My move from Account Executive to Sales Engineer included a number of variables. However, by far the most important force multiplier was finding a Mentor. If reddit is any indication, it appears others making this same transition are interested in how to navigate these uncharted waters.

The importance is known, but the execution and realization of this goal is elusive…

This could be due to Solutions Engineers naturally being more logical and right brained in their thinking. Finding a mentor requires creativity, out of the box thinking, and random luck.

I will detail a few high level principles I have seen espoused that hold merit. If you are interested in learning more about what specifically worked in my journey please reach out to me here.

• It must be Organic: Too many Sales Representative and Sales Engineers alike approach finding a mentor like solving a task, going about the process in a task-oriented way. This is a problem for a few reasons. First, there are few people who out there who want to simply “be a mentor”. Second, the best mentorship relationships are those that operate like a friendship. You wouldn’t ask someone to be your friend.
  
  While qualified, tenured Sales Engineers may not wake up in the morning wanting to be someone’s mentor, nearly every Solutions Engineer knows that someone once helped them and they want to help someone else in return. This is a big reason why I started this blog! Helping is part of the Sales Engineer’s DNA.
  
  So instead of reaching out to Sales Engineers who are in a place you want to be and asking them to be your mentor, consider simply asking them for help. Don’t forget to be a human being.
  
  
  
• Act on the Mentor’s Advice: This assumes that you trust what the Mentor is telling you. Once your mentor has been validated, make sure you not only listen to the advice they give but most importantly that you execute and act on their advice. A great way to develop a mentorship relationship is to try what the mentor is recommending and reporting back what you learned, what worked well, what didn’t work well etc. This creates a natural discussion with your mentor and shows them that they are not wasting their time mentoring you.
  
  
  
• Don’t be afraid to ASK: While the Account Executives out there might not be shy to ask (you don’t know if you don’t ask after all), the Sales Engineer may be a bit more timid. Common excuses include not wanting to be demanding, the fear of annoying the mentor, and being a taker and not a giver. But don’t forget that the foundation of this relationship is built on the mentor WANTING to help you and give back! It is a joy for the mentor to be able to give back, so don’t forget to ask for help, advice, or even assistance in a job pursuit and opening doors in your career.
  

I had two mentors in my career journey to Sales Engineering. One that helped on the technical side and one that helped on the career/job side. If you are interested in learning more about the specific actionable steps I took please reach out to me here.