The ramp (ramp-up) is the period when a new sales rep gets to build pipeline before being held to a full quota. It usually runs 60 to 120 days, and during it the targets are reduced, the comp is steadier, and the expectation is learning and activity rather than closed revenue. It exists for a mechanical reason: in most roles a deal takes several months from first discovery call to signature, so a brand-new rep physically cannot produce at full speed immediately. The ramp is the company acknowledging that.
In plain English
A ramp is the grace period at the start of a sales job. For your first month or two you are not expected to hit the full number — you are expected to learn the product, run the activity, and fill the funnel. Comp is often protected during it, typically with a draw or a guaranteed minimum.
Why it matters to you
The ramp is the only part of the job where a miss does not hurt you, so it is the single best window to build habits. Reps who treat the ramp as a paid training sprint — dialing, sending sequences, learning objections — set up the commission they earn later. The ones who coast hit the end of the ramp with an empty pipeline and full quota at the same moment, and that is how first sales jobs end fast. Ask the length of the ramp and what attainment is expected by its end; it tells you whether the company is serious about SDRs and BDRs actually making it.