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Advice for Employers and Recruiters

11 tips for recruiting sales students other than through on-campus interviews

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Anita Jobb AvatarAnita Jobb
October 30, 2024


Recruiting sales students can be especially effective through hands-on opportunities and targeted digital strategies beyond traditional on-campus interviews. Employers can partner with business schools and universities offering sales programs to provide internships, mentorships, or project-based roles in sales and account management. These experiences allow students to develop key skills such as lead generation, client relationship management, and negotiation while getting to know the company’s culture and sales processes. Early engagement helps build a pipeline of confident and motivated future sales professionals.

In addition to hands-on experience, employers can leverage online platforms to connect with sales students. Posting internships or entry-level sales roles on job boards like College Recruiter and professional networks like LinkedIn can attract students actively seeking to grow their sales careers. Virtual events, such as sales competitions, product demos, or webinars on sales strategies, provide a dynamic way for companies to engage students and showcase their unique approach to sales. These strategies allow employers to reach a wider talent pool and demonstrate their commitment to developing sales talent without relying solely on traditional recruitment methods.

In the digital age, Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies are seeking innovative strategies to attract young talent for sales roles without relying on traditional campus recruiting. We’ve gathered insights from CEOs and founders, who offer their top tips from leveraging online platforms to embracing virtual career fairs with analytics. Discover eleven cutting-edge tactics that can revolutionize your recruitment process.

  • Leverage Online Platforms and Webinars
  • Host Virtual Interactive Workshops
  • Implement AI-Driven Recruitment Platforms
  • Engage University Micro-Influencers
  • Organize Interschool Competitions
  • Utilize School Management Referrals
  • Partner with Online Communities
  • Conduct Sales-Focused Case Competitions
  • Create Executive-Student Mentorship Programs
  • Utilize Social Media and Online Challenges
  • Embrace Virtual Career Fairs with Analytics

Leverage Online Platforms and Webinars

My top tip for Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies is to leverage online platforms like LinkedIn and virtual job fairs to connect with recent graduates for sales roles. We’ve found that hosting webinars and Q&A sessions targeting students has been highly effective, increasing our candidate pool by 30%. This method allows you to reach a broader, more diverse audience without the geographic limits of on-campus recruiting. Additionally, using virtual tools gives you the flexibility to showcase your company’s culture and career opportunities, all while saving on recruitment costs.

Tornike Asatiani, CEO, Edumentors

Host Virtual Interactive Workshops

Virtual workshops have been a game-changer for us in attracting young talent to sales roles. We showcase our company culture and provide real-world insights into the sales process, which gives students a tangible feel for the job. These interactive sessions allow participants to engage directly with our team, ask questions, and even participate in mock sales scenarios. The results have been phenomenal—we’ve seen a 300% increase in qualified applicants and significantly improved our employer brand among recent graduates.

Praveen Kumar, Founder, Wild Creek Web Studio

Implement AI-Driven Recruitment Platforms

Leveraging AI-driven platforms has revolutionized our remote recruitment process. We’ve implemented an intelligent system that screens applications, conducts initial interviews, and even assesses sales aptitude through gamified challenges. This approach not only saves time and resources but also provides a more engaging experience for applicants. The data-driven insights we gather help us make more informed hiring decisions, resulting in a 30% improvement in new-hire retention rates for our sales team.

Paul Sher, CEO, FuseBase

Engage University Micro-Influencers

To hire college students and recent graduates for sales roles without relying on traditional campus recruiting, Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies should consider building a network of micro-influencers within universities. Rather than waiting for career fairs, tap into campus clubs, student organizations, and entrepreneurial hubs that are already hotbeds for young talent. 

Identify the natural leaders in these spaces—students who already have a foot in the door through internships or side hustles—and empower them to become your ambassadors. These students have their finger on the pulse of what their peers want, and their word carries more weight than any recruiter at a job fair.

Instead of hosting company presentations, collaborate with these micro-influencers to create hands-on sales challenges or competitions tailored to students. Provide real-world sales scenarios that will not only attract competitive, ambitious candidates but will also allow them to showcase their skills directly in front of decision-makers. You’ll get a firsthand look at how they perform under pressure, how they engage in sales negotiations, and what creative approaches they bring to the table.

This strategy goes beyond the typical approach and focuses on activating talent in their environment, creating a win-win for both the candidates and your company.

Raviraj Hegde, SVP of Growth & Sales, Donorbox

Organize Interschool Competitions

Create an interschool competition. Set rules that can help you evaluate participants to determine whether they are fit for the role you aim to fill. Although this might be a huge activity, it’s far better than doing on-campus recruitment because the schools will surely be sending their most outstanding students to compete. So, after the competition, whoever wins can be hired directly or set up for an interview.

Kai Cromwell, Founder | Digital Marketing Specialist, New Seas

Utilize School Management Referrals

Take referrals from their school’s upper management. They are very aware of the candidates who will fit the role. Doing so will lessen the tiring stage of screening candidates because the school already knows the kind of potential employee that you need. They can just send their students or set an appointment with you. So, there is no need for on-campus recruitment.

Jason Davis, Founder | E-commerce SEO Guru, Makarios Marketing

Partner with Online Communities

When we needed to grow our sales team, traditional on-campus recruiting felt limited. We found success by partnering with online platforms where students already hang out, like LinkedIn or even niche forums. We posted opportunities, shared our company story, and saw engagement spike by 30 percent. One standout hire came from a virtual sales competition we hosted, attracting top talent without stepping foot on campus. For Fortune 1000 companies, a creative online approach can offer a broader and more diverse pool of candidates.

Echo Shao, Founder, Lansbox

Conduct Sales-Focused Case Competitions

Sales-focused case competitions offer a unique platform for candidates to demonstrate their sales prowess in a controlled, competitive environment. These events require participants to not only understand and analyze sales scenarios but also to develop and present solutions that are both innovative and practical. Observing how candidates handle these challenges provides recruiters with a clear view of their problem-solving skills, persuasive abilities, and potential to handle real-world sales situations.

Furthermore, such competitions often involve role-playing elements that mimic customer interactions, allowing candidates to display their negotiation skills and adaptability under pressure. Recruiters can assess the theoretical knowledge of candidates and also their practical application in dynamic situations.

Therefore, these competitions serve as an excellent tool for identifying top sales talent who can thrive in a demanding market.

Chris Aubeeluck, Head of Sales and Marketing, Osbornes Law

Create Executive-Student Mentorship Programs

Mentorship programs are the secret sauce for attracting top talent. We’ve helped Fortune 1000 companies create executive-student pairings that provide invaluable real-world experience and foster loyalty. These programs have resulted in a 60% increase in high-quality graduate hires and significantly improved retention rates.

Barbara McMahan, CEO, Atticus Consulting LLC

Utilize Social Media and Online Challenges

My top tip for Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies looking to hire students and recent graduates for sales roles, without relying on traditional on-campus recruiting, is to leverage social media platforms and online sales communities. I’ve found that platforms like LinkedIn are gold mines for young talent, especially through groups and forums dedicated to sales professionals. You can connect with highly motivated individuals who are eager to build a career in sales and are already engaging with content in that space.

Another approach I’ve seen work well is hosting virtual sales competitions or challenges. This allows students and recent grads to showcase their skills in real-world sales scenarios, while you assess their potential in action. It’s also a great way to identify top talent without needing to be physically present on campuses.

By going digital and offering practical engagement opportunities, you not only broaden your reach but also attract candidates who are passionate about sales and ready to hit the ground running.

Kenan Acikelli, CEO, Workhy

Embrace Virtual Career Fairs with Analytics

Leverage virtual career fairs.

Traditional on-campus recruiting is no longer the only effective way to connect with bright, eager candidates. Virtual career fairs—especially those tailored to specific industries or roles, offer a unique opportunity to engage with a larger, more diverse pool of applicants. 

These events allow recruiters to showcase their company culture, share detailed job descriptions, and interact directly with potential hires through webinars and one-on-one video chats. Not only does this approach save time and reduce travel costs, but it also ensures that you are not limited by geographical constraints, thus widening your talent pool.

Additionally, integrating data analytics into your virtual recruiting strategy can significantly enhance your ability to identify the best candidates. Many virtual career platforms offer advanced analytics that track candidate engagement, qualifications, and interests. 

By analyzing this data, recruiters can gain valuable insights into each applicant’s fit for the role, enabling more informed hiring decisions. This data-driven approach not only streamlines the recruitment process but also helps in building a pipeline of qualified candidates who are genuinely interested in your organization.

Tomasz Borys, Senior VP of Marketing & Sales, Deep Sentinel

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