How to Recruit Gen Z for Careers in Sales

Today's job market is highly competitive — and that holds true for senior roles all the way down to internship and entry-level positions. At the same time, it’s important now more than ever that to future-proof your organization and remain at the forefront of innovation within your industry, you invest in the newest entrants of the workforce — Gen Z. That’s because not only does Gen Z come with new perspectives and ideas, but they will also comprise nearly 30% of the workforce by 2025.

At the same time, it can be difficult to attract Gen Z to careers in sales for a number of reasons — such as a stigma around the role/industry. Despite advancements in the sales industry in terms of both work-life balance and updating industry practices such as knocking on doors and “cold calling”, younger generations might have a distorted view of what working in sales entails if they haven’t been keeping up. 

What is promising, however, is that the sales industry today has actually leaned into a lot of the perks that speak directly to what Gen Z wants in the workplace. To help you better understand Gen Z today and find more success in recruiting them for your sales roles, we’ve compiled some data about Gen Z and their preferences as it relates to their future employers, and how you can leverage that information to strategically promote your roles to top talent. 

What we know about Gen Z (& how you can use it)

Gen Z cares about compensation

It’s no surprise that the economic downturn has put compensation at the top of the list for Gen Z candidates when it comes to workplace priorities. When we asked Gen Z candidates in 2023 about what factors would cause them to back out of an offer for another opportunity, a higher compensation was the most popular response. Specifically, 66% of candidates admitted that they would rescind their offer for a superior compensation package. 

One of the reasons that a career in sales is so attractive is because of the high-earning potential for top-performers — which is a great concept to highlight to Gen Z. In the right role, sales professionals can bring in over $100,000. And even the starting salary for an entry-level sales position can be attractive — with the average being just over $62,000 in the U.S. for certain roles. If you're looking to attract this generation of workers, it is important to highlight the potential for higher salaries, substantial commissions, and any other financial incentives.

To understand a little more about what salaries interns and entry-level workers are making across different roles and industries, read our benchmarking report on the Gen Z job search.  

Gen Z cares about career growth and career alignment

Contrary to popular belief, Gen Z is a loyal bunch. Our data shows that over 60% of Gen Z candidates see themselves in the same role for 2.5 years or more — proving that this generation of employees is looking for long-term alignment and meaningful work. At the same time, this generation is also focused on career advancement, so while they are willing to invest in your company, they need you to invest in them as well. Specifically, we found that 72.2% of full-time candidates said they expect to receive a promotion in their first year of employment with a company.

Not only is the sales industry known for its high potential for salary growth, but it’s also the perfect fit for employees focused on career advancement. For example, a new grad might start out as a sales development representative researching and quantifying leads and then be promoted to an account executive role running demos, or to a sales manager position. From there, the opportunity to continue to rise the ranks is endless — and they could even serve as director of sales one day. Regardless of the specific trajectory for growth at your organization, it’s clear that the sales industry is one in which potential and drive can take an entry-level hire very far — and emphasizing this when advertising positions to Gen Z candidates is key.

When marketing your open roles — and during the hiring process — be sure to help candidates paint a picture of how they grow their career with you. Showcasing career development programs, mentorships, networking opportunities, and the ability to quickly move up the ranks by highlighting employees who have advanced are essential when targeting Gen Z job seekers.

Gen Z cares about workplace flexibility, but not necessarily fully remote opportunities 

Gen Z workers are looking for meaningful work and financial stability, but also value flexibility in the workplace — to a certain degree. And that’s clear when it comes to how they prefer to work. Our data shows that the most preferred work setting for Gen Z candidates today is hybrid, with more than 60% of candidates saying they want the chance to both work from home AND go into the office. Looking closer, when we asked candidates if they preferred that they choose which days they go into the office in a hybrid setting or that their company designates their in-office days, more candidates chose the latter, signifying that they want some direction and guidance as they enter the workforce. 

The sales industry is in a great position to offer Gen Z hybrid work settings because of how much the industry has advanced over the years through the use of technology. In fact, so much of sales is done online today, and 86% of buyers prefer to be sold to virtually. With a computer and video conferencing software, sales roles can very easily be completed from home — and any required in-person time can be used for one-on-one training, workshopping, and networking.  

Getting the appropriate offer in front of Generation Z is the best way to attract them to a career in sales. It's critical to provide flexibility, mentorship, professional development, and a fun, welcoming work environment — and by doing so, you can create a strong pipeline of talent for your company. 

Best practices for attracting and marketing to Gen Z

Now that you understand what Gen Z wants in their future employers and how the sales industry can use that data to better market their roles, it’s time to dive into some best practices for attracting this generation of workers.

Have an active online presence

Gen Z is composed of digital natives who are engaged with technology, so it stands to reason that having an active online presence can help you attract and retain Gen Z employees. In fact, we found that the most popular way that Gen Z candidates learn about new companies and open roles today is through research online. Staying active on social media, updating your website, and maintaining your blog (if you have one) are all ways to boost your online presence and show students you are actively looking for talent like them.

Offer a mix of virtual and in-person recruitment events

Because Gen Z prefers a hybrid work environment, it's critical to apply this same treatment to your events strategy, and offer a mix of virtual and in-person recruitment events. Consider hosting live webinars alongside in-person campus visits to a select group of schools,, or even enlist a recruitment partner to help you organize events.

For tips, ideas, and best practices for hosting creative events, check out our guide on producing terrific candidate experiences: 100 Events & How to Do Them.

Provide a great candidate experience

The application process is a critical part of candidate experience and can make or break your chances of attracting Gen Z workers. Today, the biggest indicator of a poor application and hiring process is a lack of communication. And Gen Z told us that could be anything from not hearing back at all from a company if they are no longer advancing in the hiring process to not receiving timely updates (within a week) about their application status. 

And don’t think that a flaw in your hiring process will be hidden from other prospective candidates. It’s always a possibility that upset candidates will take to sites like Glassdoor to share their negative experiences.   

The ‘candidate experience’ may be Gen Z’s first interaction with your brand — and should only stand to reaffirm their decision to move forward with you. To do this, make sure you provide updated, valuable information and are responding in a timely manner. Giving candidates the feeling of being valued and having an understanding of the applicants’ goals is key to landing top, young talent.

Reach Gen Z early

Reaching Gen Z early is essential to attracting and retaining young and diverse talent to the sales industry. Employers should start connecting with high school students, first-year college students, sophomores, or even younger generations exploring different career paths to open their eyes to what you have to offer.

Brand recognition takes time, and one of the best ways to build relationships with Generation Z is by hosting informal events for underclassmen. Inviting these students to attend events that offer insights into the world of sales can be a great way to get them interested in the field and your business. By doing so, employers are building a foundation for future talent and getting the word out about the benefits of a sales career.

How RippleMatch helps candidates uncover your opportunities

RippleMatch is the recruitment automation platform changing how Gen Z finds work. By replacing job boards with matching and automation, RippleMatch eliminates the most time-intensive parts of the recruitment process for both employers and job seekers.

RippleMatch can help you build your brand & increase diversity

For employers and candidates alike, RippleMatch is the perfect solution for attracting top talent in the sales industry. Our platform provides an easy and efficient way for you to expand your network and build brand recognition with early career professionals, and for students to understand why they might be a great fit for an industry they either have, or may not have yet considered. Plus, we can help you meet D&I goals by connecting you with our diverse candidate pool representing more than 180+ HBCUs and HSIs. 

RippleMatch can help you manage applicant volume, and provide a seamless candidate experience

RippleMatch allows you to quickly sort through inbound applicants, identify top prospects, and create a more responsive candidate experience by:

• Automatically surfacing viable candidates and flagging those that are unqualified to reduce applicant review time by 70%.
• Unlocking analytics into your entire early career pipeline, no matter where a candidate was sourced from.
• Allowing you to respond to candidates in days — not months — and create an exceptional candidate experience that stands out from the competition.

RippleMatch can help you get the most out of your recruitment events

RippleMatch also offers a standout Events management system that allows you to:

• Capture every lead and engage the right talent at scale with the most intuitive platform for recruiting events.
• Turn RSVPs into hires. With a single source of truth for candidate information, follow ups are a breeze. Invite candidates to apply for the right jobs and keep in touch.
• Measure ROI by seeing which events lead to hires and where you are meeting diverse talent.

Recruiting top Gen Z talent for a career in sales can be demanding, but it doesn't have to be. By leveraging data on Gen Z and the right technology to help you scale your efforts, increase your impact for events, and provide an amazing candidate experience, your company can stand out from the competition and bring in promising candidates from a variety of backgrounds. 

Interested in how RippleMatch can support your recruitment efforts? Book a demo today to learn more about our platform and why top employers are turning to us to recruit early career talent.