. By the end, you’ll be empowered with actionable steps to identify your ideal role and start building your career, making this a must-listen for aspiring Sales Engineers eager to unlock their potential.

Come visit us at SE Worklife http://www.seworklife.com - I expect all types of responses and requests from this community. We have one book out of three book series - grab a copy and get free access to my SE Journey. Our team is a collective of the brightest and most experienced SE leaders across world-class organizations like Adobe, Google, Oracle, Elastic Search, Snowflake , Mongo DB , Databricks and a ton of others out there.

Episode 102 Overview

• Objective: Define S.E.A.C. (Sales Engineer, Architect, Consultant) early, explore the various S.E.A.C. job titles (e.g., Systems Architect, Solution Architect, Sales Engineer), detail their unique responsibilities and skills, and clarify how listeners can find their fit.
• Book Sections Used: Chapter 4 (Job Titles and Descriptions), with Introduction (career appeal) and Acknowledgements (mentors, family) for context.
• Story Structure:
  • Hero: Listener, aspiring S.E.A.C. professional seeking role clarity.
  • Villain: Confusion over S.E.A.C. job titles and their differences.
  • Beginning: Introduces S.E.A.C. definition and title confusion.
  • Middle: Explores job titles, responsibilities, and skills with stories.
  • End: Empowers listeners to identify their ideal role with actionable steps.

Come visit us at SE Worklife http://www.seworklife.com - I expect all types of responses and requests from this community. We have one book out of three book series - grab a copy and get free access to my SE Journey. Our team is a collective of the brightest and most experienced SE leaders across world-class organizations like Adobe, Google, Oracle, Elastic Search, Snowflake , Mongo DB , Databricks and a ton of others out there.

Table of Contents: SE Worklife Podcast Series

1. Prologue: Welcome to Your S.E.A.C. Journey
   • Introduces the series, S.E.A.C. career, and Kevin’s 30-year expertise, setting expectations for the 12 episodes.
2. Episode 1: What Is a Sales Engineer?
   • Defines the S.E.A.C. role, daily responsibilities, and required skills, debunking misconceptions about technical expertise.
3. Episode 2: Exploring S.E.A.C. Job Titles and Skills
   • Breaks down S.E.A.C. roles (Sales Engineer, Solution Architect, Sales Consultant) and their unique skill sets.
4. Episode 3: Why Choose a Sales Engineering Career?
   • Highlights the financial, intellectual, and emotional rewards of S.E.A.C. roles and their growth potential.
5. Episode 4: A Day in the Life of a Sales Engineer
   • Walks through a typical week, showcasing the dynamic balance of technical and customer-facing tasks.
6. Episode 5: Getting Hired – Job Search and Interview Prep
   • Guides listeners through finding S.E.A.C. jobs, analyzing postings, and excelling in interviews.
7. Episode 6: Negotiating Your S.E.A.C. Compensation
   • Explains compensation structures (salary, bonuses, equity) and strategies to maximize earnings.
8. Episode 7: Onboarding Success – Your First 90 Days
   • Offers a 30/60/90-day plan for starting strong, including tools, training, and mentorship.
9. Episode 8: Mastering S.E.A.C. Skills – Storytelling and Objection Handling
   • Teaches key skills like storytelling, objection handling, and deal qualification for customer impact.
10. Episode 9: Building Relationships and Collaboration
    • Explores fostering connections with customers, sales teams, and cross-functional groups.

Come visit us at SE Worklife http://www.seworklife.com - I expect all types of responses and requests from this community. We have one book out of three book series - grab a copy and get free access to my SE Journey. Our team is a collective of the brightest and most experienced SE leaders across world-class organizations like Adobe, Google, Oracle, Elastic Search, Snowflake , Mongo DB , Databricks and a ton of others out there.

I have broken down the SE Worklife - My Journey Book into four parts series. They all are about 30 to 40 min.

“How is the book broken up?
This book is broken into four major critical milestones in my life journey. We will start with my early entrance into my family's business and what I learned through my father that impacted my future decisions. The second part will showcase the sales side of sales engineering and my experiences with selling at CSR and Moore Business Forms. From there, we will spend a reasonable amount of time in the Sales Engineering role. Finally, and the most impactful, was the knowledge of how vastly different corporate leadership vs. Pre-Ipo leadership will help those looking to move into a more significant role. .
My Journey

So let me give you a little background about Kevin Kunz and why I am writing this book. I'll give you some context to support why you should listen to some things I've learned over my 30 years in this business. I will discuss a little bit about my management philosophy, my pillars, and my approach and let you know about my blind spots. These will be my "Done Wells / Do Betters, "* thanks to Don Beck - accumulated over my 30-year career[…].”

The TOC for all of these sessions

Part 1
Disclaimers| Acknowledgements | Introductions | Model Homes

Part 2
Crazy Bobs | CSR Computer System Repair | Moore Business Forms

Part3
Jetform | Adobe | Involver | Oracle

Part 4
Elastic Search | Snowflake | Retirement

Come visit us at SE Worklife http://www.seworklife.com - I expect all types of responses and requests from this community. We have one book out of three book series - grab a copy and get free access to my SE Journey. Our team is a collective of the brightest and most experienced SE leaders across world-class organizations like Adobe, Google, Oracle, Elastic Search, Snowflake , Mongo DB , Databricks and a ton of others out there.

I have broken down the SE Worklife - My Journey Book into four parts series. They all are about 30 to 40 min.

“How is the book broken up?
This book is broken into four major critical milestones in my life journey. We will start with my early entrance into my family's business and what I learned through my father that impacted my future decisions. The second part will showcase the sales side of sales engineering and my experiences with selling at CSR and Moore Business Forms. From there, we will spend a reasonable amount of time in the Sales Engineering role. Finally, and the most impactful, was the knowledge of how vastly different corporate leadership vs. Pre-Ipo leadership will help those looking to move into a more significant role. .
My Journey

So let me give you a little background about Kevin Kunz and why I am writing this book. I'll give you some context to support why you should listen to some things I've learned over my 30 years in this business. I will discuss a little bit about my management philosophy, my pillars, and my approach and let you know about my blind spots. These will be my "Done Wells / Do Betters, "* thanks to Don Beck - accumulated over my 30-year career[…].”

The TOC for all of these sessions

Part 1
Disclaimers| Acknowledgements | Introductions | Model Homes

Part 2
Crazy Bobs | CSR Computer System Repair | Moore Business Forms

Part3
Jetform | Adobe | Involver | Oracle

Part 4
Elastic Search | Snowflake | Retirement

Come visit us at SE Worklife http://www.seworklife.com - I expect all types of responses and requests from this community. We have one book out of three book series - grab a copy and get free access to my SE Journey. Our team is a collective of the brightest and most experienced SE leaders across world-class organizations like Adobe, Google, Oracle, Elastic Search, Snowflake , Mongo DB , Databricks and a ton of others out there.

Come visit us at SE Worklife http://www.seworklife.com - I expect all types of responses and requests from this community. We have one book out of three book series - grab a copy and get free access to my SE Journey. Our team is a collective of the brightest and most experienced SE leaders across world-class organizations like Adobe, Google, Oracle, Elastic Search, Snowflake , Mongo DB , Databricks and a ton of others out there.

I have broken down the SE Worklife - My Journey Book into four parts series. They all are about 30 to 40 min.

“How is the book broken up?
This book is broken into four major critical milestones in my life journey. We will start with my early entrance into my family's business and what I learned through my father that impacted my future decisions. The second part will showcase the sales side of sales engineering and my experiences with selling at CSR and Moore Business Forms. From there, we will spend a reasonable amount of time in the Sales Engineering role. Finally, and the most impactful, was the knowledge of how vastly different corporate leadership vs. Pre-Ipo leadership will help those looking to move into a more significant role. .
My Journey

So let me give you a little background about Kevin Kunz and why I am writing this book. I'll give you some context to support why you should listen to some things I've learned over my 30 years in this business. I will discuss a little bit about my management philosophy, my pillars, and my approach and let you know about my blind spots. These will be my "Done Wells / Do Betters, "* thanks to Don Beck - accumulated over my 30-year career[…].”

The TOC for all of these sessions

Part 1
Disclaimers| Acknowledgements | Introductions | Model Homes

Part 2
Crazy Bobs | CSR Computer System Repair | Moore Business Forms

Part3
Jetform | Adobe | Involver | Oracle

Part 4
Elastic Search | Snowflake | Retirement

Come visit us at SE Worklife http://www.seworklife.com - I expect all types of responses and requests from this community. We have one book out of three book series - grab a copy and get free access to my SE Journey. Our team is a collective of the brightest and most experienced SE leaders across world-class organizations like Adobe, Google, Oracle, Elastic Search, Snowflake , Mongo DB , Databricks and a ton of others out there.