How to Become a Sales Engineer

In today's competitive business landscape, the role of a sales engineer is becoming increasingly vital. Combining technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills, sales engineers play a crucial role in bridging the gap between complex challenges  and customer needs. If you're interested in pursuing a career in sales engineering, this guide will provide you with essential insights and actionable steps to help you get started. 

We aim to demystify the route you’ll have to follow to become a sales engineer. We'll outline the necessary education and qualifications you’ll be expected to have, detail the types of technical skill sales engineers should have, the level of industry experience needed to reach this point, and outline the networking strategies needed to succeed in this dynamic field. 

Exactly What Does a Sales Engineer Do? 

A sales engineer plays a crucial role in the sales process by combining technical expertise with salesmanship to promote and sell complex products or services to customers. This role typically sits within business to business (B2B) settings. 

The primary responsibility of the sales engineer is to understand the intricacies of their company's offerings and effectively communicate their value proposition to potential customers. Sales engineers often collaborate with sales teams to identify customer needs, provide product demonstrations, and address technical inquiries. They often act in an advisory capacity, leveraging a deep understanding of the product or service in question, to create solutions to specific customer challenges. 

Again, sales engineers play a pivotal role in connecting existing and prospective customers and product development teams, sharing valuable user feedback that can be incorporated into development to enhance the product offering to meet market demand and respond to client feedback.  

If you’re looking for more detail on exactly what a sales engineer does, we've covered the topic extensively in this blog post. 

Educational Requirements 

While specific requirements may vary between employers, sales engineers are usually expected to have attained a bachelor's degree in engineering, , or a related field. This educational foundation provides the technical knowledge and problem-solving skills necessary for success in sales engineering roles. Advanced degrees or certifications in specific, relevant specialization can also enhance your appeal to employers, although many will incorporate studying for a masters into their development plans for their sales engineers. Either way, additional higher qualifications will help you to stand out in what is always a competitive market. 

If your training has focused on the engineering part of sales engineering, you can boost your understanding and your sales skills with a range of widely available programs and courses. That way you can be just as confident in sales, marketing, and business development as you are in your technical expertise. 

Developing Technical Skills 

Success in this field hinges on a strong foundation of technical skills and knowledge. It's essential to stay abreast of the latest products, technologies, and industry trends that are relevant to your field. This includes understanding how your company's offerings compare to competitors' and how they address customer pain points. 

To develop these skills, consider engaging in hands-on projects or internships that expose you to real-world applications of the field of engineering you're interested in. Seek opportunities to work on cross-functional teams and collaborate with sales and marketing professionals to understand the business aspects of selling technical solutions. 

Gaining Industry Experience 

Experience is a key marker for any business looking to recruit sales engineering talent. Experience is invaluable, so if you’re just starting out in this career path, look for entry-level positions, internships, or co-op programs within a company or firm that specializes in the industry you’re interested in. These opportunities not only provide practical experience and help to build connections, but also offer insights into customer behavior, market dynamics, and sales strategies. 

Networking is crucial in gaining industry experience. By attending industry events, workshops, and seminars you’ll be in a great position to connect with professionals at a variety of levels in the field. And once you’ve got some established relationships, consider asking an experienced sales engineers if they are able to provide you with some degree of mentorship which could help open doors to potential opportunities. 

Embarking on Your Sales Engineering Journey 

The path to becoming a sales engineer requires a balanced blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and strong communication skills. If you’re just starting out, pursuing appropriate educational options and developing the relevant technical skills will help enormously. Because it’s by gaining experience and networking effectively that you’ll be in a position to develop a successful career in sales engineering. And once you’re on that road, the opportunities will begin to open up before you. At Hilti for example, our sales engineers spend a large proportion of their time on site, liaising with designers, architects and structural engineers. They operate where it matters most, with customers looking to them to help deliver their vision. 

If you’re interested in a sales position with Hilti, you can explore a range of opportunities on our jobs page.