The 3 Best Resources For Finding A Tech Sales Job
Getting started is the hardest part. Once you have your first application out the door and recruiter messages start flooding your inbox, the whole recruitment process will be over in the blink of an eye.
The question is: where do you go to find tech sales job postings and submit applications?
These are the three best resources for tech sales specifically (in order): LinkedIn, AngelList, and recruiting firms specializing in tech sales.
LinkedIn is hands-down the best resource. You can conduct a successful tech sales job search using nothing else besides LinkedIn. The other two resources are included just in case you want to cast an extra wide net.
Searching for jobs on LinkedIn is easy to understand. Click here to learn the basics of applying for jobs on LinkedIn.
There are three important features to use when applying for jobs on LinkedIn:
- Enable the Open to Job Opportunities feature (recruiters will proactively message you).
- Use the Easy Apply button to send out applications (this is a huge time-saver).
- Check to see if your classmates or connections work at the company (for referrals).
Before you send out your first application on LinkedIn, make sure your profile is updated. This is the first thing recruiters and hiring managers will see when they’re evaluating candidates who have applied on LinkedIn.
Add a high-resolution professional headshot for your profile photo and make sure your current location matches the city where you want to work. Read more here about how to update your LinkedIn profile.
AngelList
This is a good resource if you’re specifically interested in working at a startup. AngelList regards itself as “the #1 startup hiring platform,” and they’re probably right.
Before using AngelList, make sure working at a startup is the right move for your career.
Salespeople are often among the first employees hired at early-stage tech startups. And it pays to be early. The largest chunks of equity at a startup go to the employees who were there first (when the risk was greatest).
But if you’re early in your tech sales career, you might miss out on training and network-building at a larger company.
Read more here about how to make this decision.
Recruiters
There are two types of recruiters: in-house recruiters and agency recruiters. In-house recruiters work for one company. Agency recruiters work with multiple companies.
Betts Recruiting, 80Twenty, and TheLions are all recruiting agencies that specialize in tech sales.
Candidates often have mixed reviews about working with agency recruiters. These recruiters usually receive around 20% of your first year salary as an additional fee from the company for placing you in an open position. As a result, conflicts of interest can arise. Use agency recruiters as a last resort.