We all know that there is no specific educational route into becoming a Sales Development Representative. That doesn’t mean that just anyone can do it though. It requires life skills, soft skills, some things self-learnt and some things taught. Above all else though, having a belief in yourself and a desire to get the job done, even when it seems like the world is against you, is essential. This is the character and inner confidence we look for. Of course, our SDRs all have these qualities in abundance but despite the common traits, they are all individuals, and they all found their own route here. That’s why we thought now was the time to gain a greater insight into some of our brightest stars.    

In this instance, we asked Annick to share her story with us.

Professional Philosophy

“The most successful people do more listening than talking.”

I grew up in a small town in the east of the Netherlands. It was really fun growing up there. The town had a real neighbourhood vibe about it and everyone knew everyone else but it is small. So small in fact, that I had to do a 25 km round trip every day just to get to high school and back. Like a lot of people, I went to college to get a degree that would leave me open options at the end of it as there wasn’t a career that I had set my heart on yet. What I had set my heart on was Spain. I had travelled a lot before but really fell in love with Spain. I loved the Spanish people, the language and the culture. So, I knew that my studies would have to offer an exchange year to satisfy my international ambitions. And, with that in mind, I chose to study international business. This gave me two years in Barcelona, where I not only completed the course but learnt the language, did my internship and also freelanced for myself. 

Your life is shaped by the people you meet and when I was in Barcelona, I was hanging out with these guys who were working in artificial intelligence, fintech and software development and I was hooked. I found it absolutely fascinating and that’s what gave me my direction. When I returned to the Netherlands, I set about looking for jobs where I could combine my newfound passion for tech with my background in marketing and sales. That’s why Aexus was a perfect match for me and my skills. It’s not only about my university course though or finding my love of tech as this job is much more about who you are as a person. Luckily, I’m a people person and of course, through my travels I have the ability to relate to different people and different cultures. I also have a knack for reading behaviors and being able to adapt my communication style to give myself a slight advantage in most situations. For now though, I’m looking forward to using my skills and the training I’ve had here to  help me in my career in the tech world and advance when the time is right.