The SV Academy Business Development Fellowship is an online, 12-week, tuition-free skill building and mentorship program that connects job-seekers with employers hiring for full-time sales roles in tech.
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Accounting, Menlo College
Business Development Representative, SurveyMonkey
“SV Academy is free, but the catch is that it was a lot more challenging than I expected. You have to put in a lot of time and be prepared to receive a lot of feedback. The program is designed with employers, so everything I learned was directly related to the types of work I am doing now in my full-time job.”
Journalism, Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo
Account Executive, Optimizely
“I speak to senior professionals at F500 corporations everyday. They are busy and have high expectations. A lot more conversations end in a “no” than a “yes”, so you have to have a tough skin and not take things personally. The experience is incredible. I have the confidence to speak to anyone now.”
Healthcare Administration, UNLV
Account Manager, Intercom
“Once I started the fellowship I began to appreciate how big the opportunity really is in Silicon Valley. I felt that I had an instant community of friends and mentors from interesting companies around the industry. The social events are such a great way to build relationships with people who are around your age doing the exact same thing you are in a new city.”
Economics and History, Williams College
Customer Success Manager, Persado
“The idea of being a salesperson was very intimidating to me when I first decided to accept my offer to join SV Academy. After starting in business development for an AI software company, I’ve moved into a different part of the company in a more senior role. My SV Academy coach has stuck with me.”
Commerce, Santa Clara University
Systems Engineer, Palo Alto Networks
“When you complete the first three months of the program, your resume is sent through a special system to hiring employers for first-round interviews (vs. applying through their websites, which I’ve tried before and usually received no response). It took about 4 weeks to complete interviews and sign a full-time offer.”
"SV Academy: Changing the Look of Silicon Valley One SDR at a Time.”
by Jenny Strauss
Our mission is to give you the skills, work experience and connections you need to land the tech job you want. Whether or not you have access to exclusive networks, have previous work experience or can code.
Business development is a great way to start your career in tech. It’s more than sales and marketing – it’s a foundation for building relationships and identifying opportunities for innovation. And it’s in hot demand.
“SV Academy fellows come prepared with everything employers are looking for. The quality, confidence and skill of the graduates is unparalleled.”
“SV Academy fellows come prepared with everything employers are looking for. The quality, confidence and skill of the graduates is unparalleled.”
We connect our pre-trained candidates with employers hiring for SDR roles in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, and other tech hubs around the country. All SV Academy graduates come with a set of wrap-around services, including personalized coaching for twelve months after hire.
