College students can make some of the best sales development representatives (SDR) in a B2B sales environment. While some might find this shocking, as they would typically look to experienced veterans to head their sales endeavors, college students have something that most experienced people don’t; a hungry desire to go, grow and learn.
Hiring College Students as SDRs
College SDRs have the energy and desire that most hiring companies crave, however they lack the sales experience that some companies require. In exchange for the sales experience, they are motivated to learn and soak in what information and teaching is available. They are not comfortable with the way they have been working for the past 30 years, but rather they are excited to begin.
In the same way, a kid goes into a candy store for the first time, college students who graduate are eager to pounce on any opportunity in an entry level sales job to help launch their career. They have nothing to lose yet and everything to prove. They are more flexible to working over, more negotiable for pay, and more accepting of constructive criticism. Where they lack sales experience, they make up with the energy and versatility they bring.
I think the flexibility to mold a college student is one of the greatest strengths. Since most fresh graduates have little to no sales experience, they are a fresh slate for an entry level sales job. Businesses can mold them the way that they want to fit a specific industry or role.
Hiring companies don’t have to expect baggage or bad habits that college students learned from a previous sales position, as they see their first experiences like the ones to soak in and set their foundation of what B2B sales really is. Their perspective of B2B sales is molded into their first sales experience.
Recruiting Untapped Potential
While college students do make great SDR candidates, they are not always the right option. Sometimes, hiring companies require more experience depending on the job or the position. High energy and the ability to learn are great, but when it comes down to it there are specific jobs that demand experience, and experience only comes through time.
I believe that we are starting to see a shift in the way that young adults fit into our society. A couple of decades ago, it would have been uncommon to see a self-made millionaire in his 20’s whereas today they are becoming increasingly more common.
Taking it down a notch, we are seeing more young adults play the role of the manager in a business environment. Their skills, passion, and desire to give more energy than their older predecessors have created an opportunity for young SDRs to prove themselves.
There is untapped potential waiting everywhere. Both experience and energy have their place in an entry level sales job and as time progresses, the world does change. With a changing world comes changing needs, needs that can be met in new ways.
It’s safe to say that college students can make great SDRs in a B2B sales environment. While college students might not be a one-stop shop for fixing everything, it is certainly worth it to have eager and energized SDRs on your team.
