Tech Sales - Job Offers/Opportunities Advice
TLDR: I’m graduating soon and choosing between Oracle NetSuite SDR, ADP Sales, a Cybersecurity/AI startup BDR role, and Uber Eats sales. My goal is to build a long-term career in enterprise SaaS/tech sales and eventually become an enterprise AE. My current ranking, assuming I land everything, is cybersecurity startup ($72k Base/$105k OTE/$115-120k TC), ADP ($54k Base/$85k OTE), Oracle NetSuite (55k Base/85k OTE), then Uber Eats (60k Base/103k OTE). I’m mainly trying to figure out which path sets me up best 2–5 years from now. Also, all the companies here allow me to live at home for completely free, unlike Oracle I would have to relocate to a HCOL city with very limited parental support.
(I would greatly appreciate upvotes on this post to boost views and engagement so I can gather more advice.)
Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing well. I am looking for some genuine advice here, if you have any please let me know, I really appreciate it. I’m about to graduate with honors from one of the most elite schools globally and I am trying to make the smartest long-term career decision for tech sales. I’m in my early 20s, and my main goal is to build a strong career in enterprise SaaS/tech sales, eventually becoming an enterprise AE and moving into bigger opportunities over time.
I currently have two written offers and two final-round interviews. My confirmed offers are from Oracle NetSuite and ADP. I am also in the final round with a Cybersecurity/AI startup, and I’m in the final round for an Uber Eats sales role.
I’m trying to decide which path gives me the best combination of training, brand name, earning potential, promotion path, leadership, market upside, and long-term career value.
Option 1: Oracle NetSuite SDR - Written Offer, Relocation Required
This is an SDR role at Oracle NetSuite. The biggest pros are the brand name, formal training, structured sales environment, and the credibility of starting at a major tech company. I think Oracle would give me a strong foundation and could help me break into enterprise SaaS more easily later.
The downside is that it is an SDR role, so I would not be closing immediately. From what I understand, the path to AE could take around 1 to 1.5 years. However, my main concern is that it would also require me to relocate to a super high-cost city, which means higher living costs and being away from my current support system. My parents would potentially help me for a few months to a year, but maybe $1-1.5k a month max (this city is one of the most expensive cities to live in). With the other local options I could live at home for free and save/invest much more aggressively. Compensation is roughly in the $85k+ OTE range. I also heard the company culture is not the best, definitely seems way more cut throat and less enjoyable than ADP (I already know a lot of the people at the ADP office and say with certainty the coworkers and culture is fantastic.)
Option 2: ADP Associate District Manager / District Manager Path - Written Offer
This role is more of a closing sales role / outside sales role. I would be selling payroll, HR, compliance, and workforce solutions to SMBs. The biggest pro is that I would get closing experience much sooner, as it is a full sales cycle selling from the start and I would off the bat be an AE. The path can be Associate District Manager to District Manager in around 6-9 months, then potentially Senior AE after another 12 months. After that, it would be SE, then VP, etc.
The major pro is that it is local, so I could live at home with my family and friends and save a lot more money. It is also hybrid/WFH several days per week. Compensation is also around the 85k+ OTE range to start, but savings would be much higher because I would not have to relocate or pay for anything. I also have a very close friend I grew up with who I would work on the same team and same office, and everyone I met so far there was great - I loved the office and company culture! This all is personally very important to me and I value it a lot, but of course I am still prioritizing my long term career not just short term.
The downside is that ADP is not exactly “tech SaaS” in the same way Oracle is. I know ADP has a strong sales reputation, but I’m wondering how well it translates into a future AE role at companies like Salesforce, Cisco, Oracle, cybersecurity companies, etc. I know that most people would say Oracle NetSuite is the cleaner tech sales path, but with ADP I would have the advantage of earlier closing experience, zero living costs, local friends/family, and a better lifestyle which also matters to me.
Another thing I’m considering is that I could always job hop later. I have a close friend who started in a similar ADP path, cleared around $90K while living at home for free (same exact job and office location as I would lol), and after about a year and a half, job hopped to a SaaS company as an AE. He just turned 24 and is now making around $170K a year. Obviously, that is one person’s path and not guaranteed, but it makes me wonder if ADP could still be a strong launchpad even if it is not the “cleanest” SaaS brand. His dad is an enterprise AE at a major tech company clearing $700k+ a year, and said you could absolutely do this for 1-2 years and job hop to a Salesforce, Cisco, etc. or another SaaS company as an AE like his son did.
Option 3: Cybersecurity Startup BDR - Final Round
This is the option I am most excited about. I’m currently in the final round with the VP of the company. It is a fast-growing cybersecurity startup in a newer category that feels very relevant with the rise of AI. Without getting too specific, the company is very well funded, and their investors are the cream of the crop truly.
The market feels strong because cybersecurity already has long-term demand, and this specific niche seems to have real AI tailwinds. It also feels more future-facing than the other options.
The company seems to have a very strong reputation internally. Their RepVue score is in the mid-to-high 90s, which is one of the highest I’ve seen for a sales org. I know RepVue is not everything, but that seems like a great signal that reps are happy, comp is real, leadership is solid, and the sales culture is strong (50+ reviews).
Compensation also is much stronger than the other options on paper, with a $70K base (vs 55k at Oracle or ADP) and around $105K OTE, however, from what I’ve heard, everyone on the BDR team is performing well and exceeding quota, so the upside may be even more than $105k+. There is also some equity, which could be meaningful if the company really grows. Given all of this, it seems like TC would actually end up being around $120k+ starting which is great. Like all the companies on here besides Oracle, I could live at home completely for free and save everything.
Another big factor is that I really liked the BDR manager. I had a great conversation with him and got the sense that he is someone I could learn a lot from. He seemed sharp, straightforward, and genuinely invested in building a strong team. That matters to me because for a first real role, I feel like who I work under is almost as important as the company name.
The only true downside is that it is still technically a startup, so there is more risk. The brand name is not as proven as Oracle or ADP, and I’m trying to figure out whether taking a calculated startup bet early in my career is smart or if I should prioritize formal training and brand name first. However, given all the research I have done, conversions I have had with other employees, etc,. this will not be a major problem and is a great calculated risk if you want to call it that. Based on my conversations and in depth research so far, I feel confident I could succeed there.
Option 4: Uber Eats Sales Role - Final Round
I’m also in the final round for an Uber Eats sales role. The biggest pro here is the Uber brand name, which is obviously very recognizable. I also think selling to restaurants could be a valuable experience because it would involve prospecting, outreach, discovery, pitching, objection handling, and closing. Also, I was told almost every single rep has hit quota, and the OTE would be around $103k.
The major downside is that I’m not sure how well this path translates into long-term enterprise SaaS or tech sales compared to Oracle, ADP, or the cybersecurity startup. It seems like a strong brand and a real sales role, but I’m unsure if it would be viewed as less relevant for future SaaS AE roles. Given that, most people have advised me this would be the worst option.
My Background
I am by no means a genius, but I would consider myself pretty successful and hardworking and I am constantly looking for opportunities to learn more from others and keep growing. As I mentioned, I am graduating from an elite school, and I already have sales and entrepreneurial experience. I’ve done high-ticket sales online, built online businesses, managed outbound/prospecting, and led sales-related work before on a smaller scale. I’m comfortable with cold calling, discovery, pitching, handling objections, and closing. Long term, I want to be in enterprise tech sales and eventually build wealth through sales, investing, and possibly entrepreneurship. My plan for the next few years after school is to work very hard, keep expenses low where possible, and invest/save aggressively.
What I’m Trying to Figure Out
If you were in my position, which route would you take?
Would you prioritize:
- Oracle NetSuite for brand name, structure, and tech sales foundation, even though it is SDR and requires relocation which means very little savings.
- ADP for earlier closing experience, local savings, proven sales training, and the ability to job hop into SaaS later (savings as well as I live at home)?
- Cybersecurity/AI startup for stronger pay, cybersecurity exposure, AI tailwinds, a very high RepVue score, strong leadership fit, equity upside, and faster startup growth potential (savings as well as I live at home)?
- Uber Eats for the Uber brand name and direct sales experience, even if it may be less directly aligned with enterprise SaaS (savings as well as I live at home)?
I’m especially curious to hear from people in tech sales, SaaS, enterprise sales, Cybersecurity/AI sales, restaurant tech, or people who started at Oracle/ADP/startups/Uber. Which path would set me up best 2/5/10+ years from now?
My personal ranking, assuming I land every offer, would be the Cybersecurity/AI startup, ADP, Oracle, and then Uber Eats. I have talked to 2 enterprise AE’s and 1 tech sales senior recruiter who also fully agreed with this ranking, and though they really loved Oracle as a second choice, they said, given the amount I am saving, and as long as I perform at ADP, they would take that over Oracle and then at some point job hop to a true tech/SaaS company as an AE.
I would appreciate any advice or guidance you guys may have for me. I am a young kid looking to start his career on the right foot and would love to hear and learn about the most ideal path for me. Thanks!