As one of the world’s most influential tech giants, and a highly sought-after employer, working at Google is the dream of many people who pursue a career in software sales.
Google has always been known to place great stock in creating a positive workplace experience for its employees, and to this day it consistently ranks among the most popular employers for young tech talent.
As a tech industry leader and the endgame in the minds of professionals the world over, getting a sales position at Google is far from easy, and will require an exceptional degree of dedication and strategy. If you’re thinking of pursuing a sales career at Google, here’s a brief overview of the compensation you can earn, what the positions are like, and the skills you’ll need to succeed.
Google Software Sales Salary
Like most software sales jobs, a Google sales rep’s total compensation will vary depending on their level of ambition and skill as a salesperson. Having said that, the average Google sales rep will earn a total annual compensation of $157,065. This covers a basic salary of $95,758 and a $61,307 average total for commission and bonuses. This, unsurprisingly, sets it significantly higher than the average US sales rep's total compensation, which is around $110,518 including base salary and bonuses.
This salary sits at the lower end of the scale for Google sales salaries. Google’s average compensation advancement structure, in ascending order, is as follows:
- Sales Engineer: $187,000
- Sales Manager: $193,000
- Director of Sales: $285,000
While the salaries listed here are certainly enticing, and the salaries for Google sales positions, in general, tend to be a cut above comparable roles, it’s important to note that Google has a large suite of software that it sells, including Google Cloud, Chrome OS, and subsidiaries like Waze. Each of these specialisms will come with its own set of challenges and nuances that will dictate both the base salary and the commission you’ll have the potential to earn.
What Working in Google Software Sales is Like
As a sales rep for Google, you’ll be responsible for nurturing relationships and solutions for various B2B clients from small start-ups all the way up to huge corporations, depending on the specifics of your role.
No matter what customer segment you’re assigned to, a sales rep will focus on growing Google’s software businesses, mainly through devising and delivering pitches, and the cultivation of pre-existing relationships. You’ll also have a hand in experimentation and research using various marketing tools, helping to move leads through the sales funnel, improve the department’s overall conversion rate, and ensure the long-term value of all Google customers.
As most of your time will be spent talking to prospects and existing customers, you’ll need to have excellent soft skills when it comes to communication and conflict resolution. On top of this, you’ll need to develop a keen understanding of the products you’re selling, their key features, and the benefits that these features can offer the customer’s business.
Analytical and creative skills, though a relatively minor part of a Google sales rep’s job, will also come in handy, as you’ll have some responsibility for developing ideas to improve a product, service, or approach to sales and marketing.
As Google is a uniquely successful tech empire, you’ll need to have an appetite for a competitive, dynamic, and fast-paced environment, where the demands of your job are apt to change at short notice according to the pressures and trends of the wider B2B tech industry.
Google Software Sales - Skills and Experience
While Google has various internship programs that may give gifted students a path straight from bachelor-level education into a sales position, full-time professionals will need to have a decent level of practical experience in order to secure an entry-level sales role at Google.
Experience in discussing software-as-a-service products with third parties, backed up by a knowledge of platform infrastructure and how they’re used within businesses, will go a long way to help you hit the ground running in an entry-level Google sales role.
Experience with using CRM platforms, such as Salesforce and HubSpot, will also make your application more attractive, as these platforms will be your primary tool as you map out strategic goals, and work to move prospects through the various stages of Google’s software sales pipelines.
If you’re looking to make a career change from a different field and into tech sales, then making a successful application for a sales position at Google will be very challenging, as they maintain a high bar for sales candidates at all levels. However, if you can demonstrate well-honed soft skills, and a working knowledge of cloud computing, SaaS, Iaas, or PaaS software suites, this can often be enough to impress recruiters and get you over the line.
Aside from these more measurable traits, Google will also appreciate candidates who have used Google software products in their professional life and understand the kinds of benefits that they promise first-hand.
Wrapping Up…
If you’re considering pursuing a career in Google software sales, we hope this guide has helped clarify the skills you’ll need to develop and the working life you can expect from a sales career at Google.
If you’d like to learn more about careers in tech sales, be sure to check out our other tips and guides, or browse our job board for your next sales opportunity.