NextChapter

Entry-level sales development representative jobs (SDR): what the job is, skills and open roles

An SDR starts the sales process: you research companies, reach out to the people who might buy, and book meetings for account executives. It is the usual first job in software and business-services sales. Right now 1,654 entry-level sales development representative jobs are open on employers’ own career sites.

What a sales development representative does

In the sales family of jobs. Roles that start conversations with buyers, qualify them and close deals.

A typical day

  1. 1. Research target companies and contacts
  2. 2. Send emails and make calls to start conversations
  3. 3. Qualify interest against the team's criteria
  4. 4. Book meetings and hand them to an account executive
  5. 5. Log every touch in the CRM

Do you need experience?

31 of the 1,654 open entry-level sales development representative jobs say in their own text that no experience is required. 17 say they provide training. The figures are counted from the posting text and change as jobs open and close.

Open entry-level sales development representative jobs

Taken from employers’ own career sites and checked to still be open within the last week.

Showing the newest 15 of about 1,654 verified open jobs here. Search all jobs

Search all sales development representative jobs

Skills for sales development representative jobs

The skills this job uses, most important first. Most can be learned or shown before the first day.

Skills to build or show

  1. 1. Cold outreach (email and phone)
  2. 2. Active listening
  3. 3. Prospecting research
  4. 4. CRM software
  5. 5. Resilience after "no"
  6. 6. Clear writing
  7. 7. Time management

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The market for sales development representative work

Every figure names its source.

Open entry-level sales development representative jobs
1,654

Source: NextChapter, checked against employer career sites, last 7 days.

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Openings that say no experience is required
31

Source: The posting’s own text, counted by NextChapter.

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Openings that say they provide training
17

Source: The posting’s own text, counted by NextChapter.

Median pay in listings that state it
$65,000

Source: NextChapter verified openings (638 with pay).

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Employment outlook, the closest government category
Projected to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035 (about as fast as average).

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035.

Across 638 open entry-level sales development representative listings that state an annual pay figure, the middle half run from $55,500 to $85,000, with a median of $65,000. Listings that state pay are not every listing, and some roles add commission or bonus on top.

Outlook and AI-use figures are for the government category “Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel”, the closest match to this job.

Where entry-level sales development representative jobs are

Between jobs? Unemployment benefits and severance rules in these states, or in every state.

Employers hiring sales development representatives now

  • Globe Life 80
  • HopSkipDrive 32
  • Energage 20
  • TEKsystems 20
  • Aeries Software 18
  • Trimble 18
  • Builder Prime 17
  • Aerotek 16
  • Connecteam 16
  • DoorDash 12

More jobs like sales development representative

Roles that use the same skills, and where this job commonly leads.

Where it can lead

Similar entry-level jobs

All entry-level sales jobs · Sales Development Representative jobs at every level

Questions about sales development representative jobs

What does a sales development representative do?
An SDR starts the sales process: you research companies, reach out to the people who might buy, and book meetings for account executives. It is the usual first job in software and business-services sales. A typical day includes: research target companies and contacts; send emails and make calls to start conversations; qualify interest against the team's criteria; book meetings and hand them to an account executive; log every touch in the CRM.
Can I get an entry-level sales development representative job with no experience?
31 of the 1,654 open entry-level sales development representative jobs say in their own text that no experience is required. 17 say they provide training. The figures are counted from the posting text and change as jobs open and close.
What skills do you need to be a sales development representative?
The skills this job uses most are cold outreach (email and phone), active listening, prospecting research, CRM software, resilience after "no", clear writing. Most can be learned before the first day through coursework, short courses, practice or a related job.
How much does an entry-level sales development representative make?
Across 638 open entry-level sales development representative listings that state an annual pay figure, the middle half run from $55,500 to $85,000, with a median of $65,000. Listings that state pay are not every listing, and some roles add commission or bonus on top.
Where can a sales development representative job lead?
People in this job commonly move to business development representative, account executive, inside sales representative, account manager. The link between jobs is the shared skills; the path is not guaranteed and depends on the employer.

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