The SelectLeaders Job Network Career Centers will soon begin a special initiative called “Sales Leaders” to attract and nurture the best and brightest sales, brokerage and leasing talent. The recent WSJ article explains “Why It’s So Hard to Fill Sales Jobs.” The youngest generation of workers, having lived through the financial crisis and recession, is more risk-averse. Nick Toman of CEB, points to sales-job postings that use phrases like ‘competitive environment’ and ‘variable compensation packages’. “Those things become huge turnoffs to a lot of potential applicants; people today want to be part of a team, and they want stable pay.” Companies typically now offer a 50-50 split of base and variable pay for entry-level jobs. Oracle Corp’s famously competitive sales culture built into their program continuous learning, training and career progression to appeal to today’s college graduates. If I was a millennial looking at the world today, I would gravitate to what is stable and nurturing too, at least until they feel the rush of making a big sale.
February 25, 2015