A sales development representative (SDR) finds new potential customers and books meetings for the sales team. Some companies call the same job business development representative (BDR). The role suits people who like talking to strangers, can handle many "no" answers, and want a first job in B2B sales without years of experience.

What employers ask for right now

Seniority. Many postings do not state a level. Of those that do, most are entry level. Senior titles include "Sr. SDR" and "SDR Manager".

Experience. Many postings do not ask for a number of years. Of those that do, most ask for 1 or 2 years. So 1–2 years is the normal bar, and many companies accept less.

Workplace. Hybrid and on-site roles are more common than fully remote ones.

Skills and tools. Most postings ask for outbound prospecting, and many name a CRM. Salesforce is the CRM named most often. Outreach, Salesloft, LinkedIn Sales Navigator and HubSpot are also common.

Pay. The top of many posted ranges includes commission. For comparison, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics groups this work with wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives. It reports a median pay of $76,460 in 2025, and $104,920 for representatives who sell technical and scientific products (checked October 2026).

Who is hiring. Demand is spread across many employers. Software, AI and data, and fintech companies hire the most SDRs.

Step-by-step: how to get in

1. Check the basics (no cost). No licence or regulator controls SDR work. The BLS says certifications are voluntary. Employers rarely ask for certifications for this role. They ask for prospecting, CRM use and clear communication.

1. Learn how B2B sales works (2–4 weeks, free). Learn the basic words: prospect, lead, qualified meeting, pipeline, quota, account executive (AE). HubSpot Academy offers free online courses. Its Inbound Sales certification takes about 3 hours, and the free HubSpot Sales Hub Software certification takes about 1 hour 45 minutes (checked October 2026). These do not replace experience, but they give you words and examples for an interview.

1. Learn one CRM hands-on (1–3 weeks). Salesforce is the CRM employers name most often, and HubSpot is second. Salesforce runs the free Trailhead learning site. It also offers a credential called Agentforce Sales Foundations. This credential is optional, and almost no postings ask for it. Check the exam fee on the official page before you register.

1. Practise outreach on real targets (2–4 weeks). Pick ten companies you would like to sell to. For each one, find the likely buyer on LinkedIn, write a short cold email and a 30-second call opener. Write down why that buyer might care. This becomes your interview portfolio, and you can show it when an employer asks how you would approach their buyers.

1. Use the experience you already have. Customer-facing jobs count: retail, hospitality, call centres, recruitment, fundraising. Put numbers on your CV: calls a day, sales targets met, customers served. Hiring managers look for targets, so show any target you hit.

1. Apply to many companies, in both titles. Search for "SDR" and "BDR" and the full titles. Postings are spread over many employers, so apply widely. If you speak a second language, search for language-specific roles too. In the EU, most postings ask for a language other than English, most often German or French.

1. Prepare for the interview. Learn the company's product, its typical buyer and its main competitors. Be ready to give numbers for any targets you met in past jobs. Many postings mention commission, so ask how the base salary and commission are split.

A realistic total time is 2–3 months from start to first offer for a person with customer-facing experience. The direct cost can be close to zero.

Entry level

At entry level you work at the top of the funnel: the first contact with buyers who do not know the company yet. You research accounts, send sequences of emails, make calls and send LinkedIn messages. You book meetings for an account executive. You log every activity in the CRM.

What employers ask for: outbound prospecting and CRM use. Many entry-level postings ask for about 1 year of experience, and many ask for none.

What to learn next: a sales engagement tool such as Outreach or Salesloft, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator for finding buyers. Learn how to ask discovery questions so your meetings are qualified, not only booked.

Mid level

Mid-level SDRs usually own harder targets. These are larger accounts, enterprise buyers or a specific region. They are expected to manage their own pipeline with little help.

What employers ask for: pipeline management, enterprise sales and SaaS sales experience, usually with about 2 years in the role. Pay for mid level is close to entry level. The SDR title has a narrow pay band. Most growth comes from the next role.

What to learn next: call recording and analysis tools such as Gong, account planning, and how deals are closed. Ask to join AE calls so you learn the later stages.

Senior level

Senior titles include "Sr. SDR" and "SDR Manager". These postings are less common than entry and mid level. A senior SDR often trains new hires and works on top accounts. An SDR manager hires, coaches and owns the team target.

The usual next steps are account executive (closing deals; see how to become an account executive in Germany), SDR manager (leading people), or account management and customer success.

Differences by country

• United States: the largest market. US postings give salaries most often, so you can compare pay before you apply. Some jobs pay by the hour.
• United Kingdom and Ireland: a large English-speaking market. Software, AI and data, and fintech companies hire the most.
• Germany, Spain and the rest of the EU: most postings ask for a spoken language other than English. German is the most common, then French and Spanish.

Common mistakes

• Searching for one title only. SDR and BDR jobs are the same kind of work. Search for both, and for the full titles.
• Paying for courses first. Employers rarely ask for certifications. Free training plus a practice portfolio is enough to start.
• A CV with no numbers. Sales hiring managers look for targets. "Handled customers" is weak. "Made 60 calls a day and met target 5 of 6 months" is strong.
• Ignoring the CRM. Many postings name a CRM. Say which CRM you used and what you did in it.
• Reading OTE as base pay. A high top number in a range often includes commission. Ask what the base salary is and how commission is paid.
• Skipping company research. You cannot write a good outreach message for a product you do not understand. Learn the product before the interview.

FAQ

Do I need a degree to become an SDR? No licence applies to SDR work, and certifications are voluntary. Employers ask mostly for prospecting and CRM skills. Some companies still list a degree, so read each posting.

How much experience do SDR jobs ask for? Many SDR postings do not state a number of years. Of those that do, most ask for 1 or 2 years. Few ask for 3 years or more.

How much does an SDR earn in the US? See the live pay figures in the section "What employers ask for right now". The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median pay of $76,460 in 2025 for the wider group of sales representatives (checked October 2026). The top of a posted range often includes commission (on-target earnings, OTE).

What is the difference between an SDR and a BDR? Both roles find and qualify new prospects and book meetings for account executives. Companies use the two titles for very similar work, so search for both.

Which tools should an SDR learn first? Salesforce is the tool employers name most often. Outreach, LinkedIn Sales Navigator and HubSpot are also common. Learn one CRM and one sequencing tool well.

Can an SDR work remotely? Yes, but most postings are not fully remote. Hybrid and on-site roles are more common than fully remote ones.