The Military Was the Best Preparation for My Career as a Sales Enginee

Shanikqua Burks

Solutions Consultant

North America | Blog | Military & Veterans

Friday, November 7, 2025

Meet Shanikqua, a Veteran Who is Thriving in Her Sales Engineering Career at Palo Alto Networks

I didn’t realize it at the time, but the military was the best preparation I could have asked for in my career as a Sales Engineer. Here’s why:

Discipline and Execution. In the field, there’s no room for half-done work. You learn to follow through on every detail because small mistakes can have big consequences. That same discipline carries over into building demos, running discovery sessions, and managing accounts where precision and reliability build trust with customers.

Adaptability Under Pressure. Missions rarely go according to plan. You learn how to pivot quickly, read the situation, and still deliver results. In Sales Engineering, customer needs shift, requirements change mid-cycle, and unexpected blockers pop up. The ability to adapt and problem-solve is what keeps deals moving forward.

Teamwork and Leadership. Success in the military depends on clear communication and a deep respect for the people you serve alongside. In presales, that translates directly into collaborating with account reps, product teams, and customers, making sure everyone is aligned on the mission at hand.

Mission Focus. In uniform, you learn to always connect your work to the bigger mission. As an SE, it’s about more than pitching features. It’s about understanding the customer’s mission, whether it’s protecting citizens, delivering healthcare, or advancing innovation, and showing them how the technology supports that mission.

The transition from military service to Sales Engineering was a natural evolution of skills I had been sharpening for years.

For fellow veterans considering this path, your experience has already prepared you.