Enterprise Account Executive - Public Sector
Kong · Remote · US
- Base
- $320K–$400K
- OTE
- Not disclosed
- Quota attainment
- Not disclosed
- Posted
- 3d 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 54 min agoon Kong's careers page
What Kong sells
A traffic cop for apps and AI messages
Businesses now have many apps and AI tools sending messages back and forth, and it gets messy fast. Kong sits in the middle like a traffic cop, keeping those messages safe, organized, and moving quickly. Teams can use any AI model on any cloud.
In plain English, from their own job posts. Something wrong? Tell us
More Developer & IT tools companies →The Braun Read
Ask hard questionsToo much is left unsaid. Make them answer before you invest.
- Pay
- Base is listed but not OTE. Ask what the variable is and how many people hit it.
- Transparency
- Says nothing about quota, attainment, deal size, territory or sales cycle.
- Pipeline
- Mostly self-sourced. Great if you like outbound, rough if you don't.
- Time on market
- Open 2 days.
- Company hiring
- Ramping up: posted 9 sales roles in the last 30 days.
Based only on what the posting says. Flags 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.
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.
- 2.
What percentage of reps on the team have been here more than 18 months?
Tenure shows whether people stay long enough to get paid.
- 3.
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.
- 4.
Who sits with reps and reviews calls each week?
Coaching is often what's behind a good or bad attainment number.
- 5.
What's the OTE, and what did the median rep earn last year?
Base is what you're guaranteed. OTE and the median show the upside.
- 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 →
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Got an offer from Kong? Not sure about it?Ask me. I read every message myself. · JoshAsk Josh
The role
Sell Kong's API and AI Gateway platform to U.S. civilian federal agencies (DOE, DOJ, VA, Commerce), landing new logos and expanding accounts, often through SI partners like Booz Allen and Leidos.
Enterprise · Mixed · Outbound
Selling motion
Who you're selling to
- Buyer:
- CIOs, CTOs, and program and digital leadersIn their words: “Build relationships with CIOs, CTOs, program + digital leaders.”
- Company size:
- Enterprise
Pipeline expectations
Compensation
What is not disclosed
This posting doesn't tell you:
- OTE
- Quota size
- Quota attainment
- Average deal size
- Territory
- Sales cycle length
The questions above cover the big ones.