By Marcus Editorial Team | November 23, 2025
Why Tech Sales Is the Career That’s AI-Proof and Still Lucrative
Charlotte Menendez was crying in her car. In March 2023 she left a London marketing agency shift after her £3,000 raise request was rejected. Two years later she earns £90,000 as an Account Executive at a Series B SaaS company, closing six-figure deals across Europe. The catalyst? Tech sales.
The Profession Hiding in Plain Sight
Despite 76 percent of UK employers struggling to fill tech sales roles while salaries reach £200,000+, most graduates still think “sales” means hawking phones.1 In reality, these pros guide C-suites through digital transformation, diagnose business problems, and orchestrate complex buying committees. They’re consultants who get paid when solutions land.
The Money Is Real—and It Starts Fast
Entry-level Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) in London earn £35k-£42k base plus £15k-£25k commission (OTE £50k-£67k). In the US, SDR OTE hits $60k-$90k. Career progression compounds earnings quickly:
- Years 1-2: SDR (£50k-£67k OTE UK | $60k-$90k US)
- Years 2-4: Account Executive (£80k-£120k OTE UK | $100k-$180k US)
- Years 5-8: Enterprise AE (£150k-£250k+ OTE UK | $200k-$400k+ US)
- Year 8+: Sales leadership (£200k-£500k+ OTE UK | $300k-$800k+ US)
The AI Plot Twist Everyone Got Wrong
When generative AI exploded, many feared automation. Instead, AI now handles 60+ percent of repetitive tasks like data entry and follow-up, freeing humans to focus on diagnosis, negotiation, and political navigation. McKinsey’s 2025 study shows 98 percent of AI-enabled sales teams outperform their peers.2 PwC’s AI Jobs Barometer found AI-exposed sectors like tech sales growing 4.8× faster with wages 16 percent higher for AI-fluent talent.3
How Charlotte Menendez Actually Did It
Menendez gave herself 90 days. Month one: master SaaS fundamentals and sales methodologies via TryMarcus. Month two: 200 tailored LinkedIn messages yielded 43 informational interviews. Month three: 83 applications → 12 first rounds → 2 offers. She accepted an SDR role (£42k base + £13k variable), was promoted within 11 months, and jumped to her current £90k OTE company 13 months later.
The Five Skills That Actually Matter
- Curiosity about business models. Learn industries quickly and ask better questions.
- Emotional resilience. Rejection is constant; recovery speed matters.
- Structured thinking. Sales is a repeatable process, not charisma.
- Adaptive communication. Translate tech for finance leaders and value for engineers.
- Comfort with ambiguity. Every deal is unique; decisions happen with incomplete data.
Remote Work Changed the Game
Hybrid mandates hit many departments, but sales teams remain distributed because talent resides everywhere. A graduate in Newcastle can work for a San Francisco startup earning $85k; London AEs sell into the US while living in Shoreditch. Remote cultures reward quota attainment over office politics (see our remote leadership guide).
Breaking In: The 90-Day Action Plan
Days 1-30: Learn the Language
Complete HubSpot/Salesforce certifications, read “The Challenger Sale,” or accelerate via Marcus’s tech sales course for AI-personalized drills.
Days 31-60: Network with Intent
Connect with 100 SDRs/AEs, request 20 short calls, and secure referrals. Sales professionals love sharing playbooks when approached respectfully.
Days 61-90: Interview & Iterate
Apply to 40-60 SDR roles at Series A-D companies. Use STAR stories, research their ICP, and highlight your learning plan. Negotiate your offer—even entry roles can net £2k more for the asking.
Industries Hiring Right Now
- AI & ML platforms: 170% YoY posting growth; SDR OTE £48k-£62k.
- Cybersecurity: 367% hiring growth for security sales support.
- Cloud infrastructure: steady enterprise demand.
- Vertical SaaS & climate tech: faster cycles, higher LTV, mission-driven buyers.
Start where you have domain expertise (edtech if you taught, legaltech if you paralegal’d). Hiring managers prize industry fluency.
The Hard Parts No One Mentions
Earnings depend on hitting quota, pressure resets monthly, rejection is relentless, and the learning curve is steep. Vet employers on ramp time, enablement resources, and historical attainment before signing.
Why This Matters in November 2025
Tech sales talent shortages collide with remote opportunity and AI enablement. LinkedIn lists sales among the world’s most in-demand roles, yet universities barely teach it. This arbitrage won’t last as education catches up. Right now you can outpace peers by investing 90 days.
Your Next Move
- Audit your transferable skills this week.
- Complete one structured sales program this month (TryMarcus, HubSpot, or similar).
- Implement a 50-company outreach plan next month.
- Use interview wins + metrics to negotiate offers by day 90.
Want to get there faster? Marcus’s AI tutor builds a custom SDR-to-AE learning path, blending MEDDIC drills, AI selling labs, and live coaching. Book a demo to upskill your entire revenue team.
References
- CIPD (2025). Over a million have changed jobs over a lack of flexibility.
- McKinsey & Company (2025). AI Adoption in Commercial Functions.
- PwC (2025). Global AI Jobs Barometer.
- LinkedIn (2025). Most In-Demand Jobs Report.
- HubSpot, Salesforce, and industry salary guides cited throughout.
