After a six-month search, I landed at a software company that met all of my criteria; I've been here six months now, and I'm on my way to being fully ramped and meeting or exceeding my MRR goal. Our compensation is well below every market data point in base pay and variable compensation I can find for an SMB AE. I feel exploited, and my frustrations are starting to leak into my performance in demos (red flag to me that this is clearly not working out). My numbers are improving somehow, but I wonder if it's time to move on before this continues to deteriorate. Should I just suck it up for another six months or cut my losses?
Update: I accepted a role at another company for the median rate for the role
Start looking, but keep in mind that the market is tough right now and a lot of hiring managers are wary of short tenures. If you have a long stint from right before this, you may be good, but you never know. Regarding your frustrations affecting your performance in demos, you've got to keep in mind that you're hurting yourself. Exceeding your numbers might not get you the money you want or expect at this role, but it'll help you get that money in your next gig. Don't want to let your performance slip and drop to 80% attainment if you can show your next employer that you can hit/exceed quota consistently.
Yeah thankfully numbers are steadily trending upward
How bad is, bad or “exploitive” ? Need numbers - like is your base below 50k? With no commissions? And/or did they change the comp plan on you? Is it lower than you expected?
50K no commission while doing SDR/SMB AE/Account Manager all in one. Below the lowest standard deviation for every public data on market rate for this level of work.
Hi there, I totally can relate to your feeling. You might not love this advice but here goes... I'm not seeing if this employer mislead you in any way, Honor your committments, be the best and most productive AE you can be. Work on a positive attitude to do all you can to enjoy the job and be most effective to get what commission you can. Make your employer happy to give you a good reference. Do right by your prospects and clients. Do all of this why you job search. Easier said than done, but we all need to improve our emotional control. Check out the book The Daily Stoic.
I'm not blaming the employer, I get its business, but I won't sit idle and let someone take advantage of me. Why would an employer ever give a reference to an exiting employee? They have no reason to do so.
Start looking elsewhere. KNOW YOUR WORTH. Don't resign until you start the other or have a start date. Trust me!