sales comp structure - BEWARE - Account Executive Brooksource Employee Review

1.0
12 Aug 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Can learn recruiting & interview skills quickly which will always be foundational to any career you later pursue Get exposure to areas of business you might not in other sales roles so early in your career If you scroll down you’ll find a recent review posted by a Market Director of Indianapolis. In the cons she acknowledges that base pay is significantly lower than other organizations but highlights how higher paying competitors are more likely to churn new hires and will “cut you” quicker, and Brooksource focuses more on long-term retention and success. As an employee in a different market that was sold heavily on this concept of having a longer, more patient ramp up into your sales career I have a few comments on how that promise has played out after 3 years selling - I encourage any college grad interested in a sales career to view this “perk” with extreme scrutiny. Any sales career is HARD, but especially staffing. The industry and ALL staffing organizations are becoming more commoditized, the sales cycles are extremely long, turnover high, cultures can be toxic, and the total comp is relatively very low to other industries. However, top performers are VERY well paid and it's typical that a staffing top producer earns 500k+. If you feel you have the potential to be a rockstar seller, you will excel quickly here (of course granted you have the right combination of inheriting a hot territory, being favored by leadership, timing, etc) . BUT - if you are a smart seller with high potential, you will quickly get frustrated with that extra long "leash" the rest of your peers are granted. As a top producing sales rep (or even an average rep outpacing their own "burden" / salary), the deals you close directly subsidize the lowest performers and the cost to continue to employ and invest in them. The commission structure at brooksource was updated for some markets (think it may be all now) to raise everyone's salary and implement a "draw" - so an AE who has closed $0 of business will earn the exact same as one that closes $150,000 annually. Only after you exceed the draw will you earn commission.

Cons

That said - some may see Staffing as a promising sales opportunity with low barriers to entry and quicker path to the ""AE"" title compared to more lucrative industries such as tech, med device, pharma, etc. I don't think its the worst idea to get a lens into recruiting and exposure to how these firms operate before applying that interviewing + sales knowledge to bigger and better things 6 months to a year later. But if you are genuinely eager to hunt or pursue a closing role in sales and want to be a high paid AE, I highly encourage pursuing a Business Development / SDR role in a more respectable industry / company out of college, leaning in heavily into mentorship from sales leaders + AEs you work with, and grind it out - not only will you be in a WAY better spot comp-wise immediately, but will also have 10x more lucrative career opportunity and promotion path down the line. Again encouraging everyone considering Brooksource to evaluate the concept of how the AEs that actually produce are subsidizing the weakest links at the company for WAY too long (years) and if that matches your personal values. If having patience and investment is important to you and you are coachable, can learn sales and eventually don't mind "passing it on" to those that come after you, Brooksource may be a good fit. But if you want to sell, earn a fair commission and feel confident you'll become a top performer, I'd look to true technology sales and start in Business Development

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Brooksource Response
1y
Thank you for taking the time to bring this to our attention. The well-being and feedback of our employees are topics we take seriously here at Brooksource. It is for this reason we welcome all constructive criticism from our employees and consultants, as we are always trying to better ourselves and the experiences we offer. We will strive to bring more transparency to the decision-making process as we attempt to strengthen our organization and ensure its ability to withstand the cycles of the market. We appreciate you bringing this shortcoming to our attention and invite you to bring any additional concerns you may have to your direct manager as we are always trying to improve!

Explore other reviews about Brooksource

5.0
5 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great company to work for.

Cons

Great company and people, and resources.

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Brooksource Response
5d
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback! At Brooksource, we strive to better the lives of our consultants, so we appreciate any feedback we can use to address the needs of our organization. If you have any additional feedback or suggested improvements, please email us at success@eightelevengroup.com as we are always trying to better the experiences we offer.
3.0
9 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This company relies on growth from within, so if they see potential in you, they will help you get to that next level. There is always a huge support system around you at all times.

Cons

The amount of support can quickly turn into micromanaging, and promoting from within is great until you start protecting those who earned their title sheerly through tenure or a 'good ol' boy' system. Also, the pay is abysmal. They pay you the absolute minimum in salary and the rest is based off of commission, so even the best reps can lose everything on a clients whim, going from making almost $200K a year to $30K in the blink of an eye. They say they have protections in place for that but that's only for the people who earn the company millions of dollars for 4 consecutive years. Also, there really is no such time as a work/life balance here. They throw parties to make you think you do, but if you are out on PTO you will still be judged by your KPI's while you were out, and they expect you to pick up the phone, regardless of if you are on vacation or at your grandfathers funeral. "Still gotta keep you numbers up!"

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