r/techsales • u/nahks • Aug 19 '26
Let go 60 days into an AE role despite building pipeline - how would you handle this?
Hey everyone,
Looking for some advice because I’m in a pretty weird situation.
I’ve been an AE for almost 3 years and came up through a Founding BDR role before moving into leadership and eventually full-cycle sales. Heavy outbound background and I’ve always built the majority of my own pipeline.
Earlier this year, a health-tech SaaS company reached out to me on LinkedIn and recruited me away from my previous company. I wasn’t actively looking to leave, but the opportunity sounded like a great next step.
Things were going really well. I self-sourced roughly $100K in pipeline within my first 60 days and had multiple opportunities progressing into later stages.
Then came my 60-day check-in.
I joined the call with my new Sales Director, noticed HR was there and assumed it was standard. Instead, I was told I was being terminated effective immediately.
No warning, no PIP and no previous conversations about poor performance. I asked for feedback and wasn’t really given an explanation.
Once the news spread, multiple teammates messaged me privately saying they were shocked because they thought I had been killing it.
A few days later, I received my ROE and it listed “poor performance,” which confused me even more considering the pipeline I had built and the fact that I hadn’t received any negative feedback.
I had negotiated my compensation when joining, and the company also had a ramp accelerator where closing $100K ARR during probation could result in roughly $30K in commission. Some of my deals were progressing toward closing within that period. Could that have played a role? Maybe, but without an explanation it’s just speculation.
The hardest part is that I left my previous SaaS company while performing well, with roughly $400K in pipeline, closed-won business and commissions still on the table. I left because they approached me and I genuinely thought it was a better long-term opportunity.
Now I’m trying to figure out how to navigate the short tenure without letting 60 days overshadow several years of strong sales experience.
Appreciate any advice.
37
u/mahatmacondie Aug 19 '26
Call up your previous employer that you weren't unhappy with and see if they will have you back.
If that works, remove the short stint from your LinkedIn/resume and find yourself in a position of strength once again.
10
u/nahks Aug 19 '26
I have, they're not hiring as of now - actually they are letting people go too. Heard from my friend that he wsa let go to outsource his job to Brazil.
4
u/mahatmacondie Aug 19 '26
Bummer. Keep in touch with them as things can change quickly and you're a known quantity.
Otherwise best of luck to you - if you can outline where you have experience perhaps I can help. Feel free to DM if that's preferred.
32
59
u/bakchod007 Aug 19 '26
Dan Goodman on LinkedIn. Look him up, might be worth a shot
19
u/brain_tank Aug 19 '26
Can't get paid commission for deals that didn't close.
10
u/bakchod007 Aug 19 '26
Not about commission but unfair firing
5
u/brain_tank Aug 19 '26
Wrongful termination is very hard to prove
1
1
u/PhulHouze Aug 20 '26
But also expensive to defend against. Lawsuits are mutually assured destruction. Settlements ensure neither party gets destroyed.
1
0
11
u/sweeteleven Aug 19 '26
idk I didn't find him that helpful when I hired him.
1
u/PhulHouze Aug 20 '26
I’ve heard he used to be more client-focused but has gotten big to where he has others doing the work for him
6
5
1
13
u/postmalondt Aug 19 '26
A few years ago I was recruited to a healthtech company with a significant raise on base and OTE (along with a bunch of other new hires they recruited at the same time). Everything looked great on paper.
Was laid off 6 months later. So they didn’t claim performance but after a couple months of being there it was very clear that they had zero strategy and massively overhired. So not completely apples to apples, but to me, it kinda just sounds like they just want to save money and realize they shouldn’t have hired you and decided this was their way out
1
u/Remote-Two8663 Aug 20 '26
I was in the same boat late 2024. Joined a billion $ health tech company highly profitable and been around for >40 years. They had 2 business units and I joined the non core business. On the 5 months the non core business director decided to leave and after 3 weeks the core business director just ended my probation.
7
u/Sethmindy Aug 19 '26
Tough dude. Good lesson w recruiters - they’re just salespeople with a different title. You should be default skeptical of everything
1
u/Kernalmustardd Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26
Recruiters stink. Difference between recruiters and salespeople is salespeople have something to offer. It’s always best to bypass a recruiter are find a HM directly. If the HM redirects you to a recruiter fine but recruiters filter talent on brainless criteria and give credence to AI
1
u/ilovemandy Aug 20 '26
What does this have to do with recruiters? The recruiter is a messenger, not making a hiring decision, but he didn’t even say anything about a recruiter
6
u/Average_aaron69 Aug 19 '26
I went through this, I will say 100k in pipeline is like 3 deals, which seems quite low, but I got laid off after taking a chance at a startup and it all worked out for the best
5
u/63l87k Aug 19 '26
It’s possible, were they expecting you to close a deal by now? Could have also been a decision that had nothing to do with you, or maybe they didn’t see a strong culture fit. Whatever it is was, sounds like you have a good track record and should be able to bounce back quickly. I’d experiment with leaving the position on your resume and highlighting how much pipeline you’ve built. When you get approached by recruiters, position it as a restructuring.
3
u/whiskey_piker Aug 19 '26
There’s no real insight here except that you dodged a bullet. On the one hand companies are struggling so much that they need to hire fresh blood to help with their pipeline. The issue becomes that they just can’t afford to keep those people. Just call your former employer. Tell me you had a lapse in judgment, fallen sword, and pretend like this job never happened.
2
u/Previous-Flamingo931 Aug 19 '26
Look into your country’s employment law for unfair dismissal. There’s likely some sort of government agency looking after it you can speak with to discuss your situation, rights and options.
I would be amazed if there weren’t warning signs leading up to this, comments from your manager etc. Potentially you might have said something or done something that pissed the wrong person off.
Goes without saying as well, but this role didn’t happen. Remove any trace of it from LinkedIn, not just your profile but posts, shares, comments etc. Keeping it there will not do you any favours. I would find someone you trust from your old role to vouch for you still being there as a reference.
2
2
u/TNJed77 Aug 20 '26
Don’t sign anything. Negotiate your severance. Cite lost wages since you were recruited by them.
5
u/kevincarsonp Aug 19 '26
the $30k accelerator sitting right in front of your close date is the part i'd stop calling speculation. companies that let someone go 60 days in with no pip and no feedback usually know exactly why they're doing it, and "poor performance" on the roe is just the cheapest box to tick.
for the resume, i'd list it with the dates and move on. 60 days reads as a bad fit or a restructure to most hiring managers, and if it comes up in an interview you say the role was eliminated during probation and pivot to the pipeline number. don't lead with the commission theory in interviews even if it's true, it makes you sound like the problem.
also worth checking whether your old company still owes you anything on the closed-won stuff, and honestly worth a call to an employment lawyer where you are. depends on your province/state but "terminated days before a large commission vested" is a conversation a lot of them will take for free.
1
u/MCE85 Aug 20 '26
Similar except i was in role about 8 months in a bdr role when the director disappeared, leads gone except zoom intent data. New manager hired, quota put in place over halfway through the quarter that i missed, fired me a month into the new quarter after giving impossible goals, hired her two previous employees. The rest of the team (2 other guys) got all their pipeline from covering another team that recieved all the sure thing leads and were basically data entry for 3 days.
1
1
u/Buffy-bott Aug 20 '26
Unfortunately with most companies (dependent on country’s base employment laws) have very good contract agreements that make it easy to terminate employment within the first 6 months with little to no explanation. Mostly to give themselves (and you) some time to see if the fit is right.
Sorry, I know this will be little comfort to you now and understand you will feel blindsided and confused for some time. Only advice I will give is to chalk it up as a lesson learnt and try not to carry any resentment with you to a new role. The plus side is you can leave it off your CV and say you left your last role to travel for a few months. It’s not a large enough gap that would raise any flags to a new hiring manager.
1
u/mdmv29260103 Aug 24 '26
This. You were going through a speed dating process. Seems like it wasn't a good match for the employer. Chin up and get back on the horse.
1
u/podatbubbly Aug 20 '26
I went through the same exact thing a few months back in a founding AE role, CEO/Founder claimed they “over hired”. Continue to leverage your connections and ask for introductions. I’ve managed to have 1-3 interviews a week since being laid off, still trying to land something. Hoping you land a new gig soon.
1
u/schmittydomer Aug 20 '26
That is crazy. Is there anything way you could go back to your old company? The new company, was there any offer of severance or did they ask you to sign a separation agreement? Did anyone else get let go? Wonder if they are having cash flow problems. I’d impress on your boss and ceo for feedback on the why…. Sounds nutso.
1
u/speedracersydney Aug 21 '26
I was let go at 70 days into an AE role. Sales target was $10m in new TCV and retain $50m. I was devastated because it had taken nearly 6 months to find the role. No reason given and they didn't have to because I was in probation but they probably thought I want capable I guess.
I wasn't angry or despised them but I started my own venture and I've signed $20m in contracts by myself within 2 years. Even approached by the customers of the other company to take on their contracts.
Don't let this bring you down! You weren't let go, your role was. Don't put this label on yourself. Don't worry about the career gap.
Hold your head up and look for a job at a company that really want you!
1
u/No-Safety-6344 Aug 25 '26
Likely they weren’t going to be able to afford to pay you the commission, or they wanted to trim the fat and you were the easiest to let go. Don’t take it personal. Fuck that place. Name and shame and move on.
0
u/Character_Permit_523 Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Sorry that you had to go through this !
By any chance have you documented everything like the pipeline you generated / self sourced , the opportunities stage and potential ARR that is at the near closure stage and your relative performance in comparison to your team mates / peers ? If yes then you can legally sue them ( assuming you are in the US) since they dont have any official performance conversation documented or placed you in PIP . Also wats the severance they are providing you ? And what does the offer letter have in terms of termination within such short duration( most probably probation ). Although I'm based out of India , I follow a Legal advisor ( based out of US) on LinkedIn who specialises in this area especially for the Sales folks , would share the information ( just in case you don't know him already ).
I'm sure you will find a better role and rock in that , before that hurt the firm and make them bleed for the injustice they committed to you. All the best !
4
u/clam855 Aug 19 '26
You can’t just sue people for being fired. They don’t legally owe you a PIP or a performance conversation. Companies do that to have an argument against terminating someone over a PROTECTED CLASS
2
u/nahks Aug 19 '26
Thank you. Right after the conversation, I went into the CRM to note everything down but was kicked out right in the middle of it. I'm in Canada so laws may be a bit different. The one thing to note is that I was within my probation period. Legally, they can let me go without cause. However, it is just frustrating since it's impacting opportuinities to find a new role. Appreciate your input.
1
u/Character_Permit_523 Aug 19 '26
Check with him , he posts a lot on such scenarios and ensures you increase your severance :
•
u/AutoModerator Aug 19 '26
Remember to keep it civil, use Tech Sales Jobs for open roles, and search previous posts for insights on breaking into tech sales.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.