SDRs are paid a pittance (55k/yr) with a MBO-based “commission” target that provides an additional 25k/yr. Preposterously high targets for meeting creation, opps, etc.
Cognex is firmly entrenched in their Territory Sales Engineer college graduate program, and are only filling field sales roles through young kids who have gone through their approx. 6 month training program. This leaves essentially zero mobility for inside sales to move into a more lucrative and more exciting role in the field. SDRs are typically engineers with a few YOE, whereas newest TSE class has mixed degrees - ergo it would seem like SDR should be perfect candidates to fill TSE roles, especially when current TSEs quit and there won’t be any backfill for months as the new grads are still in training. Cognex has instead fallen into the same trap of offering SDR “Team Lead” roles to SDRs who have been there long enough and are looking for the next step. Team Leads are a known middle-management bloat, and ultimately not what the career path of a SDR is. The SDR is meant to learn the product, the market, and establish cursory rapport with the clientele - once that’s accomplished, the movement into the field (to support Cognex’s insane Emerging Customers strategy, and the quotas required) should be a no-brainer.
Thought this was going to be more engineering focused - with quotas finally established 5 weeks into Q1 (and not established at time of offer acceptance), the role ultimately devolved into a call center. We were not engineers, we were telemarketers.
SDR territories also switch frequently. You could get lucky and be located in your territory, meaning that you can ride along quite a bit. You could get unlucky and be based in Massachusetts but supporting the field team in California - in that case, good luck going onsite. I hope you like your cubicle (now shut up and dial).
Also a general air of frazzled management and indecision. Managers may not have experience in industrial CAPEX equipment.
Long-tenured employees are leaving, reducing the opportunities for mentorship and education outside the immediate job description.
