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Top 25 SDR/BDR Interview Questions & Answers 2026 — Transcript

by Connor Murray · 12,041 words · 1,774 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

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0:00In this video I'll be giving you word
0:01for word answers to the top 25 most
0:04important SDR interview questions
0:06straight from the perspective of a
0:08former SDR manager myself who's
0:10interviewed and hired hundreds of
0:12candidates. So I know how these
0:14interviews are structured, I know what
0:16the hiring managers are actually looking
0:18for, and I know how to help you blow
0:19them away with your answers. So I've
0:22structured this into seven core sections
0:24that represent what hiring managers are
0:26looking for. First, your background and
0:28motivation, your understanding of the
0:30role, how you'll approach prospecting
0:33and outreach, how you'll handle
0:34objections and rejections, behavioral
0:37questions, those are the tell me about a
0:39time blank, whether you're coachable and
0:41have a growth mindset, and how you wrap
0:44up the interview and differentiate
0:46yourself. So this first section is going
0:48to be your background and motivation
0:50starting with the infamous walk me
0:53through your background. So this can
0:55come in the form of walk me through your
0:57background, tell me about yourself, what
0:59led you to the interview today. They're
1:01all the same question and a lot of you
1:03make the mistake of taking this for
1:04granted like it's one of those layups
1:06where you kind of ease into the
1:08conversation, but I promise you for most
1:10of you this is the most important
1:11question of the entire interview
1:13process. You can win the interview with
1:15this question and more importantly you
1:17can lose the interview with this
1:18question. And what they're really asking
1:20here is not to hear your whole life
1:22story as nice as that would be. What
1:25they're really evaluating is can you
1:27make a strong confident first impression
1:29because they know that you should know
1:31that this is likely the first question
1:33you'll face and they want to see that
1:34you're prepared. So did you come
1:36prepared and do you understand the role
1:38you're actually interviewing for and can
1:40you communicate clearly without
1:41rambling? That's key. You don't want to
1:43ramble on 5 minutes about your life
1:45story. They're evaluating your
1:47communication skills right out of the
1:49gate with this first answer. So a very
1:51basic answer framework you can follow is
1:53yes, you can give them a brief
1:54background like where you're from, what
1:57you studied in school, prior work
1:58experience, but keep it light, keep it
2:00to about 30 to 45 seconds max, and then
2:03immediately start tying it in to why you
2:06want to go into the a sales career, why
2:08that background led you here, and why
2:10this role is a strong fit for you, and
2:12then also why this company is a strong
2:14fit for you and the specific role stood
2:17out. So what this can sound like high
2:18level if I was asked this question, and
2:21just to preface all of these examples
2:22I'm going to be applying to a made up
2:24company called Capital Site. They're a
2:26software company that sells financial
2:27management software. So I'd say
2:29something like, "Yeah, so I'm from
2:31Boston, Massachusetts. I've grew grown
2:33up here and lived here my whole life.
2:35Grew up playing sports. I played
2:36basketball, soccer, baseball. Always
2:38loved the competitive environments.
2:40Ended up going to Boston College as well
2:42studying finance there. I initially
2:44thought that was the path I'd pursue
2:46going into school, but coming out I
2:48really like the idea and want to pursue
2:51a career in sales because I've liked the
2:53idea of a performance-based career. I've
2:55always been someone who works hard,
2:57likes to get ahead, and I like that idea
2:59that the harder I work and the more
3:00effort I put in, the more I can up-level
3:02my skill set and advance my career. And
3:05ultimately that led me to applying to
3:07the SDR role at Capital Site today
3:09because I really like the space that
3:11Capital Site is in. It matches well with
3:13my finance background, but I really like
3:15the idea of joining a fast-growing
3:17company in a large and growing market
3:20and landing at a place that long-term I
3:22can continue to grow my career here." So
3:25you can see I did touch on my background
3:27a little bit. I wasn't a robot just
3:29going straight into why sales and why
3:31this company. I did give them a bit of a
3:33background, but I understood that the
3:36underlying question here, they don't
3:37want to hear about all my my hobbies and
3:39what I like to do with my free time. We
3:41can get to that later in the interview
3:43process. What they want to see you do is
3:45that you understand one, you're prepared
3:47and you understand where they're going
3:49with this because the next questions
3:50they're going to ask are why do you want
3:52to go into sales, why do you want to do
3:54so at this specific company? So for a
3:56lot of these entry-level recruiter
3:58interviews or when you're meeting with a
4:00first hiring manager, this is just a
4:02huge sigh of relief when you're able to
4:04give an answer like that that knocks out
4:06the next two or three questions that
4:09they were going to ask. But continuing
4:11on here, sometimes they'll press a
4:14little deeper like why sales
4:16specifically? Can you tell me more about
4:18that? And what they're actually
4:20evaluating here is do you understand
4:22what a sales role actually involves
4:24day-to-day or are you just saying that
4:26you want to go into sales? Are you
4:27motivated by growth and performance not
4:30just money? Money can be a feature of
4:33your answer, but it shouldn't be the
4:34primary driver of the answer. And then
4:37will you stay resilient when rejection
4:40and repetition kick in. So the answer
4:42framework for this, explain kind of like
4:44I did in the last answer, why a
4:46performance-based career appeals to you
4:48cuz that's ultimately what a sales
4:49career is. You connect effort to skill
4:52development to career and income
4:54progression, and then you highlight
4:56character traits in your answer about
4:58yourself that will translate to sales
5:00career success. So if I got asked this
5:02directly, I would again say, "Yeah, so
5:04this idea of a performance-based career
5:06is really what appeals to me. I've
5:08always been someone who wants to put in
5:09the effort, get ahead, up-level my skill
5:12set, and I know if I continue to do that
5:14I can advance both from a career
5:16standpoint and an income standpoint. I'm
5:18thinking long-term here. And then some
5:20of the things about me that make me
5:22confident that sales is the right career
5:24is one, I'm hard working and I'm gritty.
5:26That's always been my base. I've always
5:28liked to work hard. Two, I'm very
5:30competitive. I understand that in a
5:32sales role I'll have a quota. There'll
5:34likely be a stack rank. I'll be
5:36competing against performance-wise
5:38against other people in my organization
5:40and that's something that really fires
5:42me up and motivates me. And then third,
5:44I'm very coachable. I'm always seeking
5:46out best practices and what's working
5:48from those who are ahead of me because I
5:50know that's the quickest way to learn
5:51and then applying it quickly and
5:53iterating it from there. So that's
5:55ultimately what makes me really excited
5:57for a sales career and especially at
5:59Capital Site."
6:01So there you can see I used all the
6:03answer frameworks, tied it together in a
6:05nice clean 60 to 90 second answer.
6:08Why do you want to work at our company?
6:10So they might dig deeper into this as
6:12well and you want to have a good answer.
6:14Those are really the three key
6:15categories: why sales, why this
6:18industry, and why this company. So what
6:20they're actually evaluating is are you
6:22genuinely excited about this company and
6:25role or is this just another interview
6:26you blasted out or application you
6:29blasted out and showed up for? Did you
6:31do actual real research or you mass
6:33applying everywhere? Did you actually
6:35put in the effort and do you know,
6:37excuse me, how to prepare and research
6:39accounts effectively? So the answer
6:42framework for this, explain how you
6:44intentionally narrowed in on sales and
6:46high-quality growth opportunity like
6:48this company, share why this industry
6:50stood out to you and what attracted you
6:52to it, and then connect that to why the
6:54specific company is positioned well in a
6:57place you want to grow your career. So
6:59you can say something like, "So yeah,
7:00once I decided that sales was the career
7:02path I wanted to pursue, then it became
7:04what industry do I want to be a part of?
7:06And I looked at real estate, financial
7:08services, and ultimately I landed on
7:10tech and software sales because it's
7:13such a big and fast-growing market and
7:15there's still so many companies that are
7:16doing things with legacy tools or legacy
7:19processes that haven't upgraded to more
7:21modern solutions. The financial
7:23management space really appealed to me
7:25because of my background and how I
7:27studied finance in college. So I started
7:29looking at the top SaaS companies within
7:31the financial management space and
7:33quickly landed on Capital Site because
7:35of how fast you're all growing. I just
7:37saw you crossed a billion dollars in
7:39ARR, and I really like the strategy of
7:42the platform play and that you're
7:44looking to consolidate a lot of point
7:46solutions. That's what I see going on in
7:48the market right now is that a lot of
7:50companies are focused on profitability
7:52and they're looking at ways to go from
7:53using five or six different tools in
7:55their finance department down to one. So
7:58ultimately I looked at it. I was excited
8:00about the industry and I was excited
8:01about Capital Site's position and
8:03strategy within the industry, and I view
8:11it as a place, yes, where I want to land
8:13and start as an SDR, but ultimately I
8:16want to grow my career here and move
8:18into an account executive role over time
8:20and I'm thinking 3 to 5 years
8:23long-term." Something like that where
8:25you connect why you want to how you
8:27landed on this industry, this specific
8:30company, and how you see yourself there
8:32long-term.
8:34Now they might ask you why do you want
8:36to be an SDR or BDR specifically?
8:39There's lots of other roles. They're
8:41testing you a little bit here to see a
8:43lot of people don't even really
8:45understand what the role is when they
8:46apply. A lot of people don't realize
8:48there's quotas attached. They almost
8:50think of it's a consulting role or even
8:52like a marketing role. So what they're
8:54actually evaluating is do you understand
8:56what the SDR BDR role actually involves?
8:59Can you clearly articulate what the role
9:01is and is not? And are you mentally
9:03prepared for the volume rejection and
9:05outbound grinds that every SDR BDR has
9:08to go through. So the answer framework
9:10here is to explain that you again
9:11intentionally researched the SDR BDR
9:14role and expectations, reference any
9:16specific responsibilities that are
9:18outlined in the job description that you
9:20applied for. You should review that
9:21before the interview, and then call out
9:23any extra diligence you did whether
9:26you've talked current or existing SDRs,
9:28even better if they're at this company
9:30to show how serious in the work and
9:32preparation you put in. So my answer
9:34would be something like, "Yeah, so for
9:36me I'm thinking long-term and I know the
9:38SDR BDR role is really about learning
9:41the fundamentals of sales and the front
9:44end of the sales cycle. So mastering
9:46things like how to manage and plan a
9:48territory, how to work with your
9:50extended team like your account
9:52executives, your manager, other internal
9:55stakeholders, LinkedIn prospecting how
9:56to prospect and generate pipeline
9:58through calls, so that ultimately you
9:58can move into a position where you're
10:00actually running those full cycles as an
10:02AE. So I know based on the description I
10:05saw that there's going to be a lot of
10:06high volume cold calling and emailing. I
10:09know that's part of the job and I've
10:11actually talked to some folks who are
10:13currently SDRs in the industry and kind
10:15of gotten a sense of how they plan their
10:17day, how they structure it, how they
10:19work with their team, how many how much
10:21messaging they do and at what times. So
10:24I'm really looking to master these
10:26fundamental sales skills and focus on
10:29that so that ultimately I can learn how
10:31to work at Capital Site and eventually
10:33move into an account executive position
10:36long-term.
10:38So the balance here too is you don't
10:40want to sound cocky like you're already
10:42thinking about that account executive
10:44role. Make it clear that your goal here
10:46is to master the fundamentals, learn how
10:48to generate pipeline, manage a
10:50territory, work with your team, work
10:52within Capital Site so that the next
10:55natural progression will be to move into
10:57an account executive role.
11:00And then I believe the last question of
11:02this section, they'll ask you something
11:04like what do you actually know about
11:06Capital Site? What do you know about our
11:07product
11:09and our customers? So what they're
11:10actually evaluating here is did you do
11:12real research on the product and the
11:14customer base? Can you quickly grasp
11:16personas, initiatives, and pain points
11:19and do you understand how value is
11:21created and communicated? You don't need
11:23to be a master but they want to see you
11:25put in some level of effort to actually
11:28look at what they do, the customers they
11:30serve, what their solution does, etc. So
11:33answer framework, summarize the market,
11:35the core personas, the key initiatives
11:36that they care about, call out the
11:38primary pain points and how the product
11:40addresses them, and then bonus explain
11:42how the company differentiates from
11:44competitors and why that matters for
11:46customers. So an answer could be
11:48something like yeah, so I was on the
11:49Capital Site website. I was looking at
11:51the different product pillars that you
11:53have and the different core industries
11:54that you serve. It looks like retail,
11:56life science, and manufacturing are kind
11:58of the top three that you go after and
12:01then specifically I know some of the top
12:03personas within finance are VPs of FP&A
12:06and controllers, more on the planning
12:08side for VPs of FP&A and controllers are
12:10more on the accounting side. But I know
12:13overall in this space it's very
12:14competitive and a lot of customers feel
12:17that their processes are too manual,
12:19they're using outdated technology that
12:21doesn't it isn't modern or there's no AI
12:24being integrated into all of that and
12:25they're looking to upgrade from some of
12:27those outdated on-premise systems to a
12:30more modern SaaS solution. And then I
12:32know Capital Site specifically within
12:34that competitive environment kind of is
12:36the platform play and is competing
12:38against a lot of point solutions that
12:40might do one part of the process for
12:43planning or account recs or financial
12:45close but Capital Site's value
12:47proposition is that you can do
12:49everything in one platform across all
12:51your processes and departments. So I'm
12:54curious if there's anything you'd add to
12:56that but based on my research that's my
12:58understanding of Capital Site, our
13:00product, and kind of some of the
13:02customers and personas we go after. So
13:04that's the basic example, summarize the
13:06market and who they target, call out the
13:08pain points that a lot of the customers
13:10are facing and the challenges they're
13:11trying to solve, and then that company's
13:14specific competitive differentiators
13:17within the space.
13:19So now we're going to get expand on this
13:21and move into the understanding of the
13:23role section because this is something
13:25that can disqualify you if you don't
13:27actually understand what the role
13:29entails. So it's similar to the one we
13:32covered before but what they're actually
13:33evaluating here is do you understand the
13:35day-to-day reality of the SDR/BDR role?
13:39Have you researched how this role
13:41operates in practice and are your
13:43expectations aligned with the actual
13:45work? Because again, I used to do these
13:47interviews. You would be shocked at how
13:48many candidates don't actually
13:50understand that this is a sales role,
13:52performance-based with a quota. They
13:54genuinely think it's a consulting role
13:57or some sort of marketing role. So the
13:59answer framework is explain that you're
14:01assigned a territory and generally have
14:03specific account executives to support.
14:05Again, reference anything you see in the
14:07job description to make it more
14:08specific. Describe balancing strategic
14:11account work with high volume outbound
14:14calls, emails, LinkedIn prospecting, and
14:17then emphasize that your job is to set
14:19qualified meetings, support your account
14:21executives in preparation and pipeline
14:23gen, and then generating pipeline and
14:25qualified opportunities. So basic answer
14:28could be yeah, so my understanding and
14:29based on what I saw in the job
14:31description is that I would be assigned
14:33a territory and support a couple of AEs
14:36it looks like in the retail vertical and
14:38I know my job would be to work with them
14:40on a day-by-day, week-by-week basis to
14:42come up with a plan for that territory
14:45and kind of balance strategic accounts
14:47every week to target some of those
14:48must-win accounts where we really go
14:51deep and develop a hypothesis. But then
14:53also I know my job would be a lot of
14:55high volume outbound cold calls, emails,
14:58LinkedIn to our top personas like VPs
15:00FP&A, like controllers, and I know my
15:03ultimate job would be to set qualified
15:06meetings, support the AEs in preparing
15:08for those, and ultimately the goal of
15:10generating quality pipeline and
15:12qualified opportunities and that I would
15:15have daily KPIs to hit things like
15:17numbers of calls, numbers of emails,
15:19LinkedIn messaging, things like that. So
15:22that's my understanding but curious to
15:24see if there's anything you'd add.
15:27So that's the basic framework. And
15:28again, you can always add on at the end
15:30like ask them if that aligns and and
15:32genuinely have a conversation with them.
15:35But that's the basic workflow. Like
15:37you're going to get a territory, you're
15:38going to support AEs, you're going to do
15:40balance strategic work with high volume
15:42work, and your job is to ultimately set
15:44meetings, help them prep, and generate
15:47quality sales qualified opportunities
15:50and pipeline. There can be nuance and
15:52changes to that depending on the company
15:54but in general this is what an SDR/BDR
15:57does and will pass as an answer.
16:00So they might ask you something like
16:02what is success in your view? What do
16:05you think [snorts] success looks like in
16:07a role like this? So again, what they're
16:08actually evaluating, do you understand
16:10what you're being measured on? Do you
16:11know what good actually looks like in
16:13this role? Do you take ownership of
16:15outcomes, not just activity? So it's
16:17more than just making dials and making
16:20emails, there's ownership and real
16:22outcomes. So the answer framework is
16:24acknowledge the clear expectations,
16:26especially if they're laid out in the
16:27job description, quota attainment, daily
16:30KPIs, calls, emails, meetings, pipeline
16:32influenced, etc. Explain that success
16:35comes from reverse engineering those
16:36metrics into a repeatable daily process
16:39and then emphasize improving week over
16:41week, spotting patterns, sharing what
16:43works, helping AEs generate quality
16:45pipeline that turns into revenue. That's
16:48ultimately what success looks like over
16:50time. So answer can sound something like
16:54yeah, so at a high level I know I'll
16:55have a quota to hit on a monthly or
16:58quarterly basis, daily KPIs like number
17:01of calls to make, emails to make,
17:03meetings set, pipeline and qualified
17:06opportunities. And I ultimately know
17:08that those are meant to help me reverse
17:10engineer my number and that my goal will
17:12be to set 12 or 15 meetings per month
17:15and kind of figure out a process of
17:17okay, how many calls do I need to make,
17:19emails, what personas do I need to be
17:22targeting, what times of day so that
17:24over week over week I'm consistently
17:26improving, improving on that process,
17:29spotting patterns, what's working,
17:31what's not, sharing that with the team
17:33as well, and ultimately helping account
17:35executives generate quality pipeline
17:38that turns into revenue for the company.
17:41Something like that
17:43you're going to get passing check mark
17:45with flying colors.
17:47What metrics matter most for SDRs? What
17:50they're actually evaluating, did you pay
17:52attention to the job description and
17:54expectations? Do you understand that
17:56inputs drive outputs, drive results? Can
18:00you think in terms of controllables and
18:02outcomes? So answer framework here,
18:04start with your quota and the core KPIs
18:07outlined in the job description. Again,
18:08explain that you reverse engineer those
18:10into daily inputs and then call out key
18:13metrics by channel. So some basic ones
18:16like I'm telling you no SDR is doing
18:18this in in their interview is talking
18:20about the key inputs to cold calls being
18:22call volume, answer rate, meeting set
18:24rate. And for email it's volume, open
18:27rate, reply rate, meeting conversion
18:29rate. So they got if you got asked this,
18:32you can start with yeah, so I know I'd
18:33have a monthly quota, whatever that
18:35looks like, 12 meetings, 15 meetings per
18:38month and some of those core daily KPIs
18:40to hit in terms of number of calls,
18:42emails, outreach, etc. And I know that
18:46I'll have to reverse engineer those into
18:48daily inputs. So understand how many
18:51calls, emails it takes on average to
18:53expect to hit my quota and expect to
18:56generate enough meetings but honestly
18:57shoot higher than that because my goal
19:00here is to outperform. But then some of
19:02the key metrics I think matter most when
19:04you really break it down are what goes
19:07into success for key outbound channels
19:09like cold calls for example, it's the
19:11number of calls you make, what
19:13percentage of those people answer, and
19:15when people answer, what is your set
19:17rate? Because if you know those three
19:19variables and are measuring them, you
19:20can kind of reverse engineer success and
19:23if you want to improve your results, you
19:26kind of know what inputs you have to
19:27improve to do that. And then same thing
19:29for email, it's email volume, open rate,
19:32what percentage of people open the
19:33emails, what percentage of people reply
19:35to those emails, and then when people
19:37reply, how many convert to meetings. So
19:41if I was starting as an SDR, I would be
19:43measuring those on a day-by-day basis
19:45and it would be telling me where I need
19:47to improve and what metrics are
19:49mattering most for me.
19:51That's going to be 99%
19:54better than just about I've I never
19:55heard an SDR getting that level of
19:57detail. So, if you can even do half
19:58that, you'll pass that answer.
20:01How do SDRs and AEs work together? What
20:04they're actually evaluating. Do you
20:05understand the role goes beyond just
20:07booking meetings? A lot of SDRs don't
20:09realize this. They just think they're
20:10meeting setters and they don't
20:12understand that this is a team sport.
20:14Are you prepared to work as part of a
20:16team? Can you support AEs in a way that
20:19actually creates pipeline and not just
20:22meetings for yourself, but ultimately
20:24supports the business because business
20:25development succeeds when the AEs are
20:28actually closing revenue from the
20:30meetings that are being set in Biz Dev.
20:32So, answer framework. Explain that you
20:34generally you get a share of accounts
20:36and your goal is to set quality meetings
20:37that turn into pipeline. Describe
20:39working with AEs on a weekly basis on
20:42strategy around top accounts, personas,
20:44and messaging. And then emphasize that
20:47you're you'd be looking to earn their
20:48trust by coming prepared to every sync
20:50with them, adding value, coming with a
20:52plan, and operating as an extension of
20:55the AE. So, an answer could sound
20:57something like, "Yeah, so high level, I
20:59know that I'd share a territory and a
21:01set of accounts with them and my goal
21:03would be to work with them to set
21:05quality meetings with target personas
21:07that ultimately hopefully turn into
21:09qualified opportunities and pipeline.
21:11And I know I'd be working with the
21:13account executive on a weekly basis to
21:15plan strategy, top accounts, what
21:18personas to target, working with them on
21:21some of the messaging. And I know what
21:23would be important coming in is to earn
21:25their trust by coming prepared to every
21:27sync that we have. So, my plan is to
21:29always add value to those syncs, come
21:32with a plan of attack for that week, and
21:34kind of operate as an extension of the
21:36AE. And my goal would be over time as I
21:39learn from them, we continue to get
21:41better and accelerate results within the
21:43territory."
21:45Something like that where you you really
21:47highlight that your job here isn't just
21:49to book meetings, but your job is to
21:51work with the account executive and
21:53leverage them and their expertise and
21:55work together to make 1 + 1 = 3.
22:01How would you approach cold calling? So,
22:04for a lot of these roles, they know that
22:06a lot of people are nervous, anxious,
22:08have never cold called before, and
22:10that's fine. But, they kind of want to
22:11see how you're thinking about it. So,
22:13what they're actually evaluating, are
22:15you mentally prepared for a
22:16high-pressure, rejection-heavy activity
22:19like cold calling? Can you balance
22:21preparation with action without
22:23overthinking? And then, are you
22:25structured and process-oriented in your
22:27approach? So, the answer framework here
22:29is acknowledge that you can't ever be
22:31fully prepared to make a cold call. So,
22:33you're going to prioritize action and
22:34avoid analysis paralysis. You're going
22:37to use the CRM to quickly review account
22:39context and past activity, and you're
22:41going to reference LinkedIn and the
22:43prospect's role to understand their job
22:45persona, their pain points, what
22:47initiatives they're focused on, where
22:48your solution may align, etc. I want to
22:51caveat this. If you happen to see any of
22:53my cold calling videos, you'll know that
22:55I don't recommend going in this much
22:57depth when you're making a like every
22:59single cold call, but in the interview
23:01process, this is what they want to hear
23:03and this is the game we're going to
23:04play. We're going to tell them what they
23:05want to hear. So, ignore some of the
23:07stuff I talk about in my cold call
23:09videos if you get there. Interviews are
23:11for telling the interviewers what they
23:12want to hear and let's just get the job.
23:14So, an example could be something like,
23:17"Yeah, so I know you can never be fully
23:20prepared when you make a cold call.
23:21There's always unexpected things that
23:23can happen. So, I would approach it by
23:26prioritizing action and avoiding
23:28overthinking or analysis paralysis
23:30before every cold call because I know
23:32the best way to learn and get experience
23:33at something is to just do the
23:35repetitions and put in the effort. So,
23:38what I would do is I would use our CRM
23:40system to quickly review the account
23:43context if there's been any engagement
23:45with them or this particular person I'm
23:47cold calling in the past and looking at
23:49some of that past activity. Then, I
23:51would quickly pull up their LinkedIn and
23:53look at the prospect's role, the
23:55persona, see if there's anything on
23:57there about initiatives they're focused
23:59on, responsibilities they have, likely
24:02pain points they might be trying to
24:03solve, and then where the Capital Site
24:05solution may apply. So, that when I
24:08reach out, I'm making it targeted for
24:10their company, their role, and any past
24:12engagement that I have, but at the same
24:14time not overthinking and spending 10 to
24:1715 minutes between dials every time I
24:20make a cold call."
24:22Something like that that shows that
24:24you're going to balance preparation with
24:27action and not kind of over index on
24:30either side.
24:31I just want to call out, too, if you're
24:32actively trying to break into tech sales
24:35and are either planning your interview
24:36processes or in the middle of your
24:38interview processes, you can check out
24:39the link to Tech Sales Ascension in the
24:41description. We have literally thousands
24:44of people in our community, have helped
24:46people in just about every scenario
24:48break into the top tech companies. It is
24:50the best program on the market for
24:53breaking into tech sales. So, I hope to
24:55see you in there. But, let's keep moving
24:57along to prospecting and outreach. This
25:01is the next core section they'll ask you
25:04about. A little bit more tactical now.
25:06So, they might ask you something like,
25:08"How would you structure a cold email?"
25:11And what they're evaluating is how do
25:13you think before you start writing an
25:15email, whether you tailor the messaging
25:18to the prospect and the persona, and if
25:20you understand at a high level how to
25:22connect pain points to value. So, the
25:25answer framework for this one is to
25:26start with quick research in the CRM,
25:29similar to that last answer. Similar
25:31research in the CRM and LinkedIn to
25:33understand the role, the context, and
25:34the responsibilities. Lead with a
25:36relevant observation or insight about
25:39their company, role, or industry, and
25:41then structure the email as observation,
25:45problem statement, value prop, social
25:47proof, interest-based CTA. This makes me
25:50throw up a little bit in my mouth
25:51because again, if you've seen any of my
25:53email videos, you'll know that I
25:54actually don't like this structure when
25:57actually prospecting in the real world.
25:58This is just another one of those
25:59scenarios where let's just do what they
26:03want to see in the interview process.
26:04And the sad truth is this is how a lot
26:06of companies train their reps to write
26:08emails. So, if you stick to a framework
26:10like this, and you don't have to, the
26:12important thing here is to just have
26:14some sort of frame some sort of
26:16framework and logic and reasoning for
26:18why you structured the email a certain
26:20way. So, you don't have to do it this
26:22way, but this is a pretty foolproof way
26:24where most people are going to give you
26:25a big green check mark if you say
26:28something like this. So, the answer
26:29could sound something like, "So, yeah,
26:31the first thing I'd do is go into the
26:33CRM and look at any past activity or
26:36engagement with the account or this
26:38person. I then looked at their LinkedIn
26:40to understand specifically what their
26:42role is and get any context about their
26:44daily responsibilities and what
26:46initiatives they're in charge of. And
26:48then the way I would structure my email
26:50is to lead with some sort of
26:52personalized observation based on that
26:55research, kind of define the problem and
26:57how we work with people in their
26:59situation, what the Capital Site value
27:01prop is, leave a link or call out a very
27:05similar customer using some of the
27:07examples on our website that we've
27:09worked with in solving those challenges,
27:12and then end with a CTA for booking a
27:15meeting. So, just to spitball out loud,
27:18this isn't the answer right now, but I'd
27:20say something like if I was writing an
27:22email for Capital Site, it would be
27:24like, 'Hey John, saw your company just
27:26underwent an acquisition. A lot of
27:28companies we work with in that same
27:30situation face a challenge around, you
27:33know, centralizing data between the two
27:36new entities. That's what we do at
27:38Capital Site. We really focus on
27:40centralizing that chart of accounts and
27:42making those
27:43acquisitions a lot more streamlined.
27:45Here's an example of how we actually
27:47worked with XYZ retail company to do the
27:50same thing and reduce their close
27:53process by 30%. Worth talking or worth
27:56discussing for 15 minutes.' That's just
27:58spitballing, but that's generally the
28:00framework that you can follow. And if
28:02you talk them through that logic, most
28:04interviewers will give you a big green
28:06check mark.
28:07So, how would you structure your day to
28:09hit activity goals? Here's one they
28:12might ask. And what they're actually
28:13evaluating
28:15is are you disciplined, structured, and
28:17process-oriented?
28:19Can you manage your time without
28:20constant oversight? Do you treat sales
28:23like a system rather than just putting
28:25your head down and winging it? So, our
28:27answer framework to satisfy that is
28:30explain how you you will block your day
28:33by activity and align outreach to peak
28:36hours. I'll show you what that means in
28:37a second. Prioritize high-leverage work,
28:40so prospecting when energy is highest,
28:43and then protect your time and your
28:44focus by minimizing busy work, and
28:46briefly reference a real example of how
28:49you already manage your time. So, a
28:51basic answer could be, "Yeah, so coming
28:53in, my plan would be to have clear
28:56intention in how I use my time. So, I
28:58would be blocking my day by activity.
29:01So, blocking time off to make cold
29:03calls, email, research my accounts, take
29:07care of some of the busy work that
29:08naturally comes up when I'll be doing
29:10LinkedIn. And that's something I'll
29:11constantly be optimizing over time and
29:14have to adjust on a week-by-week basis
29:16depending on how my schedule looks. But,
29:18I want to know when I'm doing what core
29:21activities and making sure I'm spending
29:23the most of my time or as much time as I
29:25can on stuff that will help drive my
29:27KPIs and to my numbers. So, the way I
29:30think about it is I want to prioritize
29:32the highest leverage work like cold
29:34calling, emailing, prospecting when my
29:36energy is the highest. So, I'd plan to
29:38block off time every morning for cold
29:41calls and emails. I want to hit the
29:43ground running 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
29:45because from my research, that's when
29:47answer rates and reply rates are the
29:49highest because people genera- generally
29:51haven't started their day yet. And then
29:53I also want to make sure I block time at
29:55the end of the day from 4:00 to 5:00 and
29:57maybe even beyond because again from my
29:59research I've seen that that's another
30:02time of day where people are kind of
30:03wrapping up. They're not in meetings and
30:05you can actually get a hold of them. So,
30:07I want to be very protective of my time
30:10and minimize busy work as much as
30:12possible. And a real example I can give
30:15you in my current life is in school when
30:18I have big exams or tests coming up, I
30:21plan my week in advance of when I'm
30:23going to be studying for what exam for
30:25what class so I'm not winging it or
30:28figuring things out as I go. I have a
30:30plan of attack and can adjust from there
30:33if needed and that's how I would
30:34approach and that that would be the
30:36approach I would take coming into the
30:38SDR role here.
30:40Something like that. You're going to get
30:42a green check mark.
30:43How would you prioritize your accounts
30:45in a territory? What they're actually
30:47evaluating, how do you think and
30:48structure your approach to a problem,
30:51whether you operate with a plan or
30:53whether you just wing it, if you're
30:54proactive, organized, and intentional
30:56with your time. So, they're looking for
30:58similar things as that last question but
31:00the answer framework here and I have a
31:02lot of videos on this on my channel is
31:04start by coiling the spring. That's a
31:07phrase I use and identify low-hanging
31:09fruit. So, like past opportunities,
31:11stalled deals, warm leads, partner with
31:14AEs to continuously identify and
31:16prioritize strategic target accounts,
31:18define your top ICPs, roles,
31:21departments, industries, triggers, and
31:23build lists up front. That's what
31:24coiling the spring is and then align
31:26your emails, calls, and LinkedIn
31:28messaging to those accounts and those
31:30ICP lists. So, an answer could be yeah,
31:33so coming into a new territory, my goal
31:35would be to build the infrastructure and
31:38identify some of the some of the
31:40low-hanging fruit. So, I want to come in
31:42and look at past either closed lost or
31:44stalled opportunities, some of the warm
31:47leads or leads that are coming inbound
31:48and I want to make sure I get on top of
31:50those first. And then I'm what I'm going
31:52to do from there is define some of our
31:54top ICPs. So, job titles, departments,
31:57the industries, specific triggers like
32:00acquisitions or new leadership hires,
32:03things like that. And I want to use the
32:04tools we have to build lists by job
32:07title, by industry, by those triggers
32:10and then I'm going to align my email,
32:11call, and LinkedIn messaging to those
32:14specific job titles, industries so that
32:16I can be targeted but at scale and I
32:19think that's key to what we were talking
32:21about earlier about not overthinking or
32:23getting analysis paralysis, kind of
32:25doing that work up front. And then in
32:27the process, partnering with my account
32:29executives to kind of continuously work
32:31together and prioritize strategic target
32:34accounts, messaging, figure out what's
32:36working, and it'll be an ongoing
32:38process.
32:40Something like that.
32:42Another thing you could do is is be a
32:44little more specific about what
32:45qualifies as a top account in your view,
32:48whether it's their certain revenue size,
32:51certain employee count, whether there's
32:53a use case or trigger that's your bread
32:55and butter like an acquisition. This
32:57could change depending on the company
32:59but give them a give them an idea of how
33:01you'd segment accounts in your territory
33:03like tier one, tier two, tier three.
33:06Tier one is like your best accounts that
33:09you partner with your AE on. Tier two is
33:11like there's something there, they have
33:13some good triggers either they're big
33:15enough or they're growing. And then tier
33:17three is kind of where you need to do
33:18more work and save that for the high
33:21volume outbound prospecting. You can
33:23give them some sort of approach like
33:25that.
33:27Would you follow How would you follow up
33:28after no response from a prospect? What
33:31they're actually evaluating, do you
33:32understand that persistence is required
33:34to succeed in this role? Do you follow
33:36up with a system instead of relying on
33:39memory? And do you know how to use
33:41multiple channels effectively? That's
33:43going to be big. They're going to want
33:44to hear you say that. So, answer
33:46framework acknowledge that no response
33:47is kind of the default and is expected.
33:49It's normal and that most meetings
33:51aren't set on the first initial touch or
33:54outreach. Explain that success in
33:56booking meetings requires grit,
33:58consistently consistency, and a
33:59structured follow-up sequence. And then
34:01describe using a multi-channel cadence
34:04like calls, voicemails, email, LinkedIn
34:06and that it often takes many touchpoints
34:08for timing to line up. So, an answer
34:11could sound something like yeah, and I
34:13understand that in this role that no is
34:15going to be the default or that it's
34:16going to take some persistence in
34:18staying on people's radar and that most
34:20meetings don't get booked on the first
34:22cold call or the first email. I believe
34:25I saw something that it takes on average
34:27seven to 10 touchpoints to book a
34:29meeting with a prospect. So, I know that
34:31it's going to require grit, consistency,
34:34and a structured follow-up sequence. So,
34:36my plan would be to use a multi-channel
34:39cadence and have a plan for calling
34:41them, leaving voicemails, layering in
34:44email, layering in LinkedIn connections
34:46and requests, and kind of hitting them
34:48from all angles to make sure that I stay
34:51on their radar and don't get lost in the
34:53noise of everyone else reaching out and
34:55having a very structured and planned
34:58approach for following up in sequences.
35:02Something like that, you're going to get
35:04the green check mark.
35:06Now, let's get into how you'll handle
35:08objections and rejection. They're going
35:10to dig into this. This is more of a
35:12mindset test. So, they'll ask you
35:14something like, "How do you handle
35:16rejection?" or "How do you plan or
35:18intend to handle tough cold calls where
35:20they blow you off and are really mean to
35:23you?" Something like that. What they're
35:24actually evaluating, can you handle
35:26rejection without burning out or
35:27disengaging? Do you take feedback
35:30personally or use it to improve? Can you
35:32stay motivated and consistent over time
35:35in a role like this where these blowout
35:37type calls are an an inevitability? So,
35:40the answer framework acknowledge that
35:42rejection and failure are normal and
35:43expected in the role. Explain how you
35:45separate emotion from outcome and
35:47extract lessons to improve. Reinforce
35:50why resilience and adaptability are
35:52critical to long-term success in sales.
35:54And then as a bonus, you can briefly
35:56share an example of where you took
35:58feedback, adjusted, and improved but I'm
36:01going to cover that in a question coming
36:03up. So, an answer framework for this
36:05like how do you handle or how do you
36:07plan to handle rejection? So, yeah, I
36:10know that in a role like this that
36:11rejection is kind of the default and
36:13something you have to deal with on a
36:15near daily basis. So, failure's normal
36:17and it it's expected. So, my approach to
36:20it has always been to separate the
36:22emotions of rejection from the outcome
36:24and every time trying to extract lessons
36:27for why I may have gotten rejected, try
36:29and analyze where I could have done
36:31better or where things started to go
36:32south so that I can take that, improve
36:35it, and use it as a way to get better
36:37moving forward. And I know that's
36:38critical for long-term success in sales.
36:41When you're on cold calls and you get
36:43certain objections and you don't feel
36:44like you answered it the right way,
36:47making note of that, planning how you're
36:49going to handle it next time so that
36:50when it comes up, you're just a little
36:52bit more prepared. And over time, the
36:54more you do that, the better you'll get
36:56at handling specific situations and
36:58that's how I plan to use rejection and
37:01how I handle it is to just use it as a
37:03learning opportunity.
37:05Something like that but you just need to
37:07show that you're not worried about
37:08rejection or going to get thrown off or
37:11it's going to cause you to get less
37:13motivated. Make sure they know that it's
37:14going to cause you to get more
37:16motivated.
37:18What would you say if a prospect was
37:19rude or dismissive? This is more
37:22directly that I'm asking you about the
37:23problem here. What they're actually
37:25evaluating, can you remain professional
37:27under pressure? This is almost a risk
37:29thing. Like are you going to crash up if
37:31someone's rude or dismissive, which
37:33happens all the time. Do you take
37:34negative interactions personally? Can
37:36you quickly reset and move on? So, it's
37:39a similar answer framework. Acknowledge
37:41that rude or dismissive responses are
37:43part of the like process of outbound
37:45work.
37:46Emphasize empathy and not taking
37:49reactions personally. You never know
37:51who's has tough things going on in their
37:53own world. And then frame the
37:54interaction as a data point, track it
37:56objectively, and move on to the next
37:58call. So, basic response could be
38:00something like yeah, so I know that rude
38:02and dismissive responses are going to be
38:04part it's just the nature of the job and
38:06part of doing outbound work. I try and
38:08view it as a positive thing that if
38:09you're getting those, it probably means
38:11you're doing your job right. And if
38:12you're not, you're probably not pushing
38:14hard enough with your territory and
38:16outbound. So, I would choose to empas-
38:18emphasize empathy, not take the reaction
38:20personally. I know sometimes it'll just
38:22be a reflection of what's going on in
38:23their own world and they have some tough
38:25things going on and they just take it
38:26out on this cold call. So, I would frame
38:29the interaction and think of it as a
38:31data point. What could I have done
38:32differently or improved upon, track it
38:35objectively, and move on to the next
38:37call from there. But if they were rude
38:38or dismissive, I would try and one be a
38:41little more clear as to who I am, why
38:43I'm reaching out, and give them more
38:44context. But if they were really rude or
38:46dismissive from there, I would just tell
38:48them to have a nice day and move on to
38:50my next call and not overthink it or
38:52overreact.
38:54Something like that where you tell them
38:56you have a plan to be more clear and
38:58concise, like some sort of defense
39:00against it. But if they're really being
39:01rude or dismissive, that you would just
39:04move on to the next call and not
39:05overreact or do anything dumb is kind of
39:08what they're looking for there.
39:10All right, the next one is responding to
39:12an actual objection that they give you.
39:15So, they'll ask you something like, "How
39:16would you respond to an objection like
39:18you're too expensive. We've looked at
39:19you in the past and you're too
39:20expensive." or "Just send me an email."
39:22etc. So, what they're actually
39:24evaluating here is can you stay calm,
39:27professional, and confident under
39:28pushback? Do you understand that price
39:30objections are often about value, not
39:33cost in this case? Can you ask smart
39:35follow-up questions instead of getting
39:36defensive? And really they just want to
39:38see you push through here and that you
39:39don't just totally fold. So, the answer
39:42framework is acknowledge their concern
39:44and avoid arguing or immediately going
39:46to discounting immediately. Ask
39:48clarifying questions to understand what
39:50the price is being compared to or what
39:53feels expensive to them, and then
39:55re-anchor the conversation around value,
39:57outcomes, and fit rather than just price
39:59alone. So, an answer could be something
40:01like instead of getting defensive, you
40:04ask him, "So, when you say too
40:05expensive, can you tell me more about
40:07what you mean by that?" Like, that could
40:08be the opening question. "Have you
40:10looked at us in the past? Were there
40:11specific products you were looking at?
40:14What specifically caused you to to think
40:16that we were too expensive? Had you
40:18compared us to other vendors on the
40:20market? Had you considered a total cost
40:23of ownership? Like, how we can
40:25consolidate five or six different
40:27tools?" And ultimately, that's how
40:28you'll re-bring this back to setting a
40:31meeting is yeah, that's a lot of how we
40:33work with customers. A lot's changed
40:35about our pricing strategy and how we
40:37work with other customers since you last
40:40spoke to us. So, that's part of why I
40:41want to set up this next call is to show
40:43you how we're working with other
40:44customers and how we can actually be a
40:47lot less expensive when you look at it
40:49from a TCO ROI standpoint. Or something
40:52like that. But really, they just want to
40:53see that you don't fold or ask them like
40:56just start discounting right away and
40:58that you're able to take a step back and
41:00be like, "Wait, why are you saying we're
41:02too expensive? Have you looked at us in
41:03the past? What were you looking at? What
41:04made you think that?" So, that you have
41:06more information to act off of.
41:08Now, let's get into everyone's favorite,
41:10the behavioral. This is going to be the
41:12tell me about a time you did blank. I
41:14think a lot of these questions are kind
41:15of ridiculous, quite frankly, and it's
41:17like they ask these super specific,
41:19"Tell me about a time that you did you
41:22were in a group project and you didn't
41:24agree on how to move forward and what
41:25you did and how you overcame it." Like,
41:27I don't know, it's too specific, but we
41:29got to be prepared to answer them. So,
41:31here's a common one. Tell me about a
41:32time you failed at something and then
41:34you learn from it. And they might even
41:35add like how you responded to it. So,
41:37what they're actually evaluating is will
41:39you last in a role where no is the
41:41default response? Can you take rejection
41:43personally or do you learn from it? Can
41:45you bounce back quickly and stay
41:47motivated? The answer framework here is
41:49acknowledge like we have in past answers
41:51that rejection and failure is normal,
41:52something you face many times, it's to
41:54be expected and a necessary part of
41:56mastering any skill set. When you faced
41:58it, you first detach yourself from the
42:00rejection and try to extract the lesson
42:02so that you can make the right
42:03adjustments. It's a necessary and
42:04unavoidable part of growth. And for all
42:07of these tell me about a time questions,
42:09you're going to want to use the STAR
42:11framework. A lot of companies will
42:13explicitly outline this in their in
42:16their interview prep sheets where it
42:18stands for situation, task, action,
42:20result, and then share how you'll apply
42:22this lesson into the SDR BDR role at
42:26Capital Site in this case. So, an answer
42:28could be something like, "Yeah, so I've
42:30faced a lot of rejection and failure
42:32even after putting in an immense amount
42:33of effort. It's something I've faced
42:35many times and I know I'll face in a
42:37sales role and it's just a necessary
42:39part of mastering any skill set. So, one
42:41example I can give you, I was trying out
42:44for the varsity soccer team in high
42:46school in my sophomore year. I had
42:48always grown up playing soccer, wanted
42:50to make the team as a sophomore. So,
42:52that was my goal for the summer was to
42:54train hard and make the team as a
42:56sophomore for tryouts in September. So,
42:59what I did was I actually worked with a
43:01coach. We worked on health and
43:03endurance, running, getting in shape,
43:05but we were also also working on core
43:07skill sets, footwork, some of the areas
43:10where I felt like I could improve, had
43:12weekly training sessions where I was
43:14doing things on my own and with the
43:16coach, applying things, continuing to
43:18get better over the summer. I really
43:20thought I was going to make the team and
43:22ultimately, I ended up falling short.
43:24They gave me some feedback about what I
43:26could have improved even more that they
43:28could tell I worked really hard to get
43:30to the position where I was at. So, I
43:32chose not to take it personally. I
43:34really left it all out there on the
43:36junior varsity team that year, took
43:38their feedback to heart, and the next
43:40year when I tried out again, I didn't
43:42only just make the team, I immediately
43:44became a starter and one of the top
43:46performing soccer players on the team."
43:49I just winged that, but you can kind of
43:51tell the situation was I wanted to make
43:53the team I was trying out for the team.
43:55The task was that's what I was doing
43:57that summer. I was training, hired
43:59someone, was working with them weekly.
44:01Those are the actions I took. I talked
44:03about how I laid out a specific
44:04schedule, was working on specific
44:06things, doing things on my own and with
44:08the trainer. The result was I came
44:10short, but then I told them how I took
44:13it and applied the lesson. And you could
44:15even have even added on the end of that
44:16answer about how that's the same mindset
44:19and attitude that you would be taking in
44:21an SDR role here where again, you know
44:23that failure is the norm.
44:25All right, next one. Tell me about a
44:27time you received feedback and applied
44:30it. So, what they're actually evaluating
44:31are you someone who just listens or
44:32actually learns? Can you take
44:33constructive feedback and apply it? Do
44:35you improve quickly or stay stuck in old
44:37habits? Again, you want to use the STAR
44:39framework. Emphasize a time you sought
44:41out the feedback and applied it
44:42immediately. Try and use an example
44:44where it wasn't such an easy fix, one
44:47where you really had to persevere. So,
44:49an answer could be, "Yeah, so I can give
44:51you an example of when I was an intern
44:54at an investment company. It was a
44:56finance internship and I was tasked with
44:59creating a model based on some of the
45:01data that they had coming in from their
45:03clients. So, for the first four weeks, I
45:05was building out what I thought was a
45:07very accurate model based on some of XYZ
45:11inputs. And I actually went to my
45:14director thinking I was on the right
45:16track to get their feedback and they
45:18told me I was doing things completely
45:20wrong. Keep in mind, this project was
45:22also due at about the six-week mark. So,
45:24I had about two weeks to totally scrap
45:27everything, take the feedback they
45:28applied, totally rearrange the model and
45:30how it was outlined. So, I didn't
45:32hesitate, I didn't dwell on it, I took
45:35action immediately, implemented blank,
45:38blank, and blank feedback that he gave
45:40me, and ultimately, I got it done at the
45:42deadline and was given the highest
45:44graded mark for my project compared to
45:46all the other interns in the program."
45:49So, it's the same STAR framework, but
45:51really, they want to This is what you're
45:52going to be doing in the SDR role is
45:54constantly getting feedback and applying
45:56it. It's very rare, if ever, has it
45:59happened where an SDR just comes in and
46:00immediately knows what's going on and
46:03has things down perfectly.
46:05So, the last tell me about a time I'll
46:06cover because they all follow the same
46:07framework. Tell me about a time you had
46:09to stay disciplined and be consistent at
46:11something. Here, they just want to hear
46:12like, "Can you grind? Have you ever set
46:14some sort of goal and just been
46:16disciplined, hit it, was consistent over
46:19time, and reached it?" So, what they're
46:21actually evaluating, can you stay
46:22consistent without the external
46:24accountability, without them needing to
46:26micromanage? Do you Excuse [snorts] me,
46:28follow systems and routines over time?
46:30Can you show up and execute even when
46:32motivation is low? That's very common in
46:34the SDR role. You might be motivated a
46:36few days, but can you execute on the
46:38days you're not motivated? Share a
46:40situation that required daily or weekly
46:42discipline. Explain how the system or
46:44routine followed to stay consistent.
46:47Highlight the outcome and what
46:48consistency enabled over time. So,
46:50examples that you could give here are
46:53You could talk about a time you got in
46:54really good shape. Like, use the STAR
46:57method, describe what how you planned
47:00the situation, how what you tasked
47:02yourself with, three months to lose X
47:04amount of pounds, how you stayed
47:06consistent with a program and what you
47:08did, and ultimately, what the result is.
47:10It could be work related, it could be
47:12sports related, but really emphasize
47:15something where you really were
47:17disciplined, consistent, and grinded,
47:19and it wasn't easy. That's the type of
47:21example that they're looking for. Now,
47:24let's go into behavioral part two where
47:25they're going to
47:26analyze your coachability and growth
47:29because ultimately, that's their job as
47:31an SDR manager is to coach. Like, that's
47:33their full-time job. So, basic question,
47:36it can come in a lot of variations, but
47:38how do you like to be coached? What
47:39they're actually evaluating is are you
47:41coachable? Will you apply feedback when
47:44it's given? And do you have a growth
47:45mindset? Cuz literally, this is their
47:47whole job is giving you feedback and
47:48pointing you in the right directions.
47:50They want to know they're hiring someone
47:51who's hardwired for that and like taking
47:54it, applying, iterating, getting better.
47:56So, the answer framework is that you
47:58seek it out whenever possible. You know
48:00that the quickest way to grow and
48:02improve I mean, I could just read this
48:03cuz this is basically the answer is that
48:05Yeah, the way I like to be coached is I
48:07seek it out wherever possible. And I
48:09know and understand that the quickest
48:11way to improve and grow at something is
48:12to learn from people who already have a
48:15proven track record of success and have
48:16been in my shoes before, and that's
48:19really the fastest way to ramp. So, what
48:21I plan to do is come in with a plan. I
48:23want feedback from you, from the AEs I
48:27work with. I'm going to execute on that
48:28feedback and report back and then repeat
48:31the process based on the feedback you
48:33give me. And while I seek feedback, I'm
48:35also not just sitting around and relying
48:37and waiting on it. I'm someone who wants
48:39to bring value and a plan to the table
48:41based on the feedback you've already
48:43given with me, and that's exactly what I
48:44plan to do with you and the account
48:46executives I work with is come with a
48:49plan, take the feedback, apply it, and
48:51kind of keep that loop going. So, if you
48:54say something like that, that's going to
48:55be what they're looking for. They also
48:57might ask something about where do you
48:58see yourself in two or three years? And
49:01be be careful with this one, but what
49:03they're actually evaluating is are you
49:05committed to growth within this
49:06organization or are you just testing the
49:08waters or using it as a stepping stone?
49:11Are your goals aligned with the SDR AE
49:14path? Most companies are not hiring SDRs
49:16to have a SDR you be there for five
49:19years in that role. They're looking to
49:20grow the company and kind of replace you
49:23when the time is right and move you into
49:24a role with more responsibility. And are
49:27you ambitious but realistic? Are you
49:29coming in and saying you want to be a
49:30manager next year or like a director? Or
49:32do you have a realistic approach to
49:34this? So,
49:35the answer framework is to say something
49:37like, "Yeah, so I'm thinking about my
49:39career long-term, which is why I'm
49:41excited about this opportunity at
49:43Capital Site and how well the company is
49:45positioned. So, my goal is to come in
49:48over 2 to 3 years and really master the
49:50core skill set of this SDR role, that
49:52front-end things like territory
49:54planning, prospecting, pipeline gen,
49:57working with my account executives, and
49:58just working at Capital Site and
50:00understanding the value proposition and
50:02how we work with customers. And then
50:04over time my goal would be to naturally,
50:07once I've mastered that, earn a
50:09promotion to an account executive role
50:11where I can then take that base skill
50:13set and build on it and run full sales
50:15cycles. So, long-term, 2 to 3 years,
50:18that's what I'm aiming to do is develop
50:19that base SDR skill set for that I would
50:23learn in this role to a level where I'm
50:24not just performing, but can also teach
50:27and help elevate others on the team
50:29using my processes. And at that point,
50:32I'll naturally be ready for an account
50:34executive position or something like
50:36that. But, the answer is you want to
50:39highlight that you're coming in to grind
50:41and
50:42be the best SDR you can be and learn
50:43this fundamental skill set. And once you
50:45get to a point where you have your
50:47processes down, where you can almost
50:49manage the role and you're teaching
50:51other people how to do it, that's when
50:52you're naturally going to move on to an
50:55account executive position. So, one last
50:58thing I'll say on this too is be very
51:00careful. That's why I said this, don't
51:01talk about wanting to go into consulting
51:04or like other roles within the company.
51:06Even if that is your plan, I just
51:08promise you, if they start hearing, "Oh,
51:11what other opportunities are within the
51:12company? What about operations or
51:14marketing or consulting?" You're going
51:16to write yourself off. Even if that's
51:18the truth, they want to know that the
51:20person coming in that they're hiring
51:21wants to be in sales. You always have
51:23the right to change your mind, just
51:24don't say that in the interview.
51:26Now, getting towards the end here, this
51:28is arguably the second most important
51:30part of the interview process besides
51:32the opening behavioral questions, is the
51:35wrap the way you wrap up and
51:36differentiate yourself. So, these will
51:39be questions like, "Can you tell me
51:41about your greatest strengths?" I'm
51:43going to say strengths with an S and one
51:45weakness. A common one is three
51:46strengths, one weakness. What they're
51:48actually evaluating is are you
51:49self-aware and coachable? Do you know
51:51your blind spots? Are you Are you doing
51:53something about them? And do you
51:55actually believe and understand why
51:57you'll be successful in a sales role?"
51:59So, some good strength options are
52:01you're a hard worker, you're coachable,
52:03you're a team player, you're adaptable
52:05because things always change in sales
52:07orgs, you're ambitious, you're curious,
52:09you're process-oriented or organized.
52:12So, pick three of them, have a good
52:13story prepared for each one, too, about
52:16a time you grinded, about a time you
52:18took feedback and apply it. That's why I
52:20used some of those examples earlier,
52:22about a time the situation you were in
52:24changed and how you adapted and moved
52:26forward. And then also for weaknesses,
52:29be genuine, share a weakness, and most
52:31importantly, what you're doing to
52:33proactively overcome this weakness. So,
52:35for weakness, don't say the whole, "Oh,
52:37I'm just I can be a workaholic at times
52:39and sometimes I have to learn to dial it
52:41back." That will get an eye roll.
52:44One weakness, I know I've used this in
52:46the past, is that I'm very
52:47process-oriented and analytical, which I
52:50know can be a strength for the role, but
52:52also I know that I can fall into the
52:54trap of over-analyzing and and getting
52:56into that analysis paralysis if I'm not
52:58consciously aware of it. So, the way I
53:01overcome that is to in my off-time
53:04prepare everything, coil the spring,
53:06build out the infrastructure, and do all
53:08that preparation and analytical thinking
53:11up front so that I can just focus on
53:13execution in the role. Like, give them a
53:15legitimate weakness, but tell them how
53:17you're aware of it, what you're doing to
53:18overcome it, and how it's going to play
53:20out when you're actually in the role.
53:22And then for strengths, like I said,
53:23pick three of these top ones, have a
53:26good story prepared for each. You don't
53:27have to tell all three stories, but just
53:29talk about how you're a hard worker,
53:31you're someone who wants to take
53:32feedback and apply it, and that you
53:34understand in a sales role and in a
53:36sales org things always change, products
53:38change, territories change, KPIs change,
53:41and that you're someone who's adaptable
53:43and can push through that and move
53:44forward. So, pick three strengths and
53:46then share one weakness and why all of
53:49them together will help you be an elite
53:51SDR.
53:53Another question sometimes they'll
53:54sometimes ask is it's almost a sell
53:56yourself type question, but they'll just
53:58straight up say, "Yeah, we're
53:59interviewing a lot of candidates. We
54:00have like seven to 10 candidates we're
54:02interviewing. In your words, why why
54:04should we hire you over the other
54:05candidates?" So, what they're actually
54:07evaluating here is can you clearly
54:09articulate your value without rambling,
54:11and can you do it with conviction? Like,
54:13can Do they actually feel that you
54:14believe you're the best candidate? Do
54:16you understand what differentiates you
54:18from other candidates? Can you
54:19confidently sell yourself in the way the
54:22same way you would their product as an
54:23SDR? So, the answer framework, briefly
54:26recap, it's almost a combination of what
54:28we've already covered about why you're
54:30very clear and intentional on why you
54:32want to go into sales, why you want to
54:34work do so at this specific company, and
54:37those strengths that you know are going
54:38to make you a very strong SDR. Highlight
54:41those two to three core strengths that
54:43directly translate to SDR success, and
54:46then reinforce that long-term mindset
54:48and commitment to excess and elevate
54:50success in elevating the whole team. So,
54:53it's almost piecing together, you're
54:54almost restating that answer about why
54:57you're excited about the
54:58performance-based career, why you're
55:00excited about this company and Capital
55:02Site specifically, and why you're
55:04excited about the SDR role. Highlight,
55:06remind them of those two to three
55:07strengths, hard worker, coachable,
55:09adaptable, or whatever you pick, and
55:11then reinforce that you're in this for
55:13the long-term. You want to grow at the
55:14company, you're committed to success,
55:16and not only just success for yourself,
55:18but making the whole team and elevating
55:20the whole team in the process. Answer
55:23like that, you want to have that down 60
55:24to 90 seconds, and you'll blow them out
55:26of the water.
55:27Then finally, bonus, closing the
55:30interview. A lot of people overlook
55:32this, and it sounds something like,
55:33"What questions do you have for me?"
55:35They usually leave 5 to 10 minutes for
55:37this. General rule, have five questions
55:39prepared, but be conscious of time.
55:41Don't go over time, and generally only
55:44ask two or three. A lot of times, if
55:46you're a manager, I know I fell in this
55:47category when I was a manager
55:48interviewing people, if they started
55:50asking like seven questions, even if
55:52they were good questions, I'd be like,
55:54"Uh, is this what they're going to be
55:55like on the actual job? Are they just
55:56going to pepper me with questions that
55:58they could probably figure out on their
55:59own?" So, ask two or three. I think
56:02three is the right number.
56:03And here are some good ones to get you
56:05started. One is, "Here's what I've been
56:07doing to prepare for the role. I've been
56:09researching Capital Site, the industry,
56:11the value prop, talking to people in the
56:13industry.
56:14On top of that, is there anything else
56:15you'd recommend that I start focusing on
56:18to ramp as quickly as possible in the
56:20role?" Cuz that's ultimately what
56:22they're hiring for here is reducing
56:24risk, and they want to know that the
56:25person coming in is going to ramp in
56:27role and become proficient as quickly as
56:29possible. So, show them you're thinking
56:31about it. Don't just ask, "What would
56:33you recommend I do?" Tell them what
56:35you're doing, and then ask what else
56:36they'd add to that. Another good
56:38framework is, "What are you looking most
56:40for in an SDR on your team?" And not
56:42only ask it, but based on their answer,
56:45tell them that that's how you're going
56:46to That's what you're going to bring to
56:47their team. So, if they If you ask,
56:49"Yeah, so I just I'd love to hear from
56:50your perspective what you're looking
56:52most for in a new SDR hire on your team?
56:55Like, what do they What do you want them
56:56to bring to the team?" And they're like,
56:58"I need someone who's just going to come
56:59in, set the tone in the culture, work
57:01hard, grind, make lots of dials." Talk
57:03about how that's your plan. You want to
57:05stay up early, work late, do whatever it
57:07takes. If they start talking about,
57:09"Yeah, I want someone who's going to
57:10help take things off my plate, and when
57:12something's working for them, they're
57:13going to teach the whole team their
57:14process and how it's doing." Then talk
57:16about, "Yeah, that's what I'm looking to
57:18bring to the team. I know there's more
57:19than enough room for everyone to
57:20succeed, so I'm going to be focused on
57:22becoming the best SDR I can, and when
57:24things are working for me, I want the
57:25whole team to use what's working to get
57:27better." Three, "I noticed that you Here
57:30So, this is the framework here is make
57:32some sort of observation about their
57:34LinkedIn." Because this is what you'd be
57:35doing as an SDR, too, when you're
57:37researching prospects,
57:39and ask them about it. So, it's like,
57:40"Hey, I noticed you started as an SDR at
57:42the company and you progressed into an
57:44AE role and then leadership. It looks
57:46like you've been at the company for 5
57:47years or so. I'd just love to hear from
57:49you what that path looked like and and
57:51what made you want it to move into a
57:53leadership role?"
57:55It can sound different depending on what
57:57their LinkedIn looks like, but a lot of
57:58people like to talk about themselves,
58:00and they like the fact that you went the
58:02extra mile to research their LinkedIn
58:04before the call. "What common traits do
58:07you see in the top performing SDRs and
58:09the ones who ultimately get promoted and
58:11succeed as account executives?" I think
58:13that's a very solid question. And then
58:15five, "Um yeah, I'm really excited about
58:17this role and the opportunity at Capital
58:19Site, but I don't I'd love to hear from
58:21you, what are you personally most
58:22excited about for the team this year or
58:25for Capital Site going into blank year?"
58:27Or like hear in their words what they're
58:30most excited about. I think these are
58:32all five, you can work with these.
58:33There's adaptations, but do not be the
58:36person to not have any questions at the
58:38end end of the interview, and you want
58:39to have ideally good, thoughtful
58:41questions that show you've done
58:43research.
58:45And then finally, when it comes to
58:46literally closing the interview, here's
58:48a great line that you can use that's
58:51super simple. It's It doesn't feel
58:53awkward. You can just say, "Great, yeah,
58:55and I know we're coming up time here. I
58:56guess my last question is, one, this has
58:58been awesome. I I really enjoyed the
59:00conversation, but yeah, I guess my last
59:02question is based on the discussion
59:04today, do you think I would be a good
59:05fit for the SDR role at Capital Site?
59:08And if so, what are the next steps
59:09here?"
59:11But, that's the framework. Just tell
59:12them, "Based on the discussion today, do
59:14you think I would be a good fit for the
59:15SDR role? And if so, what are the next
59:17steps?" I personally like this one
59:19better than the whole, "Is there any
59:21reason you wouldn't move forward with
59:22me?" You can do that. I just think it
59:24sounds a little presumptive and and
59:27aggressive. I I think this is a better
59:29way to approach it, but the key point is
59:31to just close the interview in some
59:33capacity to get the green check mark
59:34there. And then do not forget this step,
59:36send a brief follow-up email, ideally
59:38within 30 minutes because as a former
59:41SDR manager, a lot of times you need to
59:43make your call right then and there,
59:45usually within the hour. You have a few
59:47other interviews maybe throughout the
59:49day, but you have to write your feedback
59:51and a recommendation pretty quickly. So,
59:53ideally within 30 minutes, keep it
59:55simple, brief, four to five sentences.
59:58Thank them for taking the time to speak
59:59today. Tell them one to two bullets you
1:00:01took away from the conversation. Really
1:00:03liked what you said about Capital sites,
1:00:05position in the market, and where you're
1:00:07going, and what you're excited about the
1:00:08team. Just want to reiterate like I
1:00:10think I would be a great value add or
1:00:12great fit for the role because I'm hard
1:00:14working, coachable, adaptable, whatever
1:00:17it's you had said. And then tell them
1:00:18you're looking forward to next steps
1:00:20that you confirmed with them. Like
1:00:21looking forward to speaking to John
1:00:23next, or looking forward to your
1:00:25follow-up email, whatever it was. But
1:00:27super basic, you can almost have this
1:00:29teed up in advance for yourself, and
1:00:31then just fill in a couple things you
1:00:32took away so that you can get this out
1:00:3510 15 minutes after the interview,
1:00:37ideally. So,
1:00:39hope this helped. I'm out of breath.
1:00:41Subscribe if it was helpful, and again,
1:00:43if you want more hands-on guidance and a
1:00:45community of people who are actively
1:00:48going through the interview process, you
1:00:50can check out the link to Tech Sales
1:00:52Ascension below. I hope to see you all
1:00:54in there, but with that, yeah, hope you
1:00:56got value, and I will see you on the
1:00:58next one.

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