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How can I do both computer science and sales/marketing?
I want to know how to be a well rounded individual that knows how to program technology and also know how to sell that technology whether it be in person or online.
12 answers
Updated
Rob’s Answer
I immediately thought, Sales Engineer. This is a role where you have to be very on your tech, building out proof oc concepts, test beds, giving presentations on the product, and being an all-around subject matter expert or SME. Someone who can breakdown the technical to any audience. Powerful and sought-after stuff...Combining computer science with sales and marketing can be a powerful combination, especially in today's digital-driven world.
Here's a bit of a roadmap to help you integrate both fields:
Education and Skill Development:
Computer Science: Pursue a degree or courses in computer science, focusing on an area that interests you. Good choices in today's world include, AI and machine learning, algorithms, data structures, software development methodologies, integration methods, and other relevant topics.
Sales/Marketing: Similarly, consider courses or a degree in sales, marketing, or business administration; communications or change management would be good topics here as well. Learn about market analysis, consumer behavior, advertising, branding, sales techniques, and communication skills.
Technical Skills: Develop proficiency in systems and IT infrastructure. Understanding how software and technology work is crucial, especially in roles where you're selling or marketing tech products or solutions. Knowledge of multiple technical disciplines is important. BE dedicated to continuous learning of new skills, improving existing skills, and getting a head of the curve.
Communication Skills: Work on your communication skills, both written and verbal. Effective communication is vital in both computer science and sales/marketing roles. Explaining technical concepts in layman's terms is invaluable. Putting it into a demo or presentation in a way that visually and briefly illustrates the concept will make you hireable.
Understanding the Market: Develop your ability to gain insights into market trends, customer needs, and competitor analysis. Use data analytics tools to understand customer behavior, needs (in general), and preferences, which can focus your sales and marketing strategies.
Networking: Build a network in both fields. Attend industry events, join relevant online communities, and connect with professionals who have experience in both computer science and sales/marketing. Networking can open up opportunities for collaboration or job opportunities that blend both skill sets.
Internships or Part-Time Jobs: Look for internships or part-time jobs that allow you to gain experience in both computer science and sales/marketing. This could involve roles like technical sales support, digital marketing for tech products, or software sales.
Specialization: Consider specializing in areas where computer science intersects with sales/marketing. For example, you could focus on digital marketing analytics, software sales for a specific industry, or technical consulting where you help clients implement technology solutions.
Continuous Learning: Both computer science and sales/marketing are constantly evolving fields. Stay updated with the latest trends, tools, and techniques through continuous learning. This could involve online courses, workshops, conferences, or industry certifications. Become involved in industry meet up groups or online forums.
Seek Hybrid Roles: Look for job opportunities that explicitly require a blend of computer science and sales/marketing skills. These roles may be less common but can be highly rewarding for individuals with expertise in both areas. Sales Engineer is one of these roles. Customer Success Manager, and Technical Account Manager all dwell in both worlds.
Entrepreneurship: Consider starting your own venture where you can leverage your skills in both computer science and sales/marketing. Whether it's developing and selling software products or offering consulting services, entrepreneurship allows you to tailor your role to suit your strengths and interests.
By combining computer science with sales/marketing, you'll be well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between technology and business.
Good Luck and I hope this helps.
Rob
Here's a bit of a roadmap to help you integrate both fields:
Education and Skill Development:
Computer Science: Pursue a degree or courses in computer science, focusing on an area that interests you. Good choices in today's world include, AI and machine learning, algorithms, data structures, software development methodologies, integration methods, and other relevant topics.
Sales/Marketing: Similarly, consider courses or a degree in sales, marketing, or business administration; communications or change management would be good topics here as well. Learn about market analysis, consumer behavior, advertising, branding, sales techniques, and communication skills.
Technical Skills: Develop proficiency in systems and IT infrastructure. Understanding how software and technology work is crucial, especially in roles where you're selling or marketing tech products or solutions. Knowledge of multiple technical disciplines is important. BE dedicated to continuous learning of new skills, improving existing skills, and getting a head of the curve.
Communication Skills: Work on your communication skills, both written and verbal. Effective communication is vital in both computer science and sales/marketing roles. Explaining technical concepts in layman's terms is invaluable. Putting it into a demo or presentation in a way that visually and briefly illustrates the concept will make you hireable.
Understanding the Market: Develop your ability to gain insights into market trends, customer needs, and competitor analysis. Use data analytics tools to understand customer behavior, needs (in general), and preferences, which can focus your sales and marketing strategies.
Networking: Build a network in both fields. Attend industry events, join relevant online communities, and connect with professionals who have experience in both computer science and sales/marketing. Networking can open up opportunities for collaboration or job opportunities that blend both skill sets.
Internships or Part-Time Jobs: Look for internships or part-time jobs that allow you to gain experience in both computer science and sales/marketing. This could involve roles like technical sales support, digital marketing for tech products, or software sales.
Specialization: Consider specializing in areas where computer science intersects with sales/marketing. For example, you could focus on digital marketing analytics, software sales for a specific industry, or technical consulting where you help clients implement technology solutions.
Continuous Learning: Both computer science and sales/marketing are constantly evolving fields. Stay updated with the latest trends, tools, and techniques through continuous learning. This could involve online courses, workshops, conferences, or industry certifications. Become involved in industry meet up groups or online forums.
Seek Hybrid Roles: Look for job opportunities that explicitly require a blend of computer science and sales/marketing skills. These roles may be less common but can be highly rewarding for individuals with expertise in both areas. Sales Engineer is one of these roles. Customer Success Manager, and Technical Account Manager all dwell in both worlds.
Entrepreneurship: Consider starting your own venture where you can leverage your skills in both computer science and sales/marketing. Whether it's developing and selling software products or offering consulting services, entrepreneurship allows you to tailor your role to suit your strengths and interests.
By combining computer science with sales/marketing, you'll be well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between technology and business.
Good Luck and I hope this helps.
Rob
Updated
Tenille’s Answer
Awesome question! Here are a few roles I would recommend that blend technical expertise with transferable skillsets from sales and marketing:
- Sales Engineer/ Solutions Engineer
- IT Product Owner
- IT Sales Executive
- Marketing Campaign Manager
These roles require effective communication, leadership, sales and technical acumen. To help narrow your search I would explore what you enjoy doing the most. Specifically focus on how you like to spend your time and what types of tasks energize you. For example, do you enjoy working with people and team? Are your more of visionary who likes to lead and inspire? I always encourage reflecting on how you enjoy spending your time and finding roles that prioritize approaching work in similar ways. There's a lot of new titles emerging as jobs and the needs of the workforce change sometimes it's easier to identify a good role by focusing on the skills you'd like to develop or task you enjoy doing vs the titles. Hope this is helpful!
- Sales Engineer/ Solutions Engineer
- IT Product Owner
- IT Sales Executive
- Marketing Campaign Manager
These roles require effective communication, leadership, sales and technical acumen. To help narrow your search I would explore what you enjoy doing the most. Specifically focus on how you like to spend your time and what types of tasks energize you. For example, do you enjoy working with people and team? Are your more of visionary who likes to lead and inspire? I always encourage reflecting on how you enjoy spending your time and finding roles that prioritize approaching work in similar ways. There's a lot of new titles emerging as jobs and the needs of the workforce change sometimes it's easier to identify a good role by focusing on the skills you'd like to develop or task you enjoy doing vs the titles. Hope this is helpful!
Updated
Dan’s Answer
Combining a passion for technology with a career in sales can be intellectually stimulating and financially gratifying.
Possessing an in-depth understanding of the technical product enables one to articulate the tech's value proposition in relation to the business benefits for the client. You're assisting the customer in viewing their challenges from a fresh perspective, and facilitating the creation of use cases and user narratives to address those issues through the technology.
Effective communication is crucial in this role. I always strive to perceive the problem I'm addressing from the customer's standpoint. This approach allows me to convey the value proposition in a way that resonates with the customer.
In the tech industry, there are two primary sales trajectories: Account Executive and Solution Engineer. The Account Executive role is more of a pure sales position, while the Solution Engineer role focuses on showcasing the technology in collaboration with the account executive, such as during discovery calls and product demonstrations.
Possessing an in-depth understanding of the technical product enables one to articulate the tech's value proposition in relation to the business benefits for the client. You're assisting the customer in viewing their challenges from a fresh perspective, and facilitating the creation of use cases and user narratives to address those issues through the technology.
Effective communication is crucial in this role. I always strive to perceive the problem I'm addressing from the customer's standpoint. This approach allows me to convey the value proposition in a way that resonates with the customer.
In the tech industry, there are two primary sales trajectories: Account Executive and Solution Engineer. The Account Executive role is more of a pure sales position, while the Solution Engineer role focuses on showcasing the technology in collaboration with the account executive, such as during discovery calls and product demonstrations.
Updated
Valerie’s Answer
Hi Kieran! I love your question as I remember wanting to be an engineer but wanted to be working with people in a sales type of role; I didn't want to spend all my time in an operations environment.
When I was interviewing for jobs out of college, I received some of the best advice ever - take the time to learn the business first and then go out and sell or consult. So I ended up taking a job as an engineer in an operations plant and spent the time learning the business from the inside out. Within a few years, I was then able to move into an outside sales job for that same company. My experience in the plant allowed me to interact with our customers in a much more meaningful way because I could help answer questions or solve their problems faster than most. And if I didn't know the answer, I could work our internal support team (chemists, etc) more intelligibly as I could speak both "languages". Meaning I could take the input from the customer and translate it it to the team with a lot of details.
I sometimes cross paths with the individual who gave me that advice and thank him profusely for setting me on that path as it has paid off in dividends. Bottom Line: Take the time to learn the business first as you can't always go back. But the time spent learning the business will be a great foundation for wherever you end up going with your career.
When I was interviewing for jobs out of college, I received some of the best advice ever - take the time to learn the business first and then go out and sell or consult. So I ended up taking a job as an engineer in an operations plant and spent the time learning the business from the inside out. Within a few years, I was then able to move into an outside sales job for that same company. My experience in the plant allowed me to interact with our customers in a much more meaningful way because I could help answer questions or solve their problems faster than most. And if I didn't know the answer, I could work our internal support team (chemists, etc) more intelligibly as I could speak both "languages". Meaning I could take the input from the customer and translate it it to the team with a lot of details.
I sometimes cross paths with the individual who gave me that advice and thank him profusely for setting me on that path as it has paid off in dividends. Bottom Line: Take the time to learn the business first as you can't always go back. But the time spent learning the business will be a great foundation for wherever you end up going with your career.
I appreciate you taking the time to answer this.
Kieran
Updated
Aritra’s Answer
Cool! You wanna be a tech wiz and a smooth talker, huh? That's a powerful combo. Here's how to rock both:
* **Double Up on Learning:** College? Do a double major or minor in CS and marketing. There's even special "tech marketing" degrees out there. Fancy!
* **Get Your Hands Dirty:** Internships at tech companies are awesome for this. Sales roles where you deal with tech stuff are great too. You can even freelance building stuff and then market it yourself - hustle!
* **Level Up Your Skills:** Learn the marketing tools everyone's using, polish your communication skills (gotta convince people!), and never stop learning - tech is always movin' and groovin'.
**Job Ideas:**
* **Tech Salesperson:** Basically, you'd be explaining and selling awesome tech solutions. Think "Iron Man" but with a briefcase instead of a suit of armor (probably).
* **Product Marketing Manager:** The bridge between the tech wizards and the marketing crew. You gotta understand both worlds to make the product shine.
* **Entrepreneur with Tech Skills:** Build your own tech product, then go out there and sell it! Become your own boss - now that's freedom!
The world of tech needs people who can talk the talk *and* walk the walk. With this combo, you'll be a super-valuable asset!
* **Double Up on Learning:** College? Do a double major or minor in CS and marketing. There's even special "tech marketing" degrees out there. Fancy!
* **Get Your Hands Dirty:** Internships at tech companies are awesome for this. Sales roles where you deal with tech stuff are great too. You can even freelance building stuff and then market it yourself - hustle!
* **Level Up Your Skills:** Learn the marketing tools everyone's using, polish your communication skills (gotta convince people!), and never stop learning - tech is always movin' and groovin'.
**Job Ideas:**
* **Tech Salesperson:** Basically, you'd be explaining and selling awesome tech solutions. Think "Iron Man" but with a briefcase instead of a suit of armor (probably).
* **Product Marketing Manager:** The bridge between the tech wizards and the marketing crew. You gotta understand both worlds to make the product shine.
* **Entrepreneur with Tech Skills:** Build your own tech product, then go out there and sell it! Become your own boss - now that's freedom!
The world of tech needs people who can talk the talk *and* walk the walk. With this combo, you'll be a super-valuable asset!
I am really grateful you took the time to answer this question.
Kieran
Updated
Haylee’s Answer
This is a great question! Technology Consulting might be a great path for you. It's a space where you are an expert in technology, in some cases are responsible for delivery of technology assets (in addition to recommendation-oriented projects), and yet you are also working to pitch the technologies you work in. You also have the opportunity to support technology enablement, such as the roll-out of a new tool, and the governance/adoption strategies around that.
Overall, I think kickstarting a career in technology consulting could give you that really well rounded experience for this! If you're selecting a
college major: Business (Management info tech or otherwise), CS, or Engineering could prepare you for this well I think.
Overall, I think kickstarting a career in technology consulting could give you that really well rounded experience for this! If you're selecting a
college major: Business (Management info tech or otherwise), CS, or Engineering could prepare you for this well I think.
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Kieran
Updated
Debaprasad’s Answer
Merging computer science with sales and marketing can unlock a potent and dynamic skill set. Here's your roadmap to fusing these two exciting spheres:
Solid Educational Groundwork: Begin by laying a robust groundwork in both arenas. In computer science, concentrate on programming, data structures, algorithms, and databases. In sales and marketing, delve into consumer behavior, marketing tactics, sales methods, and market analysis.
Role of Sales Engineering: In this capacity, you'll serve as the vital link between the tech team and the sales force. Your job will be to simplify the technical aspects of a product for customers, showing them how it can be their problem-solver.
Product Management: As a product manager, you can harness your computer science prowess to navigate the technical side of product development, while your sales/marketing acumen ensures the product fits market requirements and is successfully launched and promoted.
Data-Driven Sales and Marketing: Leverage your data analysis skills to steer sales and marketing choices. This might include scrutinizing customer data to spot trends and opportunities, carrying out A/B testing, and gauging the impact of marketing campaigns.
Tech Sales or Marketing for Tech Firms: Tech firms frequently require sales and marketing experts who grasp the technology they're promoting. Your computer science expertise could provide you with a competitive edge in these positions.
Continued Education: Think about earning a dual degree or extra certifications, such as an MBA with a Marketing emphasis and a Master's in Computer Science, or digital marketing or data science certifications.
Practical Projects: Put your skills to the test in real-world projects. This could range from creating a web app and marketing it, to utilizing machine learning algorithms to forecast sales trends.
Remember, fusing computer science with sales/marketing can pave the way to unique career paths. It's all about capitalizing on your skills in both fields to spur innovation and deliver results.
Solid Educational Groundwork: Begin by laying a robust groundwork in both arenas. In computer science, concentrate on programming, data structures, algorithms, and databases. In sales and marketing, delve into consumer behavior, marketing tactics, sales methods, and market analysis.
Role of Sales Engineering: In this capacity, you'll serve as the vital link between the tech team and the sales force. Your job will be to simplify the technical aspects of a product for customers, showing them how it can be their problem-solver.
Product Management: As a product manager, you can harness your computer science prowess to navigate the technical side of product development, while your sales/marketing acumen ensures the product fits market requirements and is successfully launched and promoted.
Data-Driven Sales and Marketing: Leverage your data analysis skills to steer sales and marketing choices. This might include scrutinizing customer data to spot trends and opportunities, carrying out A/B testing, and gauging the impact of marketing campaigns.
Tech Sales or Marketing for Tech Firms: Tech firms frequently require sales and marketing experts who grasp the technology they're promoting. Your computer science expertise could provide you with a competitive edge in these positions.
Continued Education: Think about earning a dual degree or extra certifications, such as an MBA with a Marketing emphasis and a Master's in Computer Science, or digital marketing or data science certifications.
Practical Projects: Put your skills to the test in real-world projects. This could range from creating a web app and marketing it, to utilizing machine learning algorithms to forecast sales trends.
Remember, fusing computer science with sales/marketing can pave the way to unique career paths. It's all about capitalizing on your skills in both fields to spur innovation and deliver results.
Updated
David’s Answer
Hello Kieran,
I appreciate your inquiry. My primary recommendation would be to concentrate your energy on mastering the technical aspects of your query. This will necessitate some form of learning on your end, whether it's through obtaining a degree or engaging in another type of formal education.
Ideally, moving from a technical role to a sales/marketing position should be smoother than the reverse. Possessing a solid technical foundation will enable you to comprehend how to effectively convey the value of your chosen offerings to prospective clients and customers.
However, it's crucial to first identify what truly interests you and then formulate a strategy based on that. It's all about pursuing what you enjoy and planning accordingly.
I appreciate your inquiry. My primary recommendation would be to concentrate your energy on mastering the technical aspects of your query. This will necessitate some form of learning on your end, whether it's through obtaining a degree or engaging in another type of formal education.
Ideally, moving from a technical role to a sales/marketing position should be smoother than the reverse. Possessing a solid technical foundation will enable you to comprehend how to effectively convey the value of your chosen offerings to prospective clients and customers.
However, it's crucial to first identify what truly interests you and then formulate a strategy based on that. It's all about pursuing what you enjoy and planning accordingly.
Updated
Abbas’s Answer
Excellent combination! One that sets you up with a strong technical foundation and provides phenomenal opportunities for helping customers with their needs. I recommend pursuing a degree majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Business/Marketing. Or vice versa, depending on which of them is your bigger passion.
All the best!
All the best!
Thank you for taking the time to help.
Kieran
Updated
Ashley’s Answer
This is an awesome combination and with these skills, you will be sought out after for many roles/industries. I will agree with the first answer - my immediate thought was sales engineer. I work with many sales engineers on a weekly basis and the best ones have soft sales skills where sometimes I think you could do my job! haha.
To combine computer science with sales and marketing, start by studying both fields—consider a degree in computer science and take some marketing courses or join a sales club - you can easily find these if you just google them. Look for internships where you can apply both skills, like at tech companies that need help with product development, sales engineers and product marketing. Any organization would be lucky to have you!
To combine computer science with sales and marketing, start by studying both fields—consider a degree in computer science and take some marketing courses or join a sales club - you can easily find these if you just google them. Look for internships where you can apply both skills, like at tech companies that need help with product development, sales engineers and product marketing. Any organization would be lucky to have you!
Updated
Ryan’s Answer
Consider exploring opportunities as a Sales Engineer in tech-oriented firms. This position typically backs up Account Executives, offering the necessary technical assistance that customers require when buying top-tier tech products. It's a delightful blend of sales and technical expertise.
Updated
Omar’s Answer
You can cultivate the necessary abilities to become an effective solution engineer. This role typically involves close collaboration with account managers, but you'll primarily handle the technical aspects of sales. Alternatively, consider establishing your own business as an implementation partner for a major software company like Microsoft or Google. In this capacity, you're not just coding and implementing software, but also tasked with attracting new clients to your business through sales and marketing efforts.
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