I'm currently an active duty Army Soldier looking to transition to a civilian career in the next 6 months. I've served 10 years in the Army with the past 5 years as a Prime Power Production Specialist (field technician) in the power generation and electrical industry. I have extensive experience in the technical aspects of this field - designed, repairing, troubleshooting, and operating medium voltage electrical systems and equipment: generators, switchgear, circuit breakers, transformers, protective relays, cable, testing equipment, print reading, etc. I also have leadership experience, managing teams of technicians to troubleshoot and repair complex electrical distribution systems, perform maintenance of electrical equipment. Additional duties include having served as unit training manager for a company of 90 personnel, managing power contracts for the US Army Corps Engineers in Afghanistan. This latest role is what interested me the most, and is what I feel I can excel at given a sales engineer or technical sales opportunity. I enjoyed the customer interaction involved with meeting a customer, helping them to identify their needs, coming up with a solution to these needs, and delivering that solution. In the contracting world this meant writing scopes of work for electrical construction projects, submitting these for contractor bids, evaluating bids for technical acceptance and cost and feasibility, and then seeing them through to funding by selling them at acquisition review boards of top-level force commanders, legal teams, engineer teams, and funding managers. After contract approval I also enjoyed managing the contracts and contractors assigned to them, making sure the customer was satisfied throughout the contract period.
All that said, I have zero actual "sales" experience to list on a resume that I feel many employers may be looking for in the positions I wish to apply for. But I feel I can overcome this, I'm just looking for the best advice I can get from professionals in the sales and engineering arenas. I potentially will be looking for employment at companies such as GE, Eaton, ABB, Cummins, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Honeywell, Kohler Power, Generac, etc. I feel with a bit of guidance and mentorship, I will be able to show employers that my technical background in the field and working with equipment that they manufacture, combined with my people skills, passion, and persistence, will make me a great hire for the sales engineer or technical sales type of position.
Please let me know if you could take a look at my resume, give me advice on getting sales training or certifications, writing cover letters, networking to get a step ahead of other applicants, etc. I'm new to this process as I've just begun my transition out of the Army, but I'm determined to be successful in this next step of my career. Thank you.
Answers
Thank you for all you do.
I would expect most of these companies train their sales folks and wouldn't have much issue with lack of sales experience. You have the background. They want to shape their sales force to their culture and products.
That said, as I read your post I couldn't help but think you have other opportunities. I would encourage you to consider project management on the customer and vendor sides. They both need technically savvy leaders that can oversee the full lifecycle from RFI to implementation. That opens up both more roles at the kind of companies you mentioned and more companies, i.e. customers of those companies. There are also engineering and contracting firms that full fill those roles on a job by job basis, e.g. Prime Controls and many smaller firms.
Jonathan, first thank you for your service. I have been in the kind of technical sales you want to get into for 38 years and I had no where near the back ground you do. I also know and compete with the companies you listed. I have a lot of contacts in these fields and would be more than happy to help. If you can inform me where you want to start your career I can put some feelers out.. also happy to look at your resume..Ron
Hi Jonathan, Thanks for your service.
A few years ago I made the transition from software development into technical sales. Like you, I had no sales experience. That's not an automatic disqualifier though. Your technical skills will help you gain credibility with customers.
What helped me land the job was to have a plan on how to get up to speed on learning the ins and outs of sales. In my case, I made a plan with clear, concise, measurable goals for the first 30, 60 and 90 days.
I'd be happy to take a look at your resume if that would be helpful. Feel free to contact me directly at jesse.houldsworth@gmail.com
Jon:
Thanks for your service. Have you thought about your people to people skills? After all, people sell people and people like to buy from people they trust. Earn the trust and the success ail follow.
I was in Sales for over thirty years and was able to do quite well. I never had any technical expertise, however i did seek out those who did and they me knowledgeable about the products I was selling. They even told me to contact them and they would very happy to assist me with their knowledge. All I had to do was make the call. That's pretty impressive. I always knew that one could be a success if you did not care who got the credit. Author unknown. After all you want to do the possible job for your CUSTOMER. Thats what it's all about.
Be a CAN DO thinker.
Joe Floyd
USAF
Jonathan, thank you for your service!
I came out of the Air Force and into sales with no experience. It sounds like you know your field already, just need to convince these potential employers that you can communicate what their customers want and need and can deliver what they want and need.
When I have conducted interviews for bringing people onto my sales team (for financial services), I stressed to them that my interviewing them wasn't the real job interview, and that each conversation with a potential client is the real job interview, because they are the real employers. There is likely a parallel within your industry, but you will find success when you focus on who the real employer is (after you land the opportunity to be in front of these customers).
Hi Jonathan - I came out of the Army back in the 80s and got into sales as well..selling computer systems...it depends on what field you want to get into..if you are open to any technical sales field, you could investigate selling hi-tech...many companies in the hi-tech arena have Veteran Hiring Initiatives and have training programs. Some may start you off in a call center arena and then move you to a field based selling position.
Jonathan, thank you for your service!
I am very familiar with the electrical industry that you are looking to get into and would be willing to take a look at your resume and provide any help that you are looking for. Please send your resume to tbaker0505@gmail.com and we can connect via phone after that. Of course there are no guarantees in anything, but I will do my best to help you in any way that I can. Hope to talk to you soon.... tB
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for your service!
You have a good list of companies that are in the field you have interest. I actually have contacts in some of these companies. You can also expand that to Medical Device and Equipment sales. Many of them might even want people with no sale experience so they can train them their “Corporate” way.
Feel free to send me your resume by using private message through this site.
Since you still have 6 months before transition, take a look in different industries, geographic location that you want to be at.
Below is the J&J sales job posting link. There are equipment sale opportunities in various regions and countries (just notice many in China and Far East..). Let me know if you applied any J&J job. May be I can do some “internal push/connection” for you.
Good luck!
Hi Jonathan,
First off, thank you for your service! I am an HR nerd, so I may not be able to offer specific help in the areas of sales training/certifications, but I would be happy to take a look at your resume and provide feedback. You're welcome to send it to me at:Stephanie.Arnold23@gmail.com
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