How Commitment, Collaboration & Being Competitive Positions Team Deltek for SDR Success

In this latest #TeamDeltek spotlight, we chatted (virtually!) with Billy Salewala, an SDR in Woburn, Massachusetts; Grenny Sanchez, an SDR in Tampa, Florida; and Evan Klipple, an SDR in Herndon, Virginia. All three employees shared why they chose to work at Deltek, what they like most about their position, and how Deltek helps them achieve their career goals.  

A career in sales can be very challenging, yet very rewarding. What was it about Deltek that made you want to be part of this highly collaborative organization?

Billy: Coming out of college, I knew I wanted to join a company in the Boston area with a good corporate culture and lots of room for opportunity. After engaging with the recruiters and going through the interview process in January of 2019, it was clear that Deltek was where I wanted to be and where I could make a lifelong career.

Grenny: I first learned about Deltek through LinkedIn, and from what I could tell online there was something truly special about this company. So, I turned on my notifications to alert me for jobs at Deltek and kept applying! In February of 2020, I happily accepted an SDR position and am now part of the SMB Consulting Team based in Tampa, Florida.

Evan: I was looking at various places for the perfect job after graduation. I had a great experience during a prior internship at Deltek in the Customer Care group in 2017, which was a large factor in my decision to come back to as a full-time employee in 2019. Aside from my past experience, I knew I wanted to get into sales and Deltek is one of the best places to work in the Washington, D.C. area – so it was a pretty easy decision.

Being part of #TeamDeltek is definitely something special. What is it about Deltek’s unique workplace culture that you appreciate most?

Billy: The values-driven environment is what makes Deltek such a great place to work. Everyone in the organization is willing to help out and be supportive. In addition, I see how much opportunity there is for growth and development to help employees get to the next level, which I really appreciate.

Grenny: If I had to pick one thing, it would have to be Deltek’s culture of learning. I’ve taken more LinkedIn courses, attended more webinars, and learned a lot more about my industry and the industries Deltek serves – than in any other job I’ve ever had because it is encouraged.

Some companies don’t care about what you learn as long as you’re doing your job; Deltek cares about your professional growth and recognizes it’s an investment. Learning is ingrained in our culture and allows me to feel more comfortable asking questions, suggesting new ideas and absorbing information – and I know it is a part of my current and future success.

Evan: I think the work environment at Deltek is what makes our company unique compared to my previous employers. It’s hard to find a fun and exciting culture to be part of ─ yet productive and a place where we are focused on our achieving goals, whether they be team-specific or company-wide!

These reasons certainly set Deltek apart from other organizations. For those who are not familiar with what an SDR does, can you share what your day-to-day is like and what you enjoy most about your position?

Billy: As an SDR, there is no typical day. But on most days, I spend my time reaching out to my clients, prospecting new clients and collaborating with others on the team. What makes this role fun is meeting (these days virtually!) with Reps and other team members to plan how we can be successful strategically.

Grenny: In my role, I am responsible for aiding in creating a healthy pipeline for sales by prospecting and qualifying key targets. My daily responsibilities include making phone calls, sending emails and videos to connect with decision-makers and identifying their pain points.

What I enjoy most about my SDR position is getting to sit in on a discovery calls and hearing the excitement a prospect has when learning how our Deltek solutions can eliminate the challenges they are experiencing.

Evan: My average day consists of outbound activity to try and put quality leads in front of the Sales Reps that I support. Each day is different depending on what meetings I have set, but a majority of my time is spent on trying to find the right prospects that will benefit most from our Deltek solutions.

Communication is key in this type of sales role. What other personal attributes do you feel SDRs need to be successful at Deltek?

Billy: I believe you need passion to be successful in any sales role. If you have the motivation and the drive to be the best you can, then you will be successful as an SDR at Deltek!

What has also helped me in this role is to reflect on past experiences, to learn and get better from them. By doing this and using the many sales tools and internal resources available, I’ve improved my performance as an SDR.

Grenny: I think it is important to be coachable and receptive to constructive criticism if you want to be successful as an SDR. There’s a lot to learn from our leaders and our peers, and if you close yourself off to that, it limits your potential. Being optimistic and positive is also very important; there’s a lot of rejection in this business, and it’s important not to take anything too personally.

Evan: As an SDR, you definitely need to be hardworking and motivated, have excellent time management and organizational skills, be resilient and able to deal with adversity. Whether it’s a tough day, week, or month ─ you need the desire to continue to learn and grow. All these things are what will make you successful in this role!

All of these qualities can help contribute to employee success! How do you see your current role as an SDR helping you achieve your career goals?

Billy: I know I want to be in sales for the long-term, and being and this role has prepared me for this by helping me better understand the sales process and what our customers need. I have built the drive and knowledge to take my career to the next level, and I wouldn’t have gotten here without being an SDR.

Grenny: Deltek’s SDR program has taught me a lot about the frontlines of selling and the consulting industry, along with what it takes to be a well-rounded salesperson. This past year, I was promoted from Associate SDR to SDR, given the opportunity to pilot new initiatives for the sales organization, selected to be an onboarding mentor to a fellow SDR ─ AND asked to be part of the Social Collective Team. So I’m excited to see where the future will take me!

Evan: Being an SDR at Deltek has provided me with a strong foundation of selling skills like cold calling, prospecting and objection handling, which have really helped me jump-start my career in sales. In regards to my career goals, I am looking forward to becoming board certified and hoping to be promoted to a Sales Representative for GovWin IQ in the near future.

Owning your own career is how employees learn and grow at Deltek. What advice would you give to a new SDR just joining the sales organization?

Billy: I would tell any new SDR just starting out in this role, that having a mentor to learn from has been a huge part of my success. With so many different reps and managers to lean on, there is always someone willing to provide insight and guidance. The sales tools we have available have also played a big part in my ability to learn and grow in this role.

Grenny: My advice would be to make a name for yourself by being coachable and positive, coming up with new ideas, taking the initiative and volunteering for opportunities. Control what you can control by planning ahead and holding yourself accountable for your daily activities.

Evan: The advice I would give a new SDR would be to utilize your colleagues! I think it is essential for anyone just getting into sales to understand how important it is to leverage the knowledge and ideas of the individuals who were once in their shoes.

These are great tips no matter what role you are in! But it can’t be all work and no play. So to wrap things up – this last question we ask all of our #TeamDeltek interviewees: When you are not busy qualifying leads for Deltek, what do you like to do outside of work?

Billy: During the evenings and on the weekends, you’ll find me hanging out with friends or working out. I’ve always had a passion for sports my whole life, whether it’s watching professional sports or playing them myself. I grew up playing hockey, soccer, and golf ─ most of which I still play today.

Grenny: When I’m not at work I enjoy spending time with friends, we love to try new foods ─ anything Asian is my favorite! Unfortunately, with COVID we’ve been getting together less and seeing each other more via FaceTime.

I also love traveling, I have a long list of places I want to check off my list! I don’t usually go someplace twice. I love to visit places that offer city and mountain views like Seattle and Los Angeles – so I’m really looking forward to visiting new places again in 2021!

Evan: When I’m not busy working, I like to stay pretty active – I go to the gym or play pickup basketball or football with friends in the area. I also like to spend time outdoors, so I try to go hiking during the summer and snowboard a lot in the winter!  I like hanging out with friends and watching sports (in small groups!) and have particularly missed going to concerts and festivals since COVID has put a pause on them.

Want to learn more? Join the Deltek Talent Community to receive regular updates from #TeamDeltek about our culture, company initiatives, and career opportunities and hear even more about why our employees love working here!