“We may not sound like the candidates you’re used to—but we can do the work”
I didn’t opt out of college—I was forced to reckon with a sobering reality. When my father passed away during high school, everything changed for me. The financial stability of my family vanished overnight. Frankly, I wasn’t going to borrow money to go to college. Period. I had to make money now, I couldn't do school, work part-time, and wait 4 years to make money.
I learned from my first job at 15 years old that the higher the profit margin, the better I'd be paid –ven better, the more commission I could be paid. This insight led me into luxury retail jewelry sales, where I discovered a natural talent for connecting with people, educating people, and closing deals. But talent alone couldn’t guarantee the lifestyle or security I desired. It soon became clear this career wouldn’t support me or a family the way I needed.
So I pivoted.
My best customers had always been in technology sales serving the public sector, so I made a bold resolution to move into tech sales. But breaking into tech with no network, guidance, or degree wasn’t easy. It took six months of rejection. Recruiters belittled me, and hiring managers dismissed my experience. At one point, I mailed my resume on stock paper to over 25 local technology HQs in Tysons Corner, Reston, and Washington, D.C. just to get noticed.
Over time, I realized the gap; I had to translate my retail luxury sales skills into tech language line by line on my resume. For example, “sending cards, emailing potential pieces, and calling customers for anniversaries and holidays” became “omnichannel outbound campaigns to create an actionable pipeline to meet quarterly revenue objectives.”
Eventually, I sat across the interview table from someone different. Six months in, I wanted this job more than I wanted to breathe, so I went to “close the deal” on this job with Joe, who was the Director of Enterprise Platforms, the hiring manager, the decision maker. After my close attempt – without missing a beat – Joe told me, “Kyle, I don’t think any of this works—but I think you work.” That moment changed my life.
I stepped into a new world. No more 10:30pm mall closings. No more customer abuse. Though imposter syndrome was a close companion, my results spoke louder than my doubts. I am now tech savvy, but this wasn’t the case at the start; nevertheless, I moved deals faster, made them bigger, and delivered value. For the first time in my working career, I felt valued.
Over a 10-year career in technology, I’ve proudly become more tech-savvy, more sales-savvy, and a leader without a title. I bring people together to execute campaigns that have delivered revenue. I’m proud to have been involved in executing over $40 million in transactions, personally selling $18 million in my career.
I want hiring managers to understand something crucial: STARs like me have faced hardship, abuse, and scams. STARs like me have had greater adversities than my own. We may not sound like the candidates you’re used to—but we can do the work. Ask us and it will become clear to you.
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