From data analyst to sales engineer, personality-based career design, sales skills for data people - Jenny Wu - The Data Scientist Show #079
Feb 1, 2024
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Jenny Wu, former data analyst turned sales engineer at Hex, discusses the transition into a customer-facing role, traits of successful salespeople, and embedding career and personal goals for happiness. Topics include sales engineer vs data analyst, day-to-day tasks of a sales engineer, and advice on career breaks.
Transitioning from data analysis to a customer-facing sales role requires careful career planning and understanding one's personal preferences and energy sources.
Designing a career that aligns with your personality is crucial for long-term happiness, considering factors like career growth, financial stability, and physical and mental health.
Deep dives
Sales Engineer Role and Day-to-Day
A sales engineer is a combination of a salesperson and a technical expert. Their day-to-day involves talking to data leaders, understanding their problems, and demonstrating how their product can solve those issues. They also assist in making a case for the value of the product and help with budget allocation.
Transitioning from Data Analyst to Sales Engineer
The decision to transition from a technical role like data analysis to a customer-facing sales role is driven by personal preference and careful career planning. Understanding what energizes and drains you is crucial in making the switch. Skills like stakeholder management, understanding customer pain points, and being a domain expert can be leveraged from data analysis to excel in a sales engineer role.
Designing a Career Based on Personality
Designing a career that aligns with your personality is essential for long-term happiness. Taking time for self-reflection, understanding what energizes you, and what you enjoy doing are key considerations. It is important to prioritize happiness and consider factors like career growth, financial stability, physical and mental health, and relationships in shaping your career goals.
Lessons from Taking a Career Break and Traveling
Taking a career break to travel and explore new experiences can provide valuable lessons. One key lesson is realizing that you will be okay no matter what and that you can always find new opportunities. Embracing uncertainty, overcoming fear, and being open to new perspectives can lead to personal and professional growth. It is also important to evaluate the cost of inaction and to pursue experiences that align with your goals and values.
Jenny Wu is a data analyst turned sales engineer for data products at Hex. We talked about sales engineer vs data analyst, how to design a career based on your personality, and how to transition into a customer-facing role.
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:01:34) What is a Sales Engineer?
(00:09:35) Sales Engineering Day-to-Day
(00:13:09) Challenge in sales
(00:21:37) Traits of Successful Salespeople
(00:30:32) Stakeholder Engagement
(00:36:24) Getting into customer-facing roles
(00:43:55) Quitting her job to travel the world
(00:48:05) Advice on Career Breaks
(00:50:39) Embedding Career and Personal Goals
(00:51:57) How do you achieve happiness?
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