Hello and welcome to The Modern GTM Executive by Lunar Executive Search - read by 2,000+ leading Sales, Marketing, and Executive Leaders within Growth-Stage Technology businesses. We’re here to help people redefine their perspective on modern revenue acquisition models, understand what talent & skills are necessary to do so, and how to find the to 10% of GTM Leaders to execute.
| Sales Hiring Market – Current LinkedIn Job Postings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Within Software Industry – Posted Last 7 Days | ||
| VP of Sales Jobs | 327 | -19%% |
| Enterprise AE Jobs | 605 | +12% |
| BDR Jobs | 279 | -3% |
To help readers stay grounded in the reality of today’s GTM hiring landscape, I’ll be sharing a weekly snapshot of active sales roles on LinkedIn. These metrics offer a simple but powerful pulse check: where demand is rising, where it’s cooling, and how the broader software market is shifting beneath the surface.
Quick Hits
(Our updated news & trends sections to highlight all relevant stories you need to know going into this week.)
AI layoff narrative under fire: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says some tech companies are engaging in “AI-washing” by blaming layoffs on AI rather than strategic cost cuts, calling for more transparency around job losses.
Block workforce turmoil: Reports surface of chaotic, poorly communicated layoffs at Jack Dorsey’s fintech firm Block, with employees describing the cuts as “horror stories.”
Talent churn in AI startups: OpenAI rehires a senior AI engineer from Mira Murati’s Thinking Machines Lab, amid ongoing high-profile talent movements in the AI sector.
AWS AI outage scrutiny: Amazon’s cloud unit AWS acknowledges past outages linked to AI tools, fueling debate over risks of aggressive automation.
Meta trims compensation: Meta cuts employee bonuses by 5% in 2026, even as it pours capital into AI infrastructure and data-center expansion.
Funding rounds highlight AI & fintech: World Labs leads with a $1B funding round in spatial AI, followed by a $385M Series E for fintech platform Vestwell in this week’s top venture deals.
Tech layoffs tick higher: Early 2026 global layoffs data show more than 30,000 job cuts so far, with Amazon, Meta, Ericsson and others driving reductions as companies balance AI investment with headcount discipline.
The 2026 Over-Performers Will Rake It In in 2026
There’s a quiet shift happening in GTM compensation.
Not a boom.
Not a crash.
A polarization.
2026 isn’t lifting all boats.
It’s rewarding the top 10–20% disproportionately, and compressing the middle.
The Middle Is Getting Squeezed
Lean teams are the new normal.
Boards aren’t funding headcount sprawl. They’re funding efficiency per head.
That means:
Fewer AEs
Bigger territories
Larger quotas
More scrutiny on productivity
Average performance doesn’t get subsidized anymore.
Accelerators Are Back (In a Big Way)
We’re seeing comp plans tilt heavily toward:
Aggressive accelerators at 110–150%+
Uncapped upside
Backend-loaded bonus structures
Multi-year retention incentives
Equity refresh tied to over-performance
Base salaries are relatively stable.
But variable upside?
That’s where the real money is.
In many enterprise orgs, a top-quartile AE can now materially out-earn peers by six figures or more, in the same role.
Why This Is Happening
Two forces are converging:
Headcount consolidation - Fewer seats, more responsibility per seller.
Revenue concentration - A smaller percentage of reps driving a larger share of bookings.
When growth expectations stay high but hiring stays disciplined, dollars consolidate.
Simple economics.
What This Means
If you’re an over-performer:
2026 may be one of the most lucrative years of your career.
If you’re building a team:
Comp plans must clearly separate A players from B players, or you risk losing your top 10% to someone who will.
The era of flat, evenly distributed upside is fading.
The era of paying heavily for execution under pressure is here.
Over-performers will rake it in.
Everyone else will feel the squeeze.
If you want the full breakdown of our thoughts on GTM compensation in 2026, and all appropriate salary bands across Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and more, the data is in this report.
We've got a number of active opportunities across our portfolio of software clients at Lunar Executive Search currently.
A few select openings:
(New) RVP of Sales, East – VC Backed – Enterprise AI (NYC, Boston, Philly)
(New) Revenue Operations Lead - VC Backed - InsurTech (NYC Hybrid)
Enterprise Account Executive - VC Backed - Enterprise SaaS (Remote - Central Territory)
(New) Strategic Account Executive - VC Backed - Enterprise AI (Remote)
Enterprise Account Executive - VC Backed - InsurTech (NYC Hybrid)
(New) Enterprise Account Executive - VC Backed - Media Tech (NYC OR LA Remote)
I'm also always looking to speak to great candidates for future roles:
Chief Revenue Officer - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
Chief Marketing Officer - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
VP of Product Marketing - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
VP of Partnerships - Venture/PE-Backed - SaaS/Cyber/AI
Highlights from The GTM Kickback! Podcast
We've had a number of excellent interviews recently on The GTM Kickback!, with many more already booked and recorded on the way.
Want to be a guest? Ping me on LinkedIn! 😎
We're looking for: High-performance GTM Operators, VC/PE Investors in SaaS, and Leading GTM Consultants for early stage technology businesses
New to "The GTM Kickback!"? Subscribe to the podcast!
This newsletter is powered by Lunar Executive Search - Finding Premier GTM Talent for Growth Stage Tech Businesses.
We help disruptive technology companies grow. For venture-funded start-ups and PE-backed enterprise software firms, we have a track record in finding the Top 10% of Sales and Marketing Leadership Talent, and doing so swiftly.
Reach out here: [email protected]
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Till next time,
Joey
