Account Executive, Commercial
Zscaler · Munich, Germany
- Base
- €67K–€96K
- OTE
- Not disclosed
- Quota attainment
- Not disclosed
- Posted
- 3mo 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 Zscaler's careers page
The job
- What you'd do
- Find new customers and sell more to existing ones in Germany, mostly medium-size companies with 750 to 5,000 users. You'll work with partners and technical experts to win over decision-makers at every level.
- What you'd sell
Cloud security that connects workers to apps from anywhere
When a large organization has to secure its users and devices, it usually still relies on legacy security setups. The problem is, older setups struggle once people, devices, and apps are spread across many locations. Zscaler runs a cloud security service that securely connects users, devices, and applications in any location, so customers can move off legacy setups to Zero Trust.
In plain English, from their own job posts. Something wrong? Tell me · More Security companies →
- Who you'd sell to
- Still reading the posting. Check back within the hour.
- Where deals come from
- Mostly you. Expect a lot of outbound: cold calls, emails and LinkedIn.
The Braun Read
Worth a lookSolid on the basics. Use the first call to fill in the gaps.
- Pay
- Base is listed but not OTE. Ask what the variable is and how many people hit it.
- Transparency
- Shares 1 of 5: quota, attainment, deal size, territory, sales cycle.
- Time on market
- Open 93 days. Ask why it's been hard to fill.
- Company hiring
- 52 sales roles open, hiring at a steady pace. Ask how many reps they hired last year and how many are still there.
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.
- Open 90+ days. This role has been posted for three months or more. Ask why it's been hard to fill, and whether anyone left it.
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.
This role has been open a while. What's made it hard to fill?
The answer tells you what candidates saw that made them walk.
- 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 →
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