Great work, ned time to build book of business - Sales Engineer Sweetwater Employee Review

4.0
25 Mar 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Really awesome atmosphere - surrounded by like-minded musicians. Employee discounts, on-site diner/coffee shop

Cons

VERY intensive and fast-paced. Most of your time will be spent on the phone (4-5hrs a day on average). Lots of outbound calls and some inbound. You won't start making any actual money until you build your book of business big enough. Luckily they start your base pay off strong during training (3 months) but lower your pay as your database grows. It is VITAL to put as many customers in your name as possible in order to make a considerable amount of money off commission, and that will take some time based on how many phone calls you can pump out a day. Management is very helpful and you don't necessarily need sales experience to do well here. Just a positive attitude and really good work ethic.

avatar
Sweetwater Response
5y
Thanks for the solid feedback. I also appreciate you being honest about the hard work that is necessary for someone to do well as a sales engineer. We never shy away from sharing this info during the interview process with candidates. As you mention, with a positive attitude and a good work ethic the rewards and the satisfaction that comes from taking care of your customers can be amazing. (And with that hard work we've also often seen SEs that are able to hit their 3 or 4 year financial expectations ahead of pace in just 1 or 2 years.) Thank you for being a part of making it all possible! - Jeff Ostermann, Chief People Officer

Explore other reviews about Sweetwater

5.0
19 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-Structure for private lessons -Create your own hours -Pool for new students -Food discount -Benefits

Cons

-I personally did not have problems

4.0
5 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If sales and music are your drives, Sweetwater is as good as it gets. Management in my experience has been very supportive and development-oriented, creating a positive culture around the company. They have a fantastic training program (albeit intense) that trains on both products and sales methods, so even if you're lacking experience in a given category there's plenty of coaching and training to get you ready for the role. Over time, the position can also be quite lucrative which compliments Fort Wayne's low cost of living well. They also offer relocation assistance since all positions are on-site, and a great benefits package. I've been fortunate to become great friends with many of my coworkers and honestly some days don't even feel like work. Ultimately, with this job you get what you put in, and making a solid living to geek out over music gear all day is a pretty sweet gig.

Cons

The job is very demanding - it's a fully commission sales job that revolves around constant customer outreach via call, text, and email. This means starting out is tough financially, and days are usually long. Try to have a savings cushion before you start, especially if you're moving from another city/state. You also work nights, holidays, and rotate through weekend shifts which won't be new for those who have worked retail before, but it's still a tough adjustment. Starting out I struggled from a social aspect as well. Fort Wayne is a cool city, but it's no LA, NY, or Chicago. Long hours at work make going out and making friends or getting involved in community groups/organizations difficult.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All