Tech sales is still worth it in 2025, but success requires sharper preparation, consistent performance, and leveraging skills that make the career one of the fastest paths to high earnings and long-term opportunities.
Tech sales has always been known for high earning potential and fast career growth. But after years of layoffs, market resets, and endless debate online, a real question keeps coming up: is tech sales still worth it in 2025? Should you even consider breaking into tech sales?
In this episode, Eric Finch and Kris Hari — both President’s Club winners and SDRs who promote to multiple AE positions in their career— go deep on whether the opportunity is alive, how to think about breaking in, and what the long-term upside looks like if you commit to the craft. If you’re breaking in, currnently an SDR, mid-level AE, or even founder trying to understand the landscape, this conversation matters.
Every few months, a new wave of “doom and gloom” videos and posts claim tech sales is dead. That narrative spreads because negativity gets clicks, but the reality is different. As Kris put it: “We had seven people land jobs this week — some six-figure, with no prior experience. To say tech sales is over is ridiculous.”
The truth is more nuanced. There’s more competition, but also more upside for serious reps. Eric and Kris argue that top performers still thrive, the pay is unmatched without a technical degree, and the skills you develop give you leverage for life.
No. Breaking in is harder than in 2021, but far from impossible. Fewer companies are hiring, but there’s also less noise from people who weren’t serious.
Kris pointed out: “People love to blame the economy. But if you go on LinkedIn and search ‘SDR’ at any top cloud company, you’ll see people breaking in every week. The proof is in the pudding.”
The takeaway: if you put in the work — building a sharp resume, learning interview frameworks, showing grit — the opportunities are still there.
This is one of the biggest fears people have before making the leap. But Eric explained that almost no one regrets giving sales a real try. Even if you move on, the skills you pick up (persuasion, tonality, dealing with rejection, understanding customers) make you far more valuable in any field.
Eric shared: “If you hate it and go back to engineering, you’ll still have a better perspective on how businesses work. That makes you more marketable, not less.”
Kris added that many people leverage sales into other careers — from real estate to entrepreneurship — and succeed precisely because they’ve developed customer-facing experience.
The headlines about layoffs at Amazon, Salesforce, or Google make tech sales look bleak. But layoffs often target other departments, not sales. And downturns create opportunity.
Eric explained: “When market leaders are hurting, startups come in to grab share. If Amazon struggles in one segment, three new companies pop up to disrupt it. That means more opportunities for sales reps.”
Kris argued it’s actually a good time to break in: “A year from now when VC money flows again, you’ll already have tenure and be in prime position.”
Eric contrasted tech sales with engineering and banking. In engineering, domain expertise can trap you in narrow niches. In banking, reaching $500K+ can take a decade of 80-hour weeks.
By contrast, top tech reps can make $300–500K in five years while working 40–60 hours per week. And unlike those rigid tracks, sales gives you options to pivot into startups, entrepreneurship, or other industries.
Kris summed it up: “Sales is self-development in disguise. You grow as a person while building a career that rewards you faster than almost anything else.”
Many hesitate because they don’t want to be seen as pushy or manipulative. Both Eric and Kris stressed that modern SaaS sales doesn’t work that way.
Kris said: “SaaS buyers are too sophisticated. Pushy reps get weeded out. If you’re genuine, consultative, and true to your personality, you’ll do better than trying to copy some LinkedIn guru’s script.”
In short: being authentic is a competitive advantage. Already an SDR? check out how fellow Higher Levels Coach and Oracle SDR Manager consistently crushed his quota.
Another underrated benefit: the people you meet. Eric and Kris both highlighted that tech sales puts you in rooms with ambitious, entrepreneurial peers. Many reps go on to launch companies, break into luxury industries like real estate or yachts, or simply build lifelong networks.
Eric explained: “Compared to engineering, where people often stay locked into one niche for a decade, sales lets you pivot industries. The skill set is portable. If you’re consistently in the top 10–20%, you’ll always find work.”
Q: Is tech sales still a good career in 2025?
A: Yes. Top performers are still earning $200–400K+. The opportunity is alive, but the margin for mediocrity is gone.
Q: How hard is it to break in now?
A: More competitive than 2021, but still very possible. Hundreds of people are landing SDR jobs every month — especially those with polished resumes and interview prep.
Q: What if I hate sales?
A: Even a year in sales makes you more marketable. Many people transition into adjacent careers with stronger communication and business skills.
Q: Does AI replace sales reps?
A: No. AI saves time on admin, but trust, tonality, and discovery can’t be automated. Reps who use AI have the edge.
Q: How does tech sales compare to other careers?
A: Banking pays well but demands 80-hour weeks. Engineering can plateau. Sales offers faster financial upside with transferable skills and career flexibility.
→ If you’re serious about breaking into tech sales in 2025, join our Tech Sales Ascension program. It’s the world’s largest online bootcamp for tech sales and has helped thousands of people land roles at companies like AWS, Oracle, and Databricks.
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