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 Angelina to share her story with us.
Professional Philosophy
“The key to success is the ability to adapt to different characters and new situations.”
I grew up in a really small town called Albstadt. So, if you have to tell someone where you’re from, you just say Stuttgart. It’s easier than trying to explain and they’re pretty close anyway. I actually liked growing up there even if it was a bit quieter than the big cities. Despite this, I knew that once I finished high school, I wanted to see the world. To start with though, I had to go to university and did my bachelor’s degree in Hotel Tourism and Event management in Munich. One really good part about this course was that I got to do a semester abroad. I chose New York City and got to live there for six months while I finished my course. I also did an internship in the US before returning to Germany and moving to Berlin. In Berlin, I found a job at a PR and event agency. While it was good fun and I enjoyed working there, I knew it wasn’t going to be something I could do for the rest of my life. I hadn’t found my true passion yet.
I was still slightly unsure about what I wanted to do but I knew I was going to do my master’s degree in market-oriented leadership in Cologne. With a little time to kill before my course started, I took an administrative job at Cap Gemini but that was never going to be a long-time proposition. I did work when I was at university though, both during my master’s and bachelor’s degrees. I did a lot of work in hospitality and with my outgoing personality, I was well suited to promotional work. I’ve never had a problem talking to people so having to stop people in the street and sell them things was easy for me.
During my master’s, I was a little bit lost. I took several jobs that were just jobs and not careers and I thought, “I like talking to people, I don’t get nervous approaching anyone, how about a job in sales?” I was looking on LinkedIn and while I didn’t know 100% what I was looking for, I knew I’d know it when I saw it. That’s when I saw Aexus. I read the description and knew I wanted it. The ad talked about flexible working and the tasks of an SDR like making cold calls. It was like the job and I were made for each other. Thankfully, after three interviews inside a week, they made me an offer.
Even though I only started in November, I’ve got to say I’ve been super happy since day one. I really, really like what I do and there hasn’t been a single day I didn’t want to get up and get started. As for the future, I’m already in a development plan so I’m going to be a sales executive soon, hopefully. I know I’ve still got to prove myself more at this level first but so far, it looks good yeah.