Go-to-Market
Lauren Daniels
January 27, 2026
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Sales development sits at the front line of revenue creation. When SDR performance is strong, the pipeline stays healthy, and forecasting becomes more reliable. When it is not, even well-run sales teams feel the impact quickly.
Despite this, many companies continue to struggle with high SDR turnover and uneven results. Roles are filled quickly, expectations are vague, and hiring decisions are often made on instinct rather than evidence. The result is a cycle of short tenures, missed targets, and constant rehiring.
In most cases, the problem is not talent availability. It is hiring for the wrong traits and rushing decisions in a role that directly shapes pipeline quality. This guide explains how to define the SDR role clearly, assess candidates effectively, and build a hiring process that supports long-term SDR success.
Hiring an SDR is not about filling an entry-level seat. It is about placing someone in a revenue-critical role that determines how opportunities enter your sales process.
SDRs are responsible for initiating conversations, qualifying prospects, and protecting account executive time. They decide which accounts move forward and which do not. That responsibility requires sound judgment, consistency, and confidence in live conversations.
The role also demands emotional resilience and structure. Rejection is frequent, feedback is constant, and performance is visible. Effective SDR hiring balances short-term output with long-term development, recognising that strong SDRs improve with coaching and time rather than instant results.
The SDR role carries a unique set of pressures that separate it from most other sales positions.
Rejection volume is high, and outreach is repetitive by design. SDRs are measured on top-of-funnel outcomes that they fully own, often with limited control over deal progression beyond qualification.
Performance is closely monitored through activity, conversion rates, and feedback loops. Coaching is frequent, and expectations evolve quickly. For many organisations, the role is also designed as a growth position, with progression into closing roles or leadership over time.
These conditions require a specific mindset that does not always correlate with previous sales titles or industry experience.
Strong SDRs are comfortable initiating contact through phone and email. They can qualify leads using structured frameworks and communicate clearly in both written and verbal exchanges. Precision matters more than polish, especially early in a prospect relationship.
Resilience is non-negotiable. Candidates must demonstrate how they respond to rejection and feedback without losing consistency. Coachability, organisation, and time management are equally important, as is accountability for outcomes rather than activity alone.
Transferable sales skills tend to matter more than direct industry experience. Patterns of achievement, learning speed, and discipline often predict success better than tenure. Many high-performing SDRs come from early-career backgrounds where habits are still forming, and feedback is welcomed.
Job boards remain useful for attracting early-career and volume applicants. LinkedIn outbound sourcing allows for more targeted outreach to profiles that match your ideal SDR criteria.
Internal referrals from AEs and existing SDRs often produce strong cultural fits. Recruiting partners can add value when speed, scale, or market-specific expertise is required.
Remote and nearshore talent pools continue to expand access to capable candidates, provided onboarding, coaching, and expectations are clearly defined from the start.
Before the interview begins, define what success looks like in measurable terms. Align hiring criteria with your sales motion and document tools, workflows, and handoff processes so candidates understand the environment they are entering.
Resume screening should focus on measurable achievements rather than job titles. Early phone screens are best used to assess communication, motivation, and role expectations. Misalignment at this stage is easier to address early than later.
Structured evaluations reveal far more than conversation alone. Live cold call role plays, objection handling scenarios, and written follow-up exercises provide insight into how candidates think and respond under pressure. Prospect research walkthroughs help assess preparation and prioritisation skills.
Final interviews should involve SDR management and account executives. Cultural fit, collaboration style, and career alignment matter, especially in roles designed for internal progression.
Effective questions focus on accountability and learning. Ask candidates to walk through quota performance, explain how they manage rejection, and describe how they organise daily outreach. Exercises that test adaptability and learning speed often surface potential that resumes do not.
Confidence without competence is a frequent trap. Industry experience is often overvalued, while structured evaluation is skipped. Moving too slowly can cost strong candidates, while misaligned compensation creates frustration early. Role plays and practical assessments should never be optional.
Early onboarding should prioritise product understanding and shadowing. Outbound execution should increase gradually, with quota expectations introduced in stages. Clarity builds confidence and consistency.
Regular call reviews, feedback sessions, and skill-focused training matter more than activity tracking alone. Clear promotion paths and performance benchmarks help retain strong performers and set realistic expectations.
External support can make sense during rapid growth, after repeated churn, or when expanding into new markets. It is also valuable when internal teams lack the time or expertise to design structured hiring and enablement processes.
Hiring the right SDR requires structure, clarity, and patience. The role demands skills and behaviours that interviews alone rarely uncover. Teams that invest in disciplined hiring, evaluation, and onboarding processes build more predictable pipeline outcomes and stronger revenue foundations over time.
What is the ideal background for an SDR?
There is no single ideal background. Transferable skills, resilience, and learning ability matter more than industry experience.
How long should the SDR hiring process take?
Most effective processes run between two and four weeks, balancing speed with structured evaluation.
What are early signs of a strong SDR hire?
Consistency, coachability, and preparation often appear before top performance metrics.
How do you reduce SDR turnover?
Clear expectations, structured onboarding, and visible career paths play a major role.
When should companies outsource SDR hiring or training?
Outsourcing can help during rapid scaling, repeated underperformance, or market expansion where internal expertise is limited.
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