From Zero to 100: How to Break Into Tech Sales Without a Degree or Experience

Picture this: You don’t have a college degree. You’ve never sold a thing professionally. And yet, here you are, eyeing a career in tech sales—a field known for big commissions, fast promotions, and the kind of experience that opens serious doors. At first glance, it might feel out of reach. How do you get into tech sales with no experience? How do you break into tech sales without a degree? These are the questions running through your mind as you scroll job listings that seem just out of reach. Here’s the truth: this industry doesn’t care where you went to school—or if you went at all. Tech sales is one of the few high-growth, high-earning paths where performance outweighs pedigree. It’s not about having the right diploma; it’s about having the right drive. If you’re resourceful, coachable, and hungry to prove yourself, there’s absolutely a path in. You can build the skills, gain experience, and get hired—without ever setting foot in a university classroom. This is your roadmap: a tactical, no-fluff guide on how to get into tech sales, how to get into tech sales with no experience, and how to get into tech sales without a degree. Whether you’re switching careers, skipping college, or just looking for a new challenge, this guide will walk you through exactly what it takes to break in. Also read: Cracking the Code: How to Build a Career in Tech Sales What Even Is Tech Sales? Tech sales is the business of selling software and technology services—most commonly SaaS (Software as a Service)—to other businesses. Think tools like Slack, HubSpot, or Zoom. Most people start as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) or Business Development Representative (BDR). These are entry-level roles focused on prospecting: researching leads, sending cold emails, calling potential customers, and booking meetings for more senior account executives to close. It’s not glamorous at the start, but it’s a crash course in business, communication, and resilience. And it’s the launchpad for roles that can take you into sales leadership, customer success, or even product strategy. Why Tech Sales Is Worth It Strong pay: Entry-level roles typically offer a base salary between $45K–$65K, with commission pushing total compensation to $70K–$90K. Top performers often earn six figures within a couple of years. Fast growth: Promotions can happen in under 18 months if you're hitting targets. You don’t have to wait years for a raise or title change. Low barrier to entry: No need for a CS degree or Ivy League diploma. Companies care more about how well you can sell than where you went to school. Career flexibility: The skills you learn—persuasion, problem-solving, negotiation—are valuable everywhere. Also read: Is Hirey legit? Here's what you need to know Step 1: Understand the Job Before you jump in, understand what you’re signing up for. Entry-level tech sales isn’t closing million-dollar deals—it’s outreach. Lots of it. That means: Sending personalized cold emails Making cold calls (yes, still a thing) Researching companies and decision-makers Qualifying whether a prospect is a good fit Booking meetings for the account executive You’re not expected to close deals yet—but you are expected to hustle, learn fast, and build pipeline. Step 2: Learn the Tools and Lingo You can’t sell in tech without knowing the landscape. Here's what you'll want to familiarize yourself with: Sales tools: CRM platforms: Salesforce, HubSpot Prospecting tools: LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo, ZoomInfo Email tools: Outreach, Mailshake, Lemlist Video tools: Loom, Vidyard Team comms: Slack, Notion, Asana Concepts to understand: What a sales funnel is How to qualify leads (BANT, MEDDIC) Cold email best practices Objection handling basics How sales and marketing work together No need to pay for courses right away. YouTube, blogs like Sales Hacker or Close.com, and podcasts like "30 Minutes to President’s Club" are free and fantastic. Step 3: Consider a Bootcamp or Training Program If you want structure or a faster on-ramp, there are legit training programs that don’t require a degree and come with job support. Some options: Aspireship – Free or low-cost training for SaaS sales with job placement help SV Academy – Full-time remote program for underrepresented candidates CourseCareers – Affordable entry-level training with employer connections Prehired – Income-share agreement model; you pay only after you land a job Not mandatory—but if you’re struggling with self-teaching or want to stand out, they can give you an edge. Step 4: Build Some Kind of Experience If you don’t have a sales background, create your own. A few ways: Freelance lead gen: Offer free or low-cost outreach help to small businesses or solopreneurs. Build lead lists, write emails, run campaigns. Side projects: Record a cold pitch for a product you love. Write a sample cold email. Build a mini outreach campaign. Post it on LinkedIn to show initiative. Volunteer for a startup: Many early-stage founders need help prospecting but can’t hire full-time. Offer a trial week of support. Practice cold calls: Join Slack communities or bootcamp forums that host mock calls. You’ll get feedback and build muscle. Save everything. These projects are your proof of work when you apply. Also read: In the increasingly complex world of hiring platforms, here's why customers chose Hirey Step 5: Network Like It’s Your Job Tech sales is a people-driven industry. You can cold-apply all you want, but building relationships will 10x your chances. Try this: Find reps on LinkedIn: Reach out to current SDRs or Sales Managers. Ask for a 10-minute chat, not a job. Show interest in their company: Say you’re learning about SaaS sales and love what their company is doing. Ask what their day-to-day is like or what they wish they knew starting out. Post your journey: Share your learning process on LinkedIn—what you're reading, trying, building. It shows initiative and builds visibility. Join sales communities: RevGenius, SDR Nation, Women in Sales, Sales Hacker—all have events, Slack groups, and peer learning. Every great sales career starts with someone opening a door. But you have to knock first. Step 6: Apply Smart and Interview Strong When it’s time to apply, customize your resume to highlight the salesy parts of your experience—even if they weren’t in a sales role. Examples: "Led outreach to 200+ event attendees, booking 30 demo calls" "Managed customer communication and upsells in retail environment" "Created a cold email campaign for a startup founder" Then practice your interview answers. Be ready to talk about: Why you want to be in tech sales What you’ve done to prepare (projects, learning, outreach) How you handle rejection Examples of working hard, staying organized, or communicating clearly Show you’re coachable. Show you’re resourceful. Show you’ll work hard. And don’t let imposter syndrome stop you. Sales leaders don’t care if you went to Harvard. They care if you can pick up the phone, learn from feedback, and hit quota. Step 7: Once You’re In, Keep Leveling Up Getting into tech sales is just the beginning. If you want to rise through the ranks and keep your income and skills compounding, here’s what you should do: Track your performance metrics: Know your numbers (emails sent, meetings booked, pipeline generated). Keep learning: Subscribe to sales newsletters, follow sales podcasts, and roleplay often. Ask for feedback: Regularly seek coaching from peers and managers. Make yourself indispensable: Be the rep who not only hits targets but helps others hit theirs too. Consider niche specialization: Enterprise sales, cybersecurity, health tech—each has its own rhythm and reward. Sales is a craft. Treat it like one. Learn the mechanics. Practice the pitch. Study people. The best sales reps aren’t smooth talkers—they’re sharp listeners, relentless problem-solvers, and quiet students of human behavior. And if you’re thinking about the long game? Good. Because this isn’t a dead-end role—it’s a launchpad. You can grow into an Account Executive role, where commissions get bigger and deals more complex. You can pivot into Customer Success, where you’ll work closely with clients post-sale. Or you can stay on the frontlines and become the best damn SDR coach your team’s ever had, shaping the next wave of reps who’ll follow your lead. There’s more than one way to build a career here. You don’t need a polished resume or a four-year degree to get started. What you need is hustle. Humility. Curiosity. And proof—however scrappy—that you’re willing to do the work before anyone’s handed you a title. Because in tech sales, someone will take a bet on you. Also read: App reviews can be manufactured and misleading. Here's what legit users have to say about Hirey.