---
title: How millennials are changing sales  - The Hustle
description: Charisma alone doesn’t cut it anymore.
image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1745966158-HS-News-Brief_2022-11-09T014809.109Z.webp
---

# How millennials are changing sales

![Rob Litterst](https://thehustle.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Rob-Litterst-pic.png?width=48&height=48&name=Rob-Litterst-pic.png) [Rob Litterst](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/rob-litterst) [Rob Litterst Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/robbylit)

Published:  November 09, 2022

Updated:  October 11, 2023

*Glengarry Glen Ross* was released in 1992. The movie, based on a play of the same name, painted a drab picture of the pushy, bag-carrying sales rep, and popularized a new mantra for sales floors everywhere:

![How millennials are changing sales](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1745966158-HS-News-Brief_2022-11-09T014809.109Z.webp?width=595&height=400&name=1745966158-HS-News-Brief_2022-11-09T014809.109Z.webp)

“Always be closing.”

With purchasing departments now dominated by millennials in a digital world that differs widely from the one depicted in the film, the nature of sales has [changed](https://www.wsj.com/articles/millennials-are-changing-what-it-takes-to-succeed-in-sales-11667878038?mod=business_lead_pos6), per *The Wall Street Journal*.

#### **Changed how?**

Two broad trends have led to a shift in the day-to-day workflow of the modern sales rep:

- **Buyers are finding products on their own,** which is one reason sales reps are making fewer cold calls and embracing more intimate communication channels like text and direct messages on social platforms.
- **Sales cycles are taking longer,** and instead of pushing a sale on a single decision-maker, sales reps are spending more time mapping out organizations and building value with various stakeholders.

These shifts mean the modern sales professional looks more like a product consultant, needing strategic thinking more than charisma.

#### **This has caused challenges for recruiters…**

… who say younger workers still [associate](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-pay-is-high-and-jobs-are-plentiful-but-few-want-to-go-into-sales-11626255001) the job with old stereotypes, including high-pressure tactics. Further, while the skills required to succeed in sales have changed, one thing remains the same — sales is stressful:

- A 2021 survey from Gartner found ~90% of sales professionals suffer from burnout.

There is one downside to the shift in selling — a consultative approach isn’t quite as cinematic as the [extroverted huckster](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0sfpJir8BU).

Topics: [Sales](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/sales)

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