How to become a sales development representative with no experience

The short answer: you don't need sales experience to become a sales development representative (SDR). SDR is the entry-level job in tech sales. What you need is a way to get noticed by people who are already inside, because a cold application is one of hundreds. The most reliable way I know is a referral, and you can earn one even if you don't know anyone yet.

Here's how I did it, and the exact process I'd follow if I were starting again today.

How I got in (it wasn't the apply button)

In my late twenties I wanted a career change, and tech sales kept coming up: good pay, a clear path up, no specific degree required. So I did what everyone does. I applied. A lot. Through company websites, through LinkedIn, through anything with an "Easy Apply" button. Mostly I heard nothing.

What actually worked was much less efficient-looking. I got to know people who already worked at the companies I wanted: SDRs, BDRs and account executives. The first one happened by accident. I was buying a used car on Facebook Marketplace, and the seller turned out to be an account executive at Sage Intacct. We haggled for a long time. We settled on $9,700, a couple of my nicer camera lenses, and one more thing: a referral for an SDR role.

That referral got me through the first two interview rounds. The third round was a role play, and that part was on me. I got the job.

The lesson wasn't "buy a car from a salesperson." It was that one person on the inside changed everything, and that you can meet those people on purpose. My sister later did exactly that after years in the culinary world, with strangers on LinkedIn, and landed her first tech sales job in San Francisco.

Why referrals beat applying

A recruiter skims a pile of applications. A referral is a person they trust saying "talk to this one." In one well-known study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, referred candidates were 6% of applicants but 29% of hires, and more than twice as likely to get an interview.

That doesn't mean a referral is guaranteed, or that you'll get one from everyone you message. It means it's worth far more of your time than the 200th application.

Step 1: Know what the job actually is

Before you reach out to anyone, understand the role, because they'll ask why you want it.

An SDR (BDR is usually the same job) starts conversations with businesses that might buy the product, and books meetings for the account executives who close the deals. Expect a mix of:

• Outbound: cold calls, cold emails and LinkedIn messages to people who haven't heard of you.
• Inbound: following up fast with people who asked for a demo.
• Follow-up, constantly. Most people don't answer the first time. Polite, persistent follow-up is the job.

You'll have a monthly target (quota) and pay that's part salary, part commission (OTE). Go in with the right expectations: lots of "no," lots of learning, and a fast path to AE if you're good. Here's what a normal SDR day looks like.

Step 2: Make your LinkedIn worth clicking

Everyone you message will look at your profile before they reply. It doesn't need to be impressive, it needs to be clear: a friendly photo, a headline that says where you're going ("Aspiring SDR · 4 years in hospitality, top seller on a team of 30"), a few lines about why tech sales, and your past jobs with numbers wherever you can.

Teaching, serving, retail, recruiting, coaching, the military: all of it involves persuading people, handling rejection and hitting goals. Say so. Use this checklist.

Step 3: Pick companies, then find your people there

Choose five or so companies you'd actually like to work at, ideally ones hiring SDRs right now. Then find two or three people at each who do the job you want: SDRs, BDRs, or account executives. People who were in your shoes recently reply the most, and someone who lives near you is a bonus.

That's what Warm Hires is built for: every job comes with the people who work at that company, so you're not guessing who to message.

Step 4: Reach out out of curiosity, not for a favor

This is the part most people get wrong. Don't ask a stranger for a referral. Ask about their experience. Be genuinely curious about their role and their company, because you actually want to learn, and people can tell the difference.

A connection request can be as simple as:

Hi Maya, I'm looking into the SDR role at Gong and would love to hear about your experience there. Open to a quick chat sometime?

Once they accept, a short first message: who you are, why them, and an ask for 15 minutes on their schedule. Here are the exact messages, step by step.

Step 5: Follow up (it's practice for the job)

Plenty of people won't reply to your first message. That's normal and almost never personal. Send one friendly bump about five days later, maybe one more a week after that, then move on to someone else.

Don't be shy about this. Reaching out and following up, professionally and politely, is literally what SDRs do all day. Doing it well in your own job search is the best proof you'll be good at it. It's what turns into your first conversation, then your first referral, then your first interview, then your first tech sales job.

Step 6: Have the chat, build the relationship, then ask

Keep the call to the time you asked for. Ask about their day, how they got the job, what the interviews were like, and what they wish they'd known. Good questions to bring. Send a thank-you the same day.

If it went well, a day or two later it's fair to ask whether they'd feel comfortable referring you, and to make it easy to say no. Many companies pay employees a bonus for referrals who get hired, so a good candidate helps them too. Then apply, and let them know you did.

Step 7: Learn the language

Once conversations start turning into interviews, brush up on the words you'll hear. You don't need to be an expert, but you should know what an ICP is, how MQLs and SQLs differ, what BANT stands for and how it shows up in a real conversation, and what discovery means. The sales process in plain English walks through all of it with one example, and the glossary has the rest.

Step 8: Prepare for the role play

Almost every SDR interview ends with a mock cold call. That's where my referral stopped helping and I had to deliver. They're not grading perfection. They're watching whether you open politely, ask good questions, stay calm when they say "not interested," and ask for a meeting.

Practice the five-part call out loud a few times before your interview. The step-by-step role-play guide has openers and answers to the objections you'll hear, and interview prep covers the rest of the process.

Questions people ask

Do I need a degree? Many SDR postings say "bachelor's preferred," not required. The job page here shows what each company asks for. A referral matters more than a degree for most of these roles.

A job asks for a year of experience. Should I still apply? Usually, yes. SDR requirements are often a wish list. Customer-facing work counts. Talk to someone on the team first and ask.

How long does this take? It varies a lot. A realistic pace is a few new people a week, a handful of conversations a month, and interviews following those conversations. Consistency beats bursts.

Can I do this remotely? Yes. There are remote SDR jobs open across the US, and the outreach happens on LinkedIn anyway.

Where to start today

Pick one company you'd love to work at, find one SDR there, and send one curious note. That's it for today.

If you want help, Warm Hires is free: answer a few questions and you'll get jobs that fit you, the people to talk to at each company, messages written for you, and reminders when it's time to follow up.