Joshua Feinberg and Eckart Zollner discuss career advice for entry-level professionals interested in non-technical roles within the data center industry, such as sales or marketing.
Eckart emphasizes the importance of gaining hands-on experience with technical teams to understand the intricacies of data center operations, which is crucial for building customer confidence.
He suggests entry-level programs that allow individuals to rotate through different business areas and shadow technical teams.
Joshua notes that many sales professionals now maintain personal computer labs to enhance their technical knowledge, which has become essential for credibility in client interactions.
This video is excerpted from the podcast Ep. #60 Eckart Zollner, Business Development of Digital Parks Africa | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast.
Action Items
- Explore the possibility of creating a rotation program for entry-level employees to learn about different parts of the data center business.
- Consider shadowing technical teams responsible for customer deployments, power infrastructure, cooling infrastructure, and maintenance to gain hands-on experience.
- Ensure that customer-facing roles focus on the technical aspects and bring it back to benefit-based selling.
Outline
Advice for Entry-Level Roles in Data Centers
- Joshua Feinberg discusses the increasing interest in data centers due to recent media coverage, particularly regarding Nvidia and generative AI.
- He asks Eckart Zollner for advice on career paths for individuals interested in non-technical roles such as sales, marketing, or account management within the digital infrastructure sector.
- Eckart emphasizes the importance of starting at the bottom and gaining hands-on experience with technical teams to understand the fundamentals of data center operations.
- He highlights the necessity of shadowing technical teams responsible for customer deployments, power infrastructure, cooling systems, and maintaining customer infrastructure to build credibility with clients.
The Importance of Technical Knowledge in Customer-Facing Roles
- Eckart Zollner stresses that it is difficult to convince customers that one understands the subject matter without practical experience.
- He advises entry-level professionals to focus on benefit-based selling rather than getting too caught up in technical details.
- Joshua Feinberg suggests that employers should implement rotation programs to allow entry-level employees to learn about different parts of the business and gain practical experience.
- He notes that many sales professionals now maintain their own home computer labs to improve their technical skills and credibility with clients.
The Evolution of Sales Roles in Data Centers
- Joshua Feinberg observes that sales roles in data centers now require a level of technical understanding that was previously handled by outsourced CTOs.
- He mentions that sales professionals often spend their own time setting up home computer labs to enhance their skills and credibility.
- This shift indicates the increasing importance of having a base level of technical knowledge for career success in sales roles within the data center industry.
- The conversation highlights the need for entry-level professionals to gain practical experience and technical knowledge to excel in customer-facing roles.
Resources
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