Big “S” vs Big “E” — How Sales Engineering Really Breaks Down

I once had a more experienced Sales Engineer explain something to me that stuck—and I’ve found it to be consistently true over the years.

There are two kinds of Sales Engineers in the market:

• Big “S” Sales Engineers
• Big “E” Sales Engineers

Which one a company hires for is largely determined by what they actually want the role to do, and that intent usually shows up clearly in the job description—even if unintentionally.

The Technical Baseline Matters

In my opinion, a strong Sales Engineer must first have a solid understanding of the industry, then specialize deeply in one or two core domains.

For example, if you’re a Cybersecurity SE, you should be well-versed in at least:

• Firewalls / Network Security
• Endpoint Protection (EDR / EPP)
• SIEM, SOAR, MDR, and XDR

If you want to go deeper into security, expanding into IAM, APIs, and the adjacent ecosystems that feed SIEM and automation platforms becomes increasingly important. These aren’t optional extras anymore—they’re how modern security environments actually function.

The Reality of the SE Lifecycle

One thing that often surprises newer SEs is this:

You will rarely sell a project and see it through to full completion.

Sales Engineering requires momentum. Once a deal closes, you typically move on to the next opportunity in pursuit of quota. That’s just the nature of the role.

However, during POVs and POCs, you’re often operating as a lone wolf.

That’s why project management skills are essential.

The specific PM methodology isn’t usually important—most organizations don’t care how you manage the work. What they care about is:

• Clear updates
• Predictable milestones
• No surprises for customers or sales leadership

If you can deliver that, you’re doing the job well.

Leadership Without the Title

While Sales Engineering is not formally a leadership role, it demands leadership skills.

As an SE, you carry inferred authority—not because of your title, but because of:

• Your expertise
• Your position as the technical authority
• Your ability to guide decisions under uncertainty

Customers, account teams, and leadership all look to the SE to bring clarity. That responsibility doesn’t come with a promotion—it comes with competence.

Architectural Drawings: An Underrated Superpower

One of the most valuable skills I recommend developing is the ability to create clear architectural diagrams.

Understanding a customer’s environment—and designing your solution around it—is critical. Visualizing the architecture helps:

• Define scope
• Identify dependencies
• Prevent misalignment
• Accelerate trust

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Over the last 7–8 years, I’ve closed significantly more complex solution deals simply because I can draw clean, accurate network diagrams. That skill has been invaluable—not just technically, but as a core part of effective communication.

Final Thought

I’m not sure if this perspective applies universally, but it’s been consistently true in my experience. Sales Engineering sits at a unique intersection of technical depth, leadership, communication, and execution—and understanding where you fall on the Big “S” vs Big “E” spectrum can shape your entire career trajectory.

If nothing else, I hope these thoughts help spark reflection or conversation.

Just my two cents.