The Increasing Trend of 100% Commission Positions | Is This Our New Normal?
After nearly a decade in business development—primarily within advertising, design, illustration, and the music sector—I have a solid grasp of my field. I’m proud of my track record, having helped agencies secure highly valuable projects.
Recently, I’ve been transitioning into voice acting (which I’m thrilled about!), while continuing my biz dev work on the side to support myself as I build my portfolio. However, I’m genuinely stunned by a new expectation I’m encountering: a growing number of businesses want individuals to work solely on commission.
In the last few weeks alone, I’ve spoken with at least five agencies that believe it’s acceptable to offer zero base salary—just straight commission. And I’m not talking about fledgling startups; these are established companies unwilling to assume any financial risk when hiring.
Just today, I had a conversation where the person flatly stated, “We don’t have the budget to pay you, but we can offer you 10% of whatever you bring in.”
Seriously?
Business development isn’t just a matter of making a few calls and collecting cash; it requires significant effort. Building relationships, pitching, following up, negotiating, and ultimately securing projects is hard work. Furthermore, in most agency projects, a 10% commission isn’t exactly a game changer. Essentially, they’re expecting people to work for nothing upfront, with a vague promise of payment down the line if everything aligns perfectly.
Am I just hitting a rough patch, or is this an emerging trend? Are others accepting these kinds of roles? Because honestly, it feels like a glaring red flag, and I’d love to know if anyone else is experiencing the same situation.
I’m eager to hear your perspectives. Are you noticing this trend as well, or have I just encountered a series of particularly bold companies?
2 Comments
It’s definitely concerning to hear about the rise of 100% commission roles, especially in sectors like biz dev where the work and effort required can often be undervalued. Your experiences highlight a troubling shift in how some businesses view talent and compensation—essentially outsourcing their risk to employees while expecting them to shoulder the burden entirely.
From your perspective, it sounds like you’re caught in a perfect storm of companies wanting to minimize costs at the expense of fair compensation. While commission-based structures can be beneficial for some sales-oriented roles where income is closely tied to performance, this approach can be particularly problematic when it ignores the foundational work involved in building relationships and securing projects.
It’s not just about making calls; it’s about strategic thinking, understanding client needs, and investing time to cultivate partnerships. The risk associated with 100% commission roles should ideally be balanced by a base salary that recognizes the time and effort put into the business development process.
As for others accepting these roles, it’s a mixed bag. Some might feel they have no choice, especially in a competitive job market where salaries are constrained. However, I do think many people share your apprehension and view these offers as red flags.
Ultimately, it’s important for professionals to advocate for themselves and their worth, and explore other opportunities that value their skills and contributions. If this trend continues, hopefully it will lead to a larger conversation about fair compensation practices across the board. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this—it’s a topic worth discussing!
Thank you for sharing your insights on this troubling trend towards 100% commission roles. Your experience really highlights a broader issue that many in various industries are starting to face. It raises important questions about how sustainable these types of compensation structures are in the long term.
While I can understand the appeal for organizations to minimize financial risk by shifting to commission-based compensation, it seems to be a concerning shift in expectations that undervalues the hard work and expertise that roles in business development require. The skills involved—relationship building, strategic thinking, and negotiation—are not only time-consuming but also critical for the agency’s success.
This raise a couple of points. First, should we be advocating for a shift back to a more balanced approach that includes a base salary? A transparent compensation model could encourage more genuine engagement from employees and result in better outcomes for both the agency and the workforce. This structure not only compensates for the effort that goes into prospecting but also ensures that employees can focus on long-term growth without the constant pressure of securing immediate sales.
Second, it might be worth considering the implications for the industry overall. If established companies set this precedent, we could see a vast decrease in job satisfaction and retention rates. Talented professionals may leave the field altogether or drive up competition in freelance roles, which ironically can lead to further instability.
Perhaps sharing your experience with a broader community like a professional association could lead to more organized responses to this trend. Conversations among peers could pave the way for advocating better practices