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.
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.
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.
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.
The fastest signal in SDR screening is a short live role-play. Give a candidate a one-line company description and ask them to leave a cold voicemail or open a call, then listen for tone, curiosity, and whether they lead with a reason to care rather than a pitch. Follow with a written cold-email test on the spot, which reveals research habits, brevity, and personalisation instantly. Coachability matters more than polish at this level, so change one thing about their approach and see if they adapt in real time. Grit shows up in how they talk about rejection, so ask about their worst week and whether they still hit activity the next day.
New SDRs ramp fastest when the first two weeks are about your product and buyer, not just cold-calling technique. Have them shadow discovery calls, learn the top three objections and the honest answers, and understand what a qualified opportunity actually looks like for your Account Executives. Set activity expectations early but pair them with quality checks, since a flood of poorly researched touches damages the brand. Give them a warm list first to build confidence before fully cold territory. Weekly call reviews with specific, recorded feedback accelerate improvement far more than a monthly number. A clear, written definition of a handoff prevents friction with the AE team from day one.
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