European sales postings jump 22% in a month, though last week slipped from its peak
New sales job postings across Europe rose 22% over 30 days, but the weekly pace has eased 8% from its high point in late October.
is what the typical role asks for. 12% ask for 10 years or more.
38% of open roles state years3,129 new roles in the last 30 days, against 2,573 the 30 days before, at the same companies.
Companies read for 60 days or moreat 2,840 companies hiring in Europe.
Issue of 2 November 2026This week's read
Across Europe there are 9,888 open sales roles right now, posted by 2,840 different companies. New postings rose 22% in the last 30 days compared with the 30 days before that. Still, the pace has cooled a bit from its peak: the week of 19 October was the busiest of the past two months, and last week came in 8% below that high point.
No single company controls this market. The top 8 employers by open roles together hold just 7% of all postings, so the jobs are spread across many firms, from well known names like Salesforce to firms like Sonepar.
Some employers are growing their hiring fast while others are pulling back. Johnson & Johnson's new postings rose 44% versus the period before, while HP's fell 45%. That is a sharp split between two companies of similar size in this market.
When it comes to skills, CRM tools are the most asked for, showing up in 19% of all postings read in full. Certifications barely come up at all.
Most roles want real experience: the typical posting asks for a minimum of 5 years, and 12% want 10 years or more. Remote options are limited too, just 11% of open roles can be done remotely, so most sales jobs expect you in person.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Expect a slower process
A typical sales role stays open 31 days before being filled. Apply promptly but plan for a few weeks of back and forth before you hear back.
- CRM knowledge is widely asked for
CRM tools appear in 19% of postings, more than any other skill in this market. It is worth knowing which systems come up most before interviews.
- Don't count on remote work
Only 11% of open sales roles in Europe are remote. If location flexibility matters to you, narrow your search early rather than assuming it is common.
Momentum
New Sales roles each week
Last 30 days: 3,129 new roles, against 2,573 the 30 days before (+22%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 644 |
| 14 Sep | 639 |
| 21 Sep | 598 |
| 28 Sep | 685 |
| 5 Oct | 714 |
| 12 Oct | 715 |
| 19 Oct | 957 |
| 26 Oct | 883 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open Sales roles
2,840 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 7% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles |
|---|---|---|
| Synnex | 103 | -7% |
| Salesforce | 98 | -16% |
| Jobs.Intesasanpaolo.Com | 97 | |
| Sonepar | 96 | |
| IQVIA | 84 | |
| Johnson Controls | 77 | +24% |
| Hewlett Packard Enterprise | 70 | |
| Uber | 63 |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology Sales roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 9,624 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: SaaS 11%, Healthcare 4%, Retail 3%. Certifications named: driver's license 1%. 11% of open roles say they are remote.
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