For starters, I am slightly autistic. Most days I “pass” for neurotypical due to extensive socialization groups as a young teen to help me fit in. I didn't disclose it at my new job or ask for accomodations because I figured they'd fire me. Got hired at my first sales job.
Great company, great fit. Very niche background with very specific product needs. My first week of training, we were doing coldcall practice. I put my foot in my mouth and accidentally went offscript. Instead of asking for a referral when someone said they didn't need our product, I said “That's okay, I'm sure your work is still awesome.” facepalm. I knew I fucked up but I thought I could get past it. It was training, I was hoping I could make mistakes and learn more. But I feel like ever since that point my manager handled me with caution/dislike. A note- there was another guy on the team I could tell was also on the spectrum, or at least slightly autistic. He got put on a correction plan for “not writing personalized enough emails”. Everyone else on the team seemed neurotypical.
After training is over (1 month) I get told I'm on a 30 day correction plan for LQC zoom calls. Okay. I work hard with my mentor, a more senior rep, and get the structure and confidence of the calls down pat.
My trainer would give me detailed notes/feedback each time. We got the structure down, but as we got into the niche details of this company and the deals, I noticed I was getting a lot of comments about how my answering questions was “not to par.” I read the product manual, ect, and brought it up with my trainer. I said “I'm concerned because when we started this training I was only getting one or two comments, but now as we're progressing into more in-depth conversations I'm getting a lot more notes/feedback. Is this something I need to worry about?”.
My trainer assured me this was to be expected- that starting out the critiques had been broad but now that we were getting into the details of it we would have a lot more detailed notes. Our field and product is so niche you sort of NEED a background and degree in it, and after this comment I assumed all was fine because as I grew more familiar with the procedures ect. I'd be able to answer all these niche questions to a T. I figured I was building experience.
30 day correction plan comes and goes. Boss sits in meeting with me and says I am cleared to do outbound prospecting, but I need to let her know if I schedule an LQC call so we can practice before I go into it. Cool, I assume my improvement is sufficient.
I'm chatting with leads on linkedin and generating leads. Have a guy that has a potentially half million dollar deal I'm getting to do an LQC with me. I'm asking my mentor for gudiance here and there, just because I am so new at it all. I was cleared to outbound prospect a week or two ago.
This friday morning I have a meeting with boss. I assume it's going to be about how to continue my revenue team planning project. HR is there. I'm fired. I'm basically told it's due to nonperformance.
I am blindsided and quite honestly a wreck here. I got the 30 day correction plan, but the way my trainer made it sound I was improving in line with expectations and I am not sure if I'm not cut out for sales or what.
What messes me up is the fact that I was never concretely told I was failing. I was given tips like “more confidence. Less anxious body language.”. I felt like that improved a lot.
I loved this job. I love talking to clients, ect. I really am questioning everything now. Am I not cut out for sales? Or was it just a bad fit?