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Tech Sales in Sydney: Exploring the BDR Role at Salesforce

Grace Smith

October 11, 2024

Curious about the life of a Business Development Representative (BDR)? Looking for insights into the tech sales landscape in Sydney? Senior Recruiter Emily Parr recently sat down with Jamile Kibby, Business Development Representative (BDR) to learn more about her role, career growth, Salesforce Tower Sydney, and more. Check out her live video below, and read on for more behind-the-scenes Q&A!

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We know that our BDRs come from all different backgrounds. Can you kick us off by telling us about your career journey, and what brought you to Salesforce?

Jamile: I explored the idea of sales in university, and really enjoyed the sales courses. I did a bit of networking, and met a recruiter who walked me through potential sales roles and what those look like. From there, I did a Business Development Associate role at a financial service market research firm, where I learned the ins-and-outs of the BDA role. I then came across Salesforce [in 2021], and I’ve been here ever since.

What is a BDR?

Jamile: There are a lot of parts to it, but essentially we are looking after new business and stakeholder management. We’re bringing in new business, generating accounts, talking to new logos, working with employee success [HR at Salesforce], and forming points of view alongside our Account Executives. We're engaging with various businesses across various industries to learn more around their technology stack and priorities to see whether there is an opportunity to delve further into where we can help and share how we are working with similar businesses.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Jamile: It’s never the same. At Salesforce, you make your day as you want around your various competing priorities. One morning I’ll be in meetings with customers, and other days we’ll be dialing various accounts — whether that be for upcoming events or uncovering new accounts we haven’t engaged with before. It really depends on the day and where our focus is as a BDR / AE team.

What makes you excited to come to work every day after three years of being here?

Camile and Pam, Business Development Representatives, pose for a photo in the Salesforce Sydney Tower
Camile (left) with her colleague Pam

Jamile: We’ve got a great culture here at Salesforce and that comes from having a very diverse range of individuals with different views and ways to tackle challenges and opportunities. Amongst the BDR cohort, we have former nurses, engineers, and individuals from all walks of life, so learning from all of them has been great.

Can you tell us about your learning journey since joining Salesforce, and how you’ve gotten to where you are?

Jamile: We have a great training and enablement team that teaches you the fundamentals. As a BDR, you have the ability to lean into your Account Executives and be mentored by them. As an SDR [the position typically pursued after BDR], you work with an even bigger cohort of Account Executives, so you have a diverse pool of various support units to learn from. We’re really lucky to have a lot of training and support across the floor.

What is unique about being in Sydney, Australia and working in that part of the world?

Jamile: To start off, we have a great tower that’s just been built with an amazing view. Our ʻOhana Floor is also open to the community to use at no cost. Though, it’s really the people that make a difference. When I first joined, everyone was super supportive and still are to this day. There’s a lot of training and enablement on how we’re working with various customers, and we have a really good culture. We have various Business Resource Groups to get involved with outside of your daily role, too, which is also a great way to meet and network with other individuals across the business.

What advice do you have for someone who’s looking to move either to Salesforce or in to tech sales?

Jamile: I firstly would map your skillset and understand where your strengths are, and then align your strengths to jobs that your interested in. If you’re curious, a go-getter, love connecting to people, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, then Salesforce is definitely for you.

Secondly, jump on LinkedIn and connect with your future coworkers. I’m very happy to grab a coffee with anyone who puts in the time, and I’ve seen that across the floor with various colleagues and new hires. Lastly, network with various individuals who have been in the role across different businesses, learn from their experiences, and see if they align with your interests long-term and if you could see yourself in a similar role.

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