TheViking

Director of Enterprise Sales

How does someone land their first SDR role?

My son has been trying to land an SDR/BDR role since graduating college in June - so far he has has countless first interviews, and made it to 2nd round, and even final round a few times, but never to the offer stage. How does someone actually get that first gig? Quite often is has been 'You have no experience as an SDR' - well duh, he is applying for an entry level job for a reason.

The few people on my team that were a BDR in recent years that I asked said 'I wouldn't have gotten that first job if I didn't know someone there that vouched for me' - is there a path in without having a personal reference?

👥 Hiring

🤝 Networking

32 comments

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funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Are they giving him any feedback as to why he doesn't get hired? It doesn't make sense that they'd put him through several interviews only to reject him for being inexperienced as an SDR.

TheViking

Personal Narrative

Director of Enterprise Sales

Well the first one that turned him down after round 3 (or was it 4) said they moved with someone else that had more experience.
The last one told him 'you don't adapt your examples and responses based on your audience well' and 'we are concerned in your long term interest in sales' in his final round (that one I don't get, since sales is where he wants to be long term currently)
During the interview process in all of these when he has asked for feedback its been positive, so its really confusing why he gets rejected.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Someone with no experience will almost always finish second to someone with relevant experience and a decent existing track record. That's just the reality of any job, so he shouldn't get too down about the company that went with a more experienced candidate.

The other one is what I'm concerned about. I know nothing about the company/interviewer but based on my limited knowledge, he didn't do a good job of selling himself in those interviews and the company didn't feel confident moving forward. As someone with no SDR experience, you're not selling based on your track record or what you're bringing to the table in terms of hard skills, you're selling based on your aptitude to learn and be an eventual asset to that company. If you don't come off as very enthusiastic, moldable, interested in the field, and as someone the rest of the team wants around it's going to be very difficult to get in.

General tips:

- Show, don't tell. Saying "I'm a great team player" holds way less sway than telling a story about previous positions where he worked on (or even better, led a team,) and found success.

- He's not coming in with concrete sales knowledge from past jobs, but he should be coming in with some general knowledge and show an interest. Mentioning ways he's educated himself informally (sales books, videos, courses etc) and knowing at least a few things about the company/field you're interviewing for will go a long way here.

- Demonstrating confidence is important, but that doesn't mean pretending to know everything. The interviewer vibe from an entry level SDR should be different than the vibe from a well seasoned Enterprise AE. Being open and admitting you don't know the answer to something (but telling how you'd go about finding out) and talking about areas you look forward to growing in will impress an interviewer. Companies want entry level employees they can mold to their standards.

- Show initiative and class at all interview steps. Be 10 minutes early, dress well, engage in some small talk, mirror your interviewer's energy, ask about next steps at the end of an interviewer, and follow up with a quick thank you email post interview. SDRs need to be go getters above all else.

Hope this helps!

TheViking

Personal Narrative

Director of Enterprise Sales

Thanks! most of these things I've already shared with him (and he does) I like the demonstrate confidence part, very important. I think him being a go getter by asking about next steps and following up is how he has gotten himself to the later rounds.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Is there any reason why you can't refer him to the company you work for? Disclose the relationship obviously, but if you're at the Director level it doesn't sound like you'd be supervising or working with him directly.

TheViking

Personal Narrative

Director of Enterprise Sales

I absolutely would if we had a BDR team. But we don't, and even when we get one going, he needs to be somewhere that has had one for a bit so the processes are defined and they have a training program.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Fair enough. Well best of luck to him - there are plenty of opps out there, he just has to find the right one.

TheViking

Personal Narrative

Director of Enterprise Sales

Yep, it is like learning to become a BDR, lots of rejection until you hit the right opportunity.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Nepotism seems to be a fast track.

PleaseAdvise

Executive

Account Executive

Sad, but so true.

AlphaCharlie

Arsonist

Account executive

To be honest I just applied until I got one, maybe 1 out of 5. It was less crowded back then. Weird how the got so far just to be told he has no experience though...

SaaSam

Politicker

Account Executive

Apply at companies where he has experience in the industry that they sell to. If you don't have relevant job experience as an SDR the next best thing would be understanding the industry they sell to on a personal level.

If you've worked as a waiter, apply for positions at SaaS companies that sell to restaurants.

For every business, there's an industry-specific SaaS product.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Great advice!

SaaSam

Politicker

Account Executive

Thanks! I've been known to drop a nugget here and there

Kinonez

Celebrated Contributor

War Room Enthusiast

Hope he gets one soon!

TheOverTaker

Politicker

Senior Account Executive

It feels like every entry level job is looking for more than entry level experience. My youngest brother just got a job as an SDR with no experience and no connection, but his company isnt stellar, he doesnt love it, and it still took some time. Might just have to settle. First job is always the hardest, then it seems things open up

TheViking

Personal Narrative

Director of Enterprise Sales

Yeah he is far from picky for any SDR job - the job he is doing now is just that ' a job'. He works a contract to hire call center job in the financial industry. Not glorious, no benefits, sucky hours - but at least its a job, just not anything that will get him towards sales.

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

I would suggest him to get more into understanding these roles so his language resonates with people he talk to during interview.

There are many groups on LinkedIn that posts SDR roles, ask him to start networking that might help him. All the best!

fidelcashflow

Catalyst

Account Executive

Have him apply to the companies that are on a hiring spree. If he is applying at a company that is hiring one or two SDRs and he is in a pool full of experienced candidates, they aren't gonna hire him. Look at a series A/B that is hiring multiple SDRs. When I first started I was rejected at almost every place that had 1 head count. I got hired at a place that was hiring 10 SDRs a month and I got hired with someone else fresh out of college, zero experience.

SaaSyBee

Politicker

Founder

He should do a bootcamp like Aspireship or Elevate. Those programs help place their graduates in SDR roles. Getting the gig is all about knowing the right people.

bendandsnack

Politicker

Account Exec

He could try prospecting his first role. Have him cold call sales managers at companies he wants to work at.

A little tricky with the pandemic but I landed a job once while I had a sticky visa situation because I applied online and then showed up at their office with a "thank you" card for the hiring manager.

FattySnacks

Politicker

Senior Account Executive

What’s his email? Can’t guarantee anything but we have a few open spots at my company.

TheViking

Personal Narrative

Director of Enterprise Sales

[email protected] - thanks, much appreciated.

Incognito

WR Officer

Master of Disaster

🤦🏻‍♀️

LordBusiness

Politicker

Chief Revenue Officer

Hiring post college grads is always risky because sales is a pretty popular landing spot for “I can’t find a job” Has he signed up for Bravado jobs? (I know a good few companies looking for SDRs right now). That being said, if I were looking to stand out, I’d go online and find companies hiring for SDRs snd I’d fold call/email the VP of sales. If someone looking for sn SDR role cold called me, I’d push the interview through just for that reason

TheViking

Personal Narrative

Director of Enterprise Sales

He hasn't signed up for Bravado (or Bravado jobs) yet, I'll recommend that. A few of his interviews has been from companies where he did email a sales leader in that company (or hit them up on LinkedIn), just hasn't gotten him all the way to an offer yet.

PleaseAdvise

Executive

Account Executive

My door-to-door sales experience was truly awful at the time. But it helped me land my initial SDR gig.
A buddy of mine sold cars out of college. Now he’s a regional director of sales at a well known tech company.
Not saying your son should go door-to-door or sell cars. But even a little bit of sales experience goes a long way.

MassholeMovesWest

WR Officer

Account Executive

Honestly getting your first SDR job is so fuckin hard. I think I interviewed at 27 companies before I finally landed one at Yelp. The reason? I met someone who was already a rep there and she helped me prep for my interview questions and they hire 40 new reps every month and then it's a matter of survival once you're in there. But once you're in and you can survive, you're good.

I think if you don't have a connection there, asking vet sales reps how to interview well is the best way, but it's really hard when you don't have the experience and therefore, don't have the respect of the person interviewing you. It was a humbling experience to say the least lol.

Gyro25

Notorious Answer

Account Executive

As a BDR who's interviewed a few college grads for sdr/bdr roles, the main things I was looking for were leadership roles, previous experience with rejection, grit and how they overcame rejection and what their end goals are. The question I've always been asked and that I ask is the old age question of "why sales".

If he doesn't know how to answer that question, that may be a red flag. I interviewed a few BDRs who were bartenders, baristas and have generally customer facing roles and they're killing it right now.

Maybe he needs to frame his answers around why sales, why him and what experience he has with rejection. Just my 2 cents.

Gyro25

Notorious Answer

Account Executive

Also, we're hiring SDRs for inbound and BDRs for outbound like crazy, so if he's still looking, let me know.

TheViking

Personal Narrative

Director of Enterprise Sales

He is still looking. (He isn't picky about SDR or BDR, he just wants a path into sales)

PresidentSkroob

Opinionated

CSM

It could also depend on the size of the companies he's applying to. Some startups and smaller companies will prefer those with experience since they'll likely be carrying the load for a while.

Also, have him stretch his creative legs a bit. Have him research the companies and people he's interviewing for/with and tell him to try something completely out of the box: send a video, 'bring' a prospect, prove his research/call/outreach abilities by doing so on LinkedIn and through creative email styles (Gifs & memes perform well in outreach).

I also recommend having him join communities like this and maybe take a couple of courses.