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Can anyone tell me what it is like being a pre-sales SA at databricks? I’m considering the role and wanted to know things around learning, impact on career longer term, work life balance and how much travel is involved typically. I only want to try out the role for an year or so and move back to being a DE Manager or Product Manager if it gets too much to handle. Is it recommended? Any inputs from SAs at databricks out there would be much appreciated! TC : 182K
Are you an SA? Can I DM you?
DM away if you'd like
Just did!
It’s awesome, but takes more than a year to learn the role, and be an effective SA. Why not look into our CSE roles or PM roles? Don’t want to dissuade you, but it’s likely not a role where you’d be able to swap out after a year. Traditionally, you’ll be in that role for 16-18 months, before movement would happen.
What does a typical work day look like for an SA? The manager made it sound like it was an always-on-toes kind of job. Do you have decent balance with your work and personal life?
Balance, yes. I would just say there’s not a whole lot of available fluff throughout the day. You just have stuff to focus on, all day. And all night, if you choose; which some do. That’s not expected, nor a norm, but a lot of us really like the tech. Makes it easy to do. I wake up, get coffee. I usually begin looking at code, or working on something for a customer. Possibly prepping a presentation and building a custom demo do a customer use case. I’ll do that until 10ish. I’m usually at my desk by 7, then take a 30 min break to hang with my children during breakfast. May run an errand, may not. Back down to office, turn on YouTube MlFlow, Delta Tables or whatever Databricks channel and let it play, back to working on demo. Will field 2-3 conversations a day with AE, discussing/working account strategy. Lunch at the desk. Continue code/demo prep. Have a customer call or two. Reply to emails around 1ish. Workout. Finish day on a couple more calls, shoot the BS with a few colleagues away from my desk at 5:30. May return at 9 to do some other noodling on the platform. Wash, rinse, repeat. This has been my way for the past 3 years. Did travel some, but that was years ago, literally.
😂. I’ll peel out and run errands, if need be. I’ll take a few hours periodically and not be at my desk. I also don’t hesitate to stop and go play with my kids randomly during the day. Five - 10 minutes here and there. The company is very vocal about anything travel is 100% the employees choice. I’ve not traveled in 2 years for a customer visit. Don’t know how much that will change. We’ve been very effective in delivering the platform w/o traveling. Hmmmm. Well, there’s a lot to learn and a lot of opportunity to make a difference in a customers data journey. I don’t want to paint a rosy picture, it’s challenging. But everyone is pushing in the same direction, so it’s quite amazing to witness. And when your product significantly alters the course of how data is used, gets you pumped. At least it does me, because I’ve worked in the industry, and there’s an overload of absolute crap, people, managers and products. This company, they’re way ahead of that. Culture is very important, not perfect, but super important. It’s a mission of the CEO’s to focus on diversity, sincerely, not because it’s woke or for some other ulterior motive. So, I like to wake up knowing my efforts are contributing to changing all the anti-pattern, unnecessary crap hoisted on to customers over the last 3 decades. Makes it easy to do, as it’s not really work. It’s a learning opportunity.
I’ve never come across a person talking about their work so passionately and with energy as you are doing. Hope I develop the same energy and work ethic like you! Btw, when you are working on a pre-sales POC for a customer, do you operate as a team or you are all out on your own since you probably assigned to a couple of customers? I know these are really stupid questions but the HM really painted a challenging picture of the role saying SAs are expected to chase opportunities, close deals apart from being a technical point of contact for a customer. I’ve been an IC or led teams all my life and never taken on an ounce of stress, but the obscurity about the scope of this role is creeping me out. I was at a 1000% energy level pursuing the role and as I worked through the interviews but the conversations with the HM really put me in a confused state and is stressing me out thinking the job would stress the heck out of my life. I like challenging work and am committed 100% but stress is something I’m bad at dealing with.
There are many of us of the same mindset here. POC’s are often driven by the SA, with ample supporting teams that you’re able to bring in and help augment. This structure has changed, with the recent reorganization; but I believe it’s designed to better support field ops, like POC’s. Currently it’s 1 SA to 1 or 2 AE’s, it’s going to depend on region and cycles available. I’ve supported 2, but currently support 1. No stupid questions. The role is challenging, but it’s for a multitude of reasons, and not all of which are controllable. Stress, mmmm, I’d say there’s self imposed pressure. Your are surrounded by colleagues that make you want to raise the bar. You’d never know that your fellow SA has a PhD, literally, you wouldn’t know. Most don’t have an ego about anything, so it makes for a really good learning environment. Don’t know the HM or the full context, but would say that’s not how I’ve operated. Very focused on closing business, laser focused, yes. Which you do have to learn the nuances of what will and will not work for a customer. Allowing for a quick disqualification and freeing up your time to pursue better opportunities. I don’t feel stressed. There may be certain things that are stressful, but that’s not a constant or something that’s overwhelmed me.
Congrats Op on your role, may I know what's your TC for SA role at Databricks, YOE and location?
hey. does the day to day requires a lot of coding?
I don’t write code everyday, but I’m def looking at it everyday.
Can you share TC, YOE please ..?
I wouldn’t know what it is today…but, I do recall reading posts where SA offers were published. YOE: 10+ TC: $300k+
I’m also interviewing at Databricks as SA. Is anyone able to provide details on how the interview process are like. I know is HR-> hiring manager -> technical challenge/ coding.( any tips on how I can prep) -> Final Demo( anyone able to share your experiences)
Consider it and I'll refer you (conditions apply). You get coaching and I get bonus if you're hired. Win-win.
How much bonus are we taking about!
DM’ed you!