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How to get your first job in the channel (with no experience)

On ChannelCareers, most entry-level jobs are sales development jobs at suppliers. You call and email people who might buy, and you set up meetings for senior sellers. Other first jobs exist, but fewer are open at any time. Pick the road that fits you, then read the guide for that job.

By ChannelCareers. Updated . Built from our live job posts and public sources, listed at the bottom.

See Entry-level sales (SDR and BDR) jobs

Key takeaways

  • On October 21, 2026, ChannelCareers had 256 entry-level jobs. 245 were sales development or inside sales jobs.
  • Other first roads are partner marketing, partner ops, technology advisor firm staff and MSP help desk. Check the board, because there are fewer of these right now.
  • Cisco and Palo Alto Networks run early-career programs. Their pages say what they offer.
  • With no experience, show results. Count real things you have done, like events you ran or goals you hit.
  • The Bridge Group found the average SDR stays 1.9 years. Plan the next step early.

What is the channel, in one minute?

The channel is how technology gets sold through other companies, not only by the company that makes it. It has four stops.

  • Supplier: the company that makes the product or service, like a software maker or a carrier.
  • Distributor and TSD: a distributor supplies products to many partners. A TSD (technology services distributor) holds contracts with many suppliers and gives technology advisors and MSPs access to them. Older channel language calls a TSD a master agent.
  • Partner: a company that sells, refers or supports a supplier's products. Technology advisors, resellers and MSPs are partners.
  • Business: the customer that buys and uses the technology.

Jobs exist at every stop. That is why there is more than one way in.

Which first jobs are there?

Here are the common first roads. Each one has its own guide.

TSD staff and channel manager jobs are usually a later step, not a first job. The TSD Channel Manager guide shows the path.

On October 21, 2026, ChannelCareers had 256 entry-level jobs. 245 were sales development or inside sales jobs. 4 were technology advisor firm staff jobs, 1 was a partner ops job and none were partner marketing or MSP jobs. None were internships or part time. Counts change every day, so check the board.

Which one fits you?

This is our advice. Use it to pick a starting point.

  • You like talking to people and hitting goals: try SDR or BDR work.
  • You like planning events, writing and getting a message out: try partner marketing.
  • You like checking details and fixing records: try partner ops or commissions.
  • You like small teams and helping people with their choices: try technology advisor firm staff.
  • You like fixing tech problems: try MSP help desk, with sales engineering as the next step.

You can change roads later. Many skills carry over.

What do employers look for?

Every post is different, so read each one. Two big suppliers show what early-career hiring can look like.

  • Cisco CSAP: a 12-month global program for early-career people. It covers Sales and Technical Sales roles, with coaching and work on real deals.
  • Palo Alto Networks: an Inside Sales Academy for early-career BDRs that runs about a year, and a Sales Engineering Academy that runs two years. The company says it welcomes people with a degree, a bootcamp or self-taught skills. It says you do not need security expertise.

Look for words like Academy, Early Career, New Grad and Associate in job titles. Those posts are written for people near the start.

How do you stand out with no experience?

This part is our own advice.

  • Show results, not duties: write what happened because of your work. Count real things, like events you ran and how many people came, or goals you hit in a store or a volunteer role.
  • Keep the resume to one page: short and clear is easier to read.
  • Read the company's partner program page: look for one on the supplier's site. Note how partners qualify and what they get. Mention one detail in your cover note.
  • Talk to people: ask someone in a job you like for 15 minutes. Ask what the week looks like. The community link at the end of this page is one place to start.

Applying does not guarantee an interview, and every company hires in its own way.

What training helps?

For the technical road, CompTIA says A+ prepares you for jobs like help desk technician. It has two exams, Core 1 and Core 2. CompTIA lists no formal prerequisite and recommends about 12 months of IT support experience. The exam costs money, so check the price on the CompTIA site.

The Partner Ops and Partner Marketing guides point to Salesforce Trailhead, a free learning site. For sales roads, we think real results on your resume count for more than a course.

How long do people stay in a first sales job?

The Bridge Group 2025 SDR report covers 351 B2B companies. It found an average ramp time of 3.0 months. That is how long a new SDR takes to get up to speed. It found an average tenure of 1.9 years.

So plan your next step early. Ask in the interview where past SDRs went next. The guides above show what the next jobs look like.

Our guide to OTE explains how sales pay works. Our interview questions guide shows how to prepare.

What does it pay, and who is hiring?

240open jobs
129companies hiring now
13%remote
156jobs show pay

Typical base pay: $53,000 to $70,000

$37,000$140,000

From 101 jobs that list a yearly base salary. The dark part is the typical range.

Senior roles can pull the top end up. Some jobs list pay with a bonus included, so read each post.

From the Entry-level sales (SDR and BDR) jobs on ChannelCareers on November 1, 2026. These numbers change as jobs open and close.

Who is hiring right now

Arrow Electronics 14Wolters Kluwer 8Verkada 7AvePoint 6ZoomInfo 6Oracle 5

Newest Entry-level sales (SDR and BDR) jobs

Questions, answered fast

Do I need a degree to start in the channel?

It depends on the post. Palo Alto Networks says its early-career programs welcome a degree, a bootcamp or self-taught skills. Other companies set their own rules, so read each post.

Is SDR a good first job in the channel?

It is where most entry jobs are, so it is the most common way in. It teaches you to talk to buyers and to handle no. Read the Entry-level sales guide to see if it fits you.

Do I need a certification?

Not for most sales roads. For MSP help desk jobs, read each post. CompTIA says A+ prepares you for help desk work. CompTIA lists no formal prerequisite for it.

Can I work remote in my first channel job?

Some jobs are remote. On October 21, 2026, 41 of our 256 entry-level jobs were remote and 33 were hybrid. Use the filters on the board for the latest.

Are there internships or part-time jobs?

None of our entry-level jobs were internships or part time on October 21, 2026. Some post titles name a graduation year, like Summer 2027 Graduates, so read the dates.

How do I find channel employers?

Start with the ChannelCareers board. Many entry jobs are at suppliers. Then read a supplier's partner program page to learn how it works with partners.

What is the difference between SDR and channel sales?

An SDR finds buyers and books meetings. Channel sales roles work with partners to grow sales. Channel account manager jobs are usually a second step. See the Channel Account Manager guide.

Which first job leads to sales engineering?

MSP help desk is one road. Palo Alto Networks also runs a Sales Engineering Academy, and Cisco CSAP covers Technical Sales. Read the Sales Engineer guide.

Meet people in the channel

Young Channel Leaders is a community for people early in their channel careers.

Sources

Our own live jobs, plus the pages below. Many are company blogs, so we treat their numbers as rough.