Sales & Customer Success Startup (1-50 employees)

Sales Engineer at Startup

Combines technical depth with sales skills to demonstrate the value of complex solutions and support the enterprise sales cycle.

In LATAM startups, the Sales Manager is often also the first AE

The ability to sell without an operating marketing function is a key differentiator

High emotional stability is critical: rejection is constant and without structured coaching

Generic profile SMB (51-200 employees) Enterprise (201-1000 employees) Global (1001+ employees)

Ideal OCEAN+ Profile

Ideal range

Openness

75 90

At startups (1-50 employees), openness to trying new channels and sales strategies

Conscientiousness

54 69

At startups (1-50 employees), discipline in pipeline management and follow-up

Extraversion

77 92

At startups (1-50 employees), the energy to build relationships and close deals

Agreeableness

52 67

At startups (1-50 employees), the balance between assertive persuasion and active listening

Emotional Stability

73 88

At startups (1-50 employees), resilience in the face of constant rejection and long sales cycles

Structure & Rhythm

75 90

At startups (1-50 employees), building long-term relationships with clients

Strengths and Red Flags

Strengths

Compelling technical demonstrations that connect features to the customer's business value
Handling complex technical objections with credibility and depth
Closing deals without a recognized brand, selling vision and potential rather than a finished product
Building the sales process from scratch: ICP, pitch, playbook, and initial metrics

Red Flags

Generic demos that don't connect to the prospect's specific use case
Promising features the product cannot deliver within agreed timelines
Depends on a recognized brand and polished marketing materials to sell
Needs hierarchical approval for every discount or contract exception

Interview Questions

Tell me about your most successful demo. What did you do differently to make it resonate with both the technical buyer and the executive at the same time?

Evaluates: Extraversion and Agreeableness in technical sales communication

Describe a situation where the customer raised a technical objection you didn't have an immediate answer to. How did you handle it?

Evaluates: Emotional Stability and Agreeableness under technical pressure

Tell me about a deal you closed without a 100% finished product.

Evaluates: Tolerance for ambiguity and ability to sell vision

How did you build a sales process from scratch?

Evaluates: Ability to structure without prior resources