How to Get Into Finance Sales With No Experience (NYC, NJ & CT)

Short answer: The most direct way into finance sales without experience is a role that trains you, such as business funding sales. Show hunger, discipline and coachability, learn basic financing terms, practice talking with confidence, and apply to companies with real training and a clear career path. NexGen hires and trains Sales Representatives in Hoboken, NJ.

At a glance

Role: Sales Representative, business funding
Office: 2 Hudson Place, Hoboken, NJ 07030 (in person)
Experience: Not required. We train you.
Who it’s for: Job seekers in NYC, New Jersey and Connecticut
Apply: About two minutes, no cover letter

Finance can feel like a closed door. Many jobs want a specific degree, a credential or years of experience before anyone takes your call. Sales is one of the few ways in where your effort and attitude matter more than your resume, and business funding sales sits right where sales and finance meet.

This guide is for people across New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut who want to break into finance sales. We’ll cover why business funding is a strong starting point, what hiring managers actually look for, how to prepare, how to spot a bad sales job and how to apply. We’re NexGen Lending, and we’re hiring.

What is finance sales?

Short answer: Finance sales means selling financial products or services, such as business loans, lines of credit, insurance or investment services, to people or companies. In business funding sales, you help small business owners find capital to grow, cover cash flow or buy equipment, and you guide them from first conversation to funded deal.

What is business funding sales? It’s the work of helping small and mid-sized businesses access financing. A rep learns the owner’s situation, matches them with suitable programs from a network of lenders, presents the options honestly and follows the deal through to funding.

Why is business funding a good way into finance?

Short answer: It puts you in real conversations about how businesses make money from your first weeks. You learn cash flow, credit, underwriting and deal structure while building sales skills that transfer anywhere. You also work with owners across many industries, which teaches you how the economy actually works at street level.

At NexGen, our programs range from $10,000 to $20,000,000 and many approve in 1 to 24 hours, through a network of 150+ private lenders and partners such as OnDeck, Mulligan Funding, Wayflyer and Rapid Finance. That means reps see a wide range of businesses and deals: a restaurant replacing kitchen equipment, a contractor covering payroll before a big job pays, an e-commerce brand funding inventory for peak season.

Every one of those conversations teaches you something about finance you can’t get from a textbook.

What skills do you need to get into finance sales?

Short answer: You need work ethic, resilience, clear communication and coachability more than technical knowledge. Hiring managers know they can teach products and process. They can’t easily teach drive or the ability to hear “no” and pick up the phone again. Basic comfort with numbers and curiosity about business help too.

Skill	Why it matters	How to show it
Resilience	Sales includes a lot of rejection	Talk about a goal you kept chasing after setbacks
Coachability	Fast learners use feedback right away	Describe feedback you received and how you applied it
Communication	Owners need clear, honest explanations	Explain something complicated simply in the interview
Discipline	Pipelines are built through daily habits	Share a routine you’ve kept, in work, school, sport or fitness
Competitiveness	Top producers want to win and improve	Mention rankings, records or goals you pushed yourself toward
Curiosity about business	You’ll learn how companies run	Ask smart questions about how the company works

What do hiring managers look for in entry-level sales candidates?

Short answer: At NexGen, we look for seven traits: hungry, coachable, competitive, accountable, disciplined, relentless and entrepreneurial. We care less about where you’ve been and more about how you work. We want people who raise the standard of the room and look for solutions before they look for someone to blame.

Hungry: you want more out of your career than a predictable paycheck.
Coachable: you want feedback because you want to improve.
Competitive: you want to win and want the people around you to win too.
Accountable: you look for solutions before you look for someone to blame.
Disciplined: you understand motivation comes and goes. Discipline doesn’t.
Relentless: the first “no” isn’t always the final answer.
Entrepreneurial: you think like an owner and look for opportunities to build.

How should you prepare before applying?

Short answer: Learn the basic vocabulary of business financing, practice speaking clearly and confidently, research the company, and get honest about why you want a sales career. A little preparation shows hiring managers you take initiative, which is exactly the trait they’re trying to find.

Learn the language. Know the difference between a term loan, a line of credit, an SBA loan and a merchant cash advance. Our guide to what a business funding advisor does includes a glossary.
Understand the customer. Read a few of our business owner guides, such as the best business loans, to see the decisions owners face.
Practice your story. In two minutes, explain who you are, why sales and why now.
Practice handling “no.” Think about how you’d respond calmly when someone isn’t interested.
Know your commute. If the job is in person, map the route before you apply.

What should you expect in a finance sales interview?

Short answer: Expect questions about your motivation, how you handle rejection, how you take feedback and how you set goals. You may be asked to do a short role-play. Interviewers are watching for energy, honesty, listening and how quickly you adjust when they push back.

A few tips that help:

Be specific. “I want more” is good. “Here’s what I’ve done to earn more” is better.
Ask about training. Ask how new reps are coached in their first months and what the sales process looks like.
Ask about the path. Ask how people move from rep to senior producer, team lead and manager.
Ask about pay. It’s a fair question. Ask how compensation is structured so you understand it fully.
Listen more than you talk. That’s the job, so show it.

What are the red flags of a bad sales job?

Short answer: Be wary of employers who ask you to pay to start, won’t explain how you’re paid, promise guaranteed income, offer no real training, or push you to mislead customers. A good sales employer is clear about expectations, invests in coaching and wants you to build relationships, not burn them.

Red flag	What to look for instead
You have to pay for training or materials	The company invests in your training
Vague answers about pay	A clear explanation of how compensation works
“Guaranteed” big money	Honest talk about effort, ramp-up and results
No process, no coaching, no tools	A defined sales process, a CRM and real coaching
Pressure to say whatever closes the deal	A culture that puts the customer first

At NexGen, our rule is customer first, commission second. We’re dealing with real entrepreneurs, real employees and real money. The best salespeople listen, tell the truth and do what’s right, because a deal might pay you once while a relationship can pay you for years.

Why start your finance sales career at NexGen?

Short answer: We train you on the business, products and sales process, coach you with people who’ve done the work, give you a CRM and a defined process, and show you a clear path from Sales Representative to leadership. We’re still building, so the people joining now help shape what comes next.

Your first year has a clear shape. In months one to three you learn the business, make the calls and start your pipeline. In months four to six you become more independent and improve conversion. In months seven to twelve you become a serious producer with your own book of business. From year two, leadership, management, business development and lending opportunities open up as NexGen grows.

The path runs Sales Representative, Senior Producer, Team Lead, Sales Manager and Leadership. The goal isn’t just to have a job. It’s to become someone capable of running something.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get into finance sales without a degree?

At NexGen, we focus on hunger, discipline and coachability rather than a specific degree or a perfect resume.

Where is the job?

In person at 2 Hudson Place in Hoboken, NJ, a short PATH ride from Manhattan. It’s reachable from all five boroughs, North Jersey and, with a longer commute, Connecticut. See our guides for NYC, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Is it remote?

No. We believe sales is learned fastest on a sales floor, surrounded by people who are competing and improving every day.

How is the job paid?

Compensation is discussed directly with candidates during the hiring process. Ask our team for details.

How long does the application take?

About two minutes, with no cover letter. If it’s a fit, our team will reach out to set up a conversation.

You don’t need your whole life figured out. You just need to bet on yourself. Apply in two minutes → Questions? Call (908) 639-4361.

NexGen Lending is an equal opportunity employer. This article is general career information, not a guarantee of employment or earnings. Role details are confirmed during the hiring process.