The "Enterprise AE" Title Is Meaningless
We need to talk about how companies are slapping "Enterprise" on every AE role to attract candidates.
The Inflation
In 2020, "Enterprise AE" meant you sold 7-figure deals to Fortune 500 companies.
In 2025, it apparently means you sell to anyone with more than 50 employees.
Why It Matters
Title inflation hurts everyone:
- Candidates don't know what they're applying for
- Companies get mismatched expectations
- Actual enterprise sellers get devalued
A Proposal
Let's define terms:
SMB AE: Deals under $30K ACV Mid-Market AE: $30K-$150K ACV Enterprise AE: $150K+ ACV Strategic AE: $500K+ ACV
And let's start putting deal sizes in job descriptions.
The Real Issue
Companies are using inflated titles because they can't compete on comp. That's the actual problem to solve.