Fellowship

This was a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the Tech sales industry. I learned key tech tools like salesloft and i gained experience as an actual SDR. 

SV Academy trains you for an SDR role. All of the teachers have real-world experience in the role they can answer any questions you may have. SV Academy is VERY time-consuming don't sign up if you are not ready to commit to it and be motivated enough to do numerous assignments. Prepares you very well for the SDR role gives you the fundamentals, best practices within the role, interview practice to actually land a job, and real-world experience with an internship to actually build up your resume and have genuine experience. 

Pros:1. The instructors are amazing human beings who are extremely supportive!2. The cohort members become a family to you.3. The internship provides some really good hands-on experience. Cons:1. The internship is not long enough and not focused enough on results.2. The part-time program needs more attention from staff; we felt a bit neglected at times. 3. There's too much theoretical material covered during the program. 

SV Academy is legitimate. They provide 16 hours a week of online instruction, and you are expected to put in the rest of the effort to get assignments in on time, complete your personal branding materials, and practice interviews. With anything like this, what you put into the course is what you get out. 40 hours a week was not nearly enough for me, as I had no background in sales or tech. I worked about 12 hours a day and 4-8 hours each weekend to keep up. That being said, I have had a very positive interviewing experience and within 3 weeks of graduating, I landed a job that tripled my annual salary. The internship and interview practicing courses were incredibly beneficial. Overall, it's worth it. 

Pros: Internship to have hands-on experience of the SDR role, mentorship with professionals already in the field of tech sales, career coaching to set graduates up for success, the community is supportive and greatCons: Program may be a bit fast pace for individuals doing it full time. 

SV Academy helped prepare me for the demands of the SDR role in the tech industry. Their insightful instructors and rigorous curriculum instilled me with confidence and their guidance was an essential component of my job search. 

I had a long career in hospitality sales and marketing and after the pandemic, I was very unsure about my future.  SVAcademy gave me the opportunity to really understand the process of SaaS sales and gave me direct training so I can figure out if this is actually what I want to do next in my career.  It is completely legit and has all of the technology and tools to help you/mentor you to the next steps.  I highly recommend the program if this is something that you want to do and ALSO want to put in the work to get there.  I can go on and on for hours about the program and I am eternally grateful for all of the instructors, mentors, and positive energy that brought me here.  I will say 100% that you put in as much as you get out of it - no one is a miracle worker, you have to do the work.  BUT if you put the work in, you will have all the support in the world.

If you’re reading this you may be wondering if SV Academy is legitimate just as I did when applying. First off, I landed a job 2 weeks after graduating and 1  week after I start interviews. I didn’t start interviews until a week after graduating for personal reasons, and still landed a job immediately.  I had recruiters blowing up my email and personally never had to apply for a job because the recruiters that found me through SV already had a profile from their database which was great.  They push you to be proactive and apply, and in my case it just wasn’t necessary, but everyone’s experience is different.  SV is an amazing support system, network, and opportunity for learning literally everything you need to succeed in SaaS. I had over 5 years of corporate sales internship experience and applied to tech sales jobs without success because I lacked the proper industry experience/ knowledge. The work is extremely intense so if you aren’t determined to succeed you will struggle, but that’s true for being an SDR as well. The sense of community is unparalleled I can’t emphasize this enough. If you make it to the finish line I guarantee it means you have what it takes to succeed in this industry. It’s a major test/ builder of mental strength and will. You will know if this is the career path for you by the end of the first week! It’s so worth it!

The alumni and mentor networks are Amazzzzing. Everyone responded whenever I reached out to them. Beyond getting the typical on-the-job industry pro advice, they all have been super supportive during various stages of my job hunting phase. One alumni referred me into his company for interview, and coached me from the recruiter screen all the way to the final mock call round. A mentor reached out to his network to help spread the word of my job candidacy, which lead to hiring managers (plural!) reaching out to me to interview me.ProsComprehensive program covering the major pillars of    - hard skills - core sales development competencies    - soft skills - EQ, growth mindset, interview skills & practices    - internship - at a tech SaaS company prospecting real leadsConsFrom my personal experience, super super tough for the 1-month program. I've never been pushed harder in my entire life. Maybe it's just me, I was averaging 5 hours of sleep a day during the SDR course.

This Fellowship Program Helped Me Land My Dream Job In Tech Sales In Under 6 Weeks!!ProsThis fellowship launched my career into tech sales in 6 weeks!! Can't say enough good things about this program, it's structure, content, and advising/mentoring team! The first two weeks I learned about the role of a Sales/Business Development Representative (which is the job this fellowship trains you for). The next two weeks I put the learnings to practice in an internship where I got to do the work that will be expected of me in seat (prospecting leads, setting up a sequence of planned outreach via cold calls, emails, LinkedIn messages). I learned so many tools (such as Zoom, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Salesloft, Salesforce, Vidyard, etc.) and I got incredible coaching on my interviewing skills to prepare me for interviewing for jobs. The final two weeks I was actively interviewing with several different companies my mentor in this program knew would be a good fit any they definitely were!! I accepted an offer with the tech company of my dreams only 6 weeks after starting this fellowship! I didn't just gain a job, but also a whole community of colleagues and mentors to take with me throughout the rest of my career and personal life!
ConsAll I would stress here is the importance of motivating yourself to grow and improve throughout this program professionally and personally. SV Academy will give you all of the tools you need to succeed in this role, but the ownership of your success in this fellowship is on YOU! Be professional, have a great work ethic, be coachable, and be ready to develop your emotional intelligence as well. What you are willing to put into this program is what you'll get out of it. Be prepared to commit 8 hours per day to being in live online video classes, and be willing to put in more work and effort individually outside of these hours as well. If this sounds like something you are prepared to commit to in order to reach your goal of starting a career in tech sales, then study this fellowship, be prepared to answer why you want this opportunity, and GO APPLY!!

This company is literally built so that its fellows enter the tech industry and are successful upon entering. I was in a place in my career where I had built all these skills sets but desperately needed a career change; I committed to the program fully and it paid off. I just got hired at a solid tech company in New York City!!My success is SVA's success, and that mentality shows through in the entirety of the program. They provide you with teachers, mentors, coaches, etc that are all committed to helping you every step of the way. This experience has honestly changed my career and my life. I am so grateful for this avenue that the people at SVA have helped me pave for myself. Applying to SV Academy was one of the best decisions I've ever made.** This is a free program, thus it is highly selective and time intensive. You have to be committed to this. I managed to do it working two (relatively flexible) jobs. I had to make sure I managed my time. It was tough. PLAN ACCORDINGLY. This program is legitimate and thus requires your time. If I can do it balancing two jobs, I believe anyone who really wants this can as well. And the payoff is real. Manage your time and commit to the dream.

Pros: 
Fellowship is free 
Instructors and SVA team really invest in you, you are paired with a mindset coach, communications coach, interview readiness coach, and mentors. 
There is always someone there for you to ask questions SVA guides you through the entire process from start (applying to the fellowship) and finish (accepting your job offer)
Network of SVA community 

Cons: A lot of meetings 
I was looking to change industries and SVA allowed me to do that without having to go back to school to study something new. Highly recommend!

Applying to SV Academy was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Their curriculum familiarizes you with the SDR role while challenging you to develop a professional growth mindset, and I was highly impressed by the caliber of the fellows in my cohort as well as the staff and instructors. SVA connects you to a network of people who genuinely care about your professional development and they will get you a foot in the door at exciting tech startups! Beyond that, they are simply a great team of people who really do care about helping you become your best!       

You're going to learn all the skills you've read about in all the reviews you've read, become apart of a family of bright, ambitious, driven, and empathic individuals; you'll be one too. If you already are one, you'll be even more of the aforementioned.Be prepared to start your brand new wonderful life with a brand new wonderful mindset. Bon Voyage!

When I initially saw the post for SV Academy on LinkedIn I thought it was too good to be true. After connecting with a few fellows through LinkedIn I decided this was the right path to kick start my sales career.  This program will demand another level of you, but if you are dedicated to learning the processes you will reap the benefits of a rewarding career in tech sales. The curriculum is designed to give you hands on experience with industry leaders! 

I took this fellowship very seriously and landed a job as an SDR in Tech.  They delivered on their promise from A-Z.  This fellow goes from training material, interview prep, then it is YOUR job to execute on the interviews.  

I wish we went over Salesforce a bit more, but you'll pick it up once you work at your company. (Minor detail)

SV Academy is just phenomenal. The program has changed so many people’s lives for the better, helping them kick start their careers in sales and the tech industry. Would highly recommend to anyone who is hungry to grow and willing to put in the hard work to be great.

The Curriculum:

SV Academy’s classroom training and internship program are designed by professionals who have been working in sales for years. It’s designed to groom the fellows to present themselves in the best way possible, improve their communication and writing skills,  hone their time management skills, and learn about sales methodologies. It’s extremely immersive and you can get as much out of it as you put in. (BANT, PACE, AAA. You’ll know soon enough.😉)

The Experience:

Get ready to commit at least 20hours a week to this program. You will have weekly classroom sessions with your cohort. Each week you will have a different presenter, usually sales leaders from the industry who will speak about their experience and answer any questions you may have. You will also have to make time weekly to meet with your classmates to do Paired homework assignments, as well as meet with various coaches and mentors to help bolster your mindset and interview skills, among other things. You’ll finish the last leg of the classroom training with a three-week internship. Again, it’s extremely immersive and did I mention time management? Yeah. Get ready for your time management skills to get tested like no other. 80:20 for days.

After the classroom training, SVA has a designated team that is committed to finding you a job. This team is EXTREMELY valuable and very willing and available to help you land that job.

The Community:

If there is one valuable thing to take away from this fellowship (aside from getting a job), it’s definitely the community. Throughout the program and after, you have a team who is dedicated to helping you succeed, whether it be as a fellow in the fellowship program, or as a sales professional working in the industry. Imagine a community of hustlin’, successful sales people who are all available and willing to share their insights, knowledge, and wisdom. That’s what you’ll get when you join the SV Academy community.

My Story:

I was living in San Francisco and was looking for a way to break into tech. I found SVA and went through the program. It was probably the most demanding 3months of my life, but oh so worth it. I learned a lot about myself, learned a lot about the tech industry, learned a lot about how to succeed as a sales professional, and built a solid network to lean upon. After the classroom training, it took me about 6 weeks to land a job at a company that was the perfect fit for me. I can’t thank SVA enough for the positive impact it has made on my life. It was a lot of hard work but SVA will provide you with all the resources you need to succeed. You just gotta do it and make it happen!

Great curriculum with an incredibly supportive staff. SVA will teach you all you have to know to succeed as an SDR including what the role entails, tech tools you'll be using, successes and struggles you'll be going through, and the best strategies to be successful in winning over prospects. 

In addition to the curriculum, SVA provides an enormous amount of resources and mentors, so all you're questions and concerns are answered with depth and care. 

Finding and being accepted into the SV Academy Fellowship has been life-altering in the best possible way. I was stuck in a comfort zone (aka - a rut) for some years with the jobs that I was used to doing. I have lived in Silicon Valley for over a decade now and had never felt like I could actually be part of it career-wise. Breaking into the tech sector, even as an entry-level SDR, is NOT easy. I'm so thankful that a couple of great minds came together and saw the opportunity to help open that door for people like me.

The program is very intelligently designed with very practical assignments and educational material. They have coaching for every arena pertinent to the endeavor. And, they follow-through and deliver on their promise all the way. That being said, it is up to YOU to put in the work. They won't hold your hand or check on you about late assignments. The threshold for lack of effort is low, but their employer network is counting on them to deliver the best, ready-to-go SDR's around. 

Having recently graduated, I've already received two job offers and have officially accepted. I'm very excited about the future and the continued support through the SV Academy Community over the next 12 months!