Strategic Core Account Executive - Automotive
Databricks · Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Base
- Not disclosed
- OTE
- Not disclosed
- Quota attainment
- Not disclosed
- Posted
- 10d ago
Why it matters: OTE tells you what you could earn. Attainment tells you how realistic it is.
Ask: “What percentage of fully ramped reps hit quota last year?”
Still open · checked 1h agoon Databricks's careers page
The job
- What you'd do
- Grow sales at one of Germany's largest carmakers, finding new data and AI projects to sell. Build close ties with the company's top executives, advising them on data and AI.
- What you'd sell
A database that runs live apps on company data
When a company wants to build a live app on its own data, it usually stitches together several separate tools, one for the database and others for analytics and AI. The problem is, those pieces don't fit together well, so older databases are hard to simplify or replace. Databricks Lakebase runs real-time apps directly on a company's existing data, so teams can move off legacy databases and add AI in one place.
In plain English, from their own job posts. Something wrong? Tell me · More AI & data companies →
- Who you'd sell to
- Not stated in the posting.Ask: “Who's the economic buyer, and who else is in the deal?”
- Where deals come from
- Not stated in the posting.
The Braun Read
Ask hard questionsToo much is left unsaid. Make them answer before you invest.
- Pay
- No pay listed at all.
- Transparency
- Shares 1 of 5: quota, attainment, deal size, territory, sales cycle.
- Time on market
- Open 10 days.
- Company hiring
- Ramping up: posted 35 sales roles in the last 30 days. That many open roles can also mean churn. Ask how many reps are still there from last year.
Red lights
None spotted.
Yellow lights
- German required. The posting asks for fluent German. Worth knowing before you apply if you only sell in English.
- Same role posted many times. The company has 8 or more open postings with this exact title. Could be a big build-out, could be a revolving door. Ask how many reps they hired last year and how many are still there.
Green lights
None spotted.
Based only on what the posting says. Lights are a starting point for your first call, not a final judgment.
Questions to ask on the first call
Built from what this posting leaves out. How they answer tells you as much as what they say.
- 1.
How many reps are you hiring for this, and how many from last year's class are still here?
Hiring a lot can mean growth, or people leaving.
- 2.
What percentage of fully ramped reps hit quota last year?
OTE is what you could earn. This is how likely you are to earn it.
- 3.
What percentage of reps on the team have been here more than 18 months?
Tenure shows whether people stay long enough to get paid.
- 4.
Has the comp plan changed in the last 12 to 18 months? What changed?
A plan that changes every year means the goalposts keep moving.
- 5.
Who sits with reps and reviews calls each week?
Coaching is often what's behind a good or bad attainment number.
- 6.
Why is this role open? Did someone leave, or is it new?
New headcount is growth. A replacement means someone left. Ask why.
› When the offer comes
Save these for later. They land better once they've said yes to you.
- 1.
Can I see the full comp plan in writing, including clawbacks and accelerators?
What's in writing is what gets paid. Read it before you sign.
- 2.
Can I see the actual comp distribution for the team last year, not just the OTE?
The spread shows what most reps really take home. OTE is just the target.
- 3.
I'd be walking away from earned commission to join. Is there room for a sign-on bonus to help cover that?
Leaving money behind is a fair reason to ask. The worst answer is no.
Josh's top five questions for any sales interview →
Going for your first AE role? Get the free interview kit → 24 questions, what good and bad answers sound like, and an offer comparison sheet.