The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Junior Solutions Consultant / Associate Sales Engineer
1-2 yearsSkills to master
- Deep product knowledge, basic demo delivery, technical discovery fundamentals, internal stakeholder navigation.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently delivers flawless 'canned' demos.
- Can answer 80% of common technical questions without escalation.
- Proactively identifies and documents customer technical requirements.
- Receives positive feedback from senior SASEs on support provided.
- 2
Technical Support Engineer / Professional Services Consultant
2-3 yearsSkills to master
- Deep technical troubleshooting, understanding customer environments, translating technical issues into business impact, client communication.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully resolved complex customer technical issues independently.
- Demonstrates strong ability to explain technical concepts clearly to non-technical clients.
- Expresses a strong desire to move into a sales-oriented role.
- Has some experience with product implementation or configuration.
- 3
Software Developer / Solutions Architect
3-4 yearsSkills to master
- Product architecture, coding skills (if applicable), understanding of software development lifecycle, problem-solving, desire for external interaction.
You're ready to move on when
- Has built or designed significant software components or systems.
- Demonstrates excellent communication skills, particularly in explaining technical designs.
- Expresses a strong interest in the commercial side of technology and customer engagement.
- Has experience presenting technical concepts to internal or external stakeholders.