Avoid SMB Business Development End User - Business Development Manager Gartner Employee Review

2.0
29 Jun 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Gartner Experience - There's so much knowledge and experience at the organization. If you really take advantage of it you can learn a ton. C-Level Interaction - Communicating with operational executives on a regular basis is an amazing opportunity for growth If you're in the right place there is growth potential - Gartner is growing fast and if you receive a nurturing management team there is ample room for growth. PTO is plentiful Stock options Retirement plan Pay is level with industry, but not exceptional

Cons

This review is based on my personal experience. I think there are many good places to be in Gartner, but would suggest you be wary of this one particularity. I was pigeon holed into the flailing business unit of SMB End User Business Development. With almost a decade of sales experience in several technology organizations this was the most dysfunctional sales group I have ever witnessed. You may think this is from someone who struggled and didn't align to the business, but I actually excelled. I hit the Gartner "Winner Circle" in the BDM role and was slated as a best of the best. Unfortunately I ended up under the worst middle management team I have ever encountered. Here is what I witnessed that made it a quite unfortunate experience: - 54 of 68 territories saw the rep turned over in the year of 2017 - 6 of 8 Managers turned over in the same time period - Recruitment pitch a "30% winners circle achievement of the sales force" which my be true organizationally, however from this business unit the was only 5 individuals how made it and only 2 of those had a full year quota, others were pro-rated for being there less than a year. I was one of those individuals. - Middle "Regional VP Management" and "Area Managers" struggled with accurate and honest forecasting - Reps were asked to forecast up deals that were long shot at best and often met with failure - There is a unfortunate dismal outlook across the business unit - There is resounding politics that echo your fate in the unit and ability to move out of the unit due to the dismal success - Most Area Managers in the group themselves were unable to attain success in the BDE role and were promoted via need due to lack of interest from other parts of the business to back fill the roles. - Make sure to fully understand the commission plan before consideration, it is tiered and percentage based, actually business is heavily back ended on the year so almost 3/4 of your year you may live off of base salary or just a bit more. If you - You are not able to move positions internally for 24 months if you want to leave the BD position you would be asked to resign your role and re-apply to Gartner rather than have the opportunity as an internal candidate. - Sales cycles run around 6 months, but they freaking flip territories every new year! Many cycles end up started by one rep then flipped to another, also many time due to attrition. If you do end up here, be prepared for a tough road, if you can last long enough to get promoted to a different unit or up in the organization there is positive places to be in this large growing company.

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5.0
11 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

Opportunity for quick growth, great work/life balance.

Cons

You are competing with hundreds of other new grads for the same promotion.

3.0
5 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Terrific coworkers. Nearly everyone at the company is pleasant, professional, and willing to help you even if you’ve never met them before. Hybrid work environment. People generally seem to care about you on an individual level. One of the best corporations I’ve worked for.

Cons

Gartner is not in a great place right now. The business model requires changes and Wall Street analysts have tremendous doubts about the corporate liability in the era of AI. Stock has fallen in half over the past two years. Massive layoffs across the company. Doubt the stability is there for any kind of medium term or long-term career. Below market compensation, offset by pros above when they exist.

5
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