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Sales Development Representative Job Description

A Sales Development Representative (SDR) is the engine of top-of-funnel growth. They prospect, qualify, and hand off leads so that closers can focus on deals rather than discovery. A great SDR combines relentless curiosity with thick skin — they research prospects deeply, craft personalised outreach, handle objections confidently, and keep CRM data immaculate. The right hire measurably shortens sales cycles and raises average deal quality from day one.

Key skills

Cold calling and cold emailingProspect research and account mappingCRM hygiene (Salesforce, HubSpot)Objection handlingSales engagement platforms (Outreach, Salesloft)Active listening and discovery questioningPipeline metrics trackingTime management and daily prioritisation

Responsibilities

  • • Prospect and qualify inbound and outbound leads against ideal customer profile criteria
  • • Execute multi-touch outreach sequences via phone, email, and LinkedIn
  • • Book discovery calls and demos for Account Executives
  • • Maintain accurate contact and activity data in CRM at all times
  • • Meet or exceed weekly and monthly qualified-meeting quotas
  • • Collaborate with marketing to refine messaging based on prospect feedback
  • • Attend pipeline reviews and report on outreach performance metrics
  • • Continuously test subject lines, call scripts, and cadence structures

Requirements

  • • 1–2 years of experience in a sales, customer-facing, or outreach-heavy role
  • • Demonstrable track record of hitting activity and conversion targets
  • • Comfortable making a high volume of cold calls daily
  • • Proficiency with at least one CRM platform
  • • Strong written communication skills with attention to personalisation
  • • Resilience in the face of rejection and ability to self-motivate

Nice to have

  • • Familiarity with the company's target industry or buyer persona
  • • Experience using LinkedIn Sales Navigator for prospecting
  • • Exposure to MEDDIC, SPIN, or similar qualification frameworks

What to look for in a great SDR

Beyond quota numbers, look for evidence of process. The best SDRs can walk you through exactly how they research an account, why they chose a particular opening line, and what they changed after a sequence underperformed. Coachability matters more than polish — someone who absorbs feedback and iterates quickly will outpace a natural talker who never evolves. Also probe for grit: SDR roles involve a lot of rejection, so ask for a specific story about a rough patch and how they pushed through it.

Where to source SDR candidates

University sales programmes, business development bootcamps, and internal promotions from customer support are reliable pipelines. Recruiting from adjacent roles — recruitment consultants, account managers at SaaS vendors, inside sales reps — can yield candidates who already understand B2B buying cycles. Referrals from your existing sales team carry strong signal because salespeople rarely recommend someone they would not want to work alongside. LinkedIn sourcing with targeted boolean searches on 'BDR', 'SDR', or 'inside sales' in your target city is a cost-effective starting point.

Interview questions to ask an SDR

Ask them to sell you something on the spot — it does not matter what, you are evaluating composure and structure. Follow up with 'Walk me through your current prospecting sequence and why you built it that way.' Ask about a deal they lost at the qualification stage and what they learned. Finally, give them a realistic objection ('We already have a vendor for this') and watch how they handle it — do they fold, bulldoze, or genuinely explore? The last question reveals more about future performance than a CV ever will.

FAQ

Hiring a Sales Development Representative — FAQs

What does a Sales Development Representative do? +
An SDR focuses exclusively on the top of the sales funnel. They identify potential customers, conduct outbound outreach via calls and emails, qualify prospects against defined criteria, and schedule discovery calls or demos for senior salespeople. The role is metric-driven, with success measured by qualified meetings booked and pipeline generated rather than closed revenue.
What skills does an SDR need? +
Core skills include confident cold calling, persuasive written communication, CRM proficiency, objection handling, and the ability to research accounts quickly. Soft skills like resilience, active listening, and time management are equally important because the role involves high rejection rates and requires disciplined daily activity management.
How much does an SDR earn? +
SDR compensation typically combines a base salary with a variable component tied to meetings booked or pipeline created. Total earnings vary widely by industry, company stage, and geography — entry-level roles in smaller markets pay less than positions at high-growth tech firms in major cities. It is best to benchmark against current local salary surveys for the most accurate range.
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