Most selling careers follow a similar trajectory. Even for me, years ago as I finished my education at Baylor University, I joined the workforce in an entry-level position — ready to learn all I could and prove my worth. I gained on-the-job training that helped me grow and excel, while providing my mentors and other top-performing professionals extra support by taking on lower-level tasks so they could focus on providing higher value to the organization. It is a no-brainer for training recent graduates, for supporting your seasoned professionals and for managing resources effectively for the long-term within an organization.
But today, artificial intelligence (AI) is threatening these entry-level tasks in part — and sometimes in entirety. From research and data entry to other basic needs of a selling organization, AI excels. In fact, in a recent report by Intelligent.com, 69% of hiring managers surveyed flat-out said AI can do the work of recent college graduates. And 78% of hiring managers also said they planned to lay off recent graduates and turn to AI instead.
These insights alarm me. They should alarm you too, whether you are a selling leader or sales professional or an up-and-coming salesperson. Because while replacing entry-level positions with AI might reduce an organization’s costs in the short-term, it will leave the entire industry low on a seasoned talent pool in the future.While I cannot argue against the value of AI when used strategically, I see a compromise for selling leaders to explore as an avenue of true progress — where people and technology are not competing but working together for the greater good of your buyers and your organization. I see a way to Seek to Serve™ people, not to blindly lean on technology.
PUT AI IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR RECENT GRADUATES
No matter how proficient AI is at performing entry-level tasks, this technology still requires a handler — and, I would argue, the human touch. When we put too much trust in automation or AI tools, we sacrifice critical thinking humans do best. We have seen firsthand how AI can be misused, such as in replacing the voice of the customer (VOC), and lead an organization astray. And questions remain to the accuracy and applications for this novel tool, and an overall lack of personalization that limits the authentic value selling organizations should be aiming for.
Instead of going all-in AI, organizations instead can look to partner recent graduates with AI tools, to still get the stepping stones they need to quickly advance in their career path while tapping into AI to the best of its usefulness. In that same Intelligence.com study, 95% of hiring managers said they were more likely to hire graduates with background or proficiency in using AI.
Even if a promising recent graduate has little to no AI experience, gauge their openness and curiosity. Younger generations bring a high level of technologic literacy. It is likely some will have experience with AI tools and how to use them to your organization’s benefit.
For selling leaders and organizations, new employee growth from mentorship and guidance should still play a key role in entry-level jobs. But explore new ways how you can get the most out of recent graduates, including by partnering them with AI. Give them opportunities to prove themselves to move up the stepping stones to higher-level positions.
As a recent graduate in the selling arena (or arguably any industry today), bring your A-game and prove that you are agile and quick to grow. Tenacity and flexibility have always been important in a career in sales, and it is becoming even more-so as technology rises and the competition gets tougher.
SEEK TO SERVE™ OUR NEXT GENERATION OF SELLING LEADERS
By supporting selling interns and recent graduates, you are doing more than fortifying our future workforce. When you become a mentor and guide to selling graduates, you can achieve a level of return money cannot compete with. You get to be courtside as you watch a young person’s life grow and evolve, and you can win with every professional win they achieve. You, a human, can support another human on this planet — and is that not what part of life is truly about?
Do not let AI become foe to the next generation of selling professionals. Instead, hold fast to the meaningful responsibility of serving the future of your organization by serving our recent graduates.
To apply the Seek to Serve, Not to Sell® philosophy throughout your entire organization, check out our eBook and stand out with your buyers.
PRACTICE A SUPERIOR KIND OF SELLING