From “Smile & Dial” to First SaaS Deal: How Curiosity Beat the Script at CareerBuilder

Background: An Outdated Model in a Shifting Market

In 2011, CareerBuilder was far from the HR tech platform it is today. The business relied almost entirely on selling resume database access and online job postings—with no software products on the shelf.

As a new hire in training, I was tasked with cold calling IT companies under 250 employees, often using outdated CRM data. Many targets had low or no hiring volume in a still-recovering economy.

The guidance? Don’t dig deep. Don’t get creative. “Smile & Dial.”

That mentality didn’t sit right with me.

Challenge: A Lead That Shouldn’t Have Gone Anywhere

In my second month, I connected with the president of a geological services company in Montana—an account that checked every box for disqualification:

  • No hiring needs

  • No engineers to recruit

  • No interest in job boards

But something about the call was different. He was curious about our brand, asked about career development, and showed interest in employee training.

Instead of hanging up, I asked more questions.

Execution: Turning a Dead End into a First-of-Its-Kind Win

Through deeper discovery, I learned they had $5,000 allocated for staff development—not for technical training, but for practical workplace skills like writing, math, and typing.

That triggered a memory.

Just weeks earlier, I had overheard a conversation with an Enterprise rep about a new software product CareerBuilder was preparing to launch—a career development portal with courses and assessments for soft skills. It wasn’t public. It wasn’t even part of our department.

But I chased it down.

I reached out to the ENT rep and the Product Expert behind the portal. They walked me through the offer, and I brought them into the conversation with the geological president. He loved it—this was exactly what he’d been hoping to provide his team.

Results: A First That Sparked Forward Motion

✅ Closed CareerBuilder’s first-ever SaaS deal for $5,000
✅ Sold a product that wasn’t even released yet
✅ Earned a promotion to a senior sales role in IT services the same month

All because I broke the “Smile & Dial” pattern, got curious, and pushed one step further.

Takeaway

Playbooks are helpful—until they stop you from seeing opportunity.
The sale wasn’t in the script. It came from listening, connecting dots, and being willing to chase an idea others ignored.