Last week, LinkedIn was filled with promotions for Salesforce’s AgentForce Account Executives. But these weren’t just your typical AE hires.
The majority of these new AEs came from Solutions Engineering (SE) backgrounds—many of them SE managers and even second-line leaders.
This isn’t just internal shuffling. It’s a fundamental shift in how Salesforce approaches sales hiring. Instead of hiring traditional sales hunters, they’re moving toward a hybrid AE/SE model—blurring the line between sales and solutions engineering.
So if you’re a job seeker in sales or solutions engineering—or already working in one of these roles—what does this mean for you?
Will companies expect salespeople to be more technical?
Can SEs make the jump into sales—and should they?
Does this shift create new career opportunities—or new risks?
Let’s break down what’s happening and what it means for your career.
Salesforce’s Big Bet: Hybrid Sales & SE Roles
Salesforce is moving toward a model where salespeople don’t just close deals—they also help implement the solution into the customer’s tech stack.
The idea is simple:
✅ Less friction—eliminate handoffs between sales, SEs, and post-sales.
✅ More trust—buyers work with someone who deeply understands the tech.
✅ Faster deals—if an AE can deploy the solution, the sales cycle speeds up.
On the surface, this sounds like a win for sales and SEs alike. Salespeople gain more technical credibility, and SEs get a clearer path into revenue-driving roles.
But before you jump into a hybrid role, there’s a catch.
The Risk for SEs: Are You Actually a Seller?
If you’re a Solutions Engineer considering a move into sales, ask yourself:
🔥 Do you actually want to sell?
Selling isn’t just about knowing the product—it’s about owning a number, chasing pipeline, and closing deals.
Sales requires:
Hunting for new opportunities. (Are you comfortable cold calling?)
Overcoming objections. (Can you push past rejection?)
Creating urgency. (Can you close the deal when buyers hesitate?)
Most SEs love solving problems, doing technical scoping, and acting as trusted advisors—but they don’t necessarily want to hunt for new business or push for a signature.
At Salesforce, this works because their AEs don’t need to be aggressive hunters.
✅ Salesforce already has brand recognition and inbound demand.
✅ Buyers trust them—it’s a “safe” purchase.
✅ The job is more about managing complexity than convincing someone to buy.
But if you’re at a startup, mid-market SaaS company, or a business without Salesforce’s built-in demand, who is driving pipeline?
If you take a sales job but aren’t comfortable with hunting and closing, you might find yourself in a role that doesn’t match your strengths.
The Risk for AEs: Is Sales Becoming Too Technical?
If you’re a sales professional, this shift could make your next role more technical than you expect.
🚨 Warning signs:
🔹 If the job focuses more on product knowledge than pipeline generation, you might be stepping into a reactive role.
🔹 If “selling” means mostly consulting on integrations, you might struggle to hit quota.
🔹 If AEs are expected to deploy solutions, will you have time to actually sell?
Great salespeople sell on vision and outcomes, not just features. If companies over-index on hiring technical AEs, they might accidentally create a reactive sales process where reps spend too much time consulting—and not enough time closing.
At smaller SaaS companies, pipeline doesn’t build itself. If an AE is expected to be more technical, who is actually hunting for net-new deals?
Career Moves: Should You Follow This Trend?
✅ If You’re an SE Considering Sales
✔ You love the idea of owning a number and closing deals.
✔ You’re comfortable with outbound selling, rejection, and negotiating.
✔ You don’t just want to talk tech—you want to drive revenue.
➡ In that case, this shift could be a big opportunity. Some SEs thrive in sales, especially in consultative, complex environments.
❌ If You’re an SE Who Prefers Consulting
🚨 Be careful about companies pushing SEs into sales.
🚨 If you enjoy problem-solving more than closing, a hybrid role might feel uncomfortable.
🚨 Consider alternative paths like Customer Success, Sales Engineering Leadership, or Product Management.
➡ If sales isn’t your passion, don’t take a sales role just because it’s trendy.
✅ If You’re an AE in a Technical Industry
✔ Learning technical skills will make you a stronger seller.
✔ Understanding integrations and deployments helps build trust with buyers.
✔ You don’t mind balancing technical conversations with selling urgency.
➡ If this fits you, embracing a more technical role could future-proof your career.
❌ If You’re an AE Who Loves Pure Selling
🚨 If your company shifts toward technical AEs, be wary of losing the hunting mindset.
🚨 Make sure your next role still prioritizes outbound selling and deal-closing.
🚨 If your time is spent more on post-sales work than pipeline, your commissions might suffer.
➡ If you thrive on hunting and closing, look for companies where sales and SEs still operate separately.
The Bottom Line: Know Your Strengths Before Making a Move
Sales and SE careers are evolving. Buyers are more technical. Companies want sellers who understand deployment.
But before jumping into a hybrid role, be honest about your strengths:
✔ If you love solving problems but don’t want to close, stay in SE or consulting.
✔ If you want to own revenue, sales might be a great move—but be prepared for the grind.
✔ If you’re in sales, make sure your role still prioritizes pipeline and closing.
Salesforce can make this shift work because they don’t rely on outbound-heavy hunters. But at most companies, sales still depends on prospecting and urgency.
🔥 Before accepting a new role, ask: Are you being hired to sell—or to support?
If you’re looking at new sales or SE opportunities, be clear on what the company really needs.
Because while Salesforce can get away with this shift, most companies—and most job seekers—can’t afford to get it wrong.
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