Starting a SDR/BDR Team - Looking for Pros vs Cons of hiring experienced vs fresh reps!

Just received the nod to start a Sales Development Department at my company (a healthcare patient engagement solution). Previously relied on only inbound traffic and looking to grow the company even more by adding an SDR Team.


I am a little bias on the matter as I myself was a rookie SDR in a SAAS company. For all those who stated a team what benefits do you all see in hiring Vets vs Rookies?


Thank you in advance for the help!

Who would you rather hire for a brand new SDR Department?

Attached poll
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๐Ÿ‘ฅ Hiring
โœŒ๏ธ Growing Pains
๐Ÿ›ฉ Onboarding
4
Rallier
Politicker
6
SDR Manager and Consultant
I once built out an SDR program. Start with experienced reps. Then, later on you can hire new reps.
MrMotivation
Politicker
1
Sales
This is the answer I align with. It always helps to have experienced reps that can help new reps when you aren't able to help them. When I have built teams in the past, I would pay a bit more for an experience one, give them a title to make them feel good, and then hire the rest.ย 
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
4
Director Sales and Market Development
Rookies, moldable, coachable, no bad habits to break or looking to get promoted too quickly. Also skys the limit and no bad experiences to say "this is the way we/I used to do it". Avoid retreads whenever possible. But you need one or 2 that can hit the ground running and mentor the new ones. One or 2 SDR jobs prior with solid reasons for leavingย 
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
2
โ˜•๏ธ
I hired two non-insurance reps with 1 year of previous SDR experience to my last company and they quickly out-performed the third member of the team who had 3 years of insurance industry experience.

Proved to me that skills and motivation are more important than industry-specific knowledge. So, in the end, grab some fresh ones or those with little experience.
funcoupons
WR Officer
2
๐Ÿ‘‘
For an entry level position like SDR I'm all for hiring based on drive, personality, and attitude - hard skills can be taught.
MMMGood
Celebrated Contributor
2
Senior Account Executive
Hire ONE person that has experience that can act as a Team Lead and be a mentor. The rest, go for fresh, hungry and motivated folks that want to blast through the gates of the sales world.ย 
Pennington
Fire Starter
1
Director of Sales Operations
Love this
MMMGood
Celebrated Contributor
0
Senior Account Executive
However, best to set expectations for that ONE leader...and pay them accordingly.ย 
Pennington
Fire Starter
0
Director of Sales Operations
I am willing to pay for top talent in addition to having that individual drive team and individual goals adding additional accelerators for them to incentivize and have them live up to expectations.ย 
LoonLoon
2
Director of Customer Experience
I recently was in the same position. We initially went through a sales bootcamp and had a bunch of interviews with people who had zero sales experience. It was a really bad time - everyone crashed and burned on basic sales knowledge questions that the bootcamp supposedly covered.ย 

We ended up hiring someone more intermediate who could get up and running quickly but also has potential to grow as the team grows.ย 
Bittersweet0326
Politicker
0
Digital Business Associate
I think it has to be a blend. You want those with experience but also fresh faces to help see things that the experienced folks might not.
SADNES5
Politicker
0
down voters are marketing spies
Hire for FIT train for Skills... no joke.ย 
10

Have you even been a team lead or a player/coach for an AE team? What was the experience like?

Question
25
10

What are the most important traits you look for in a SDR or BDR?

Question
12