SDR / Sales Development Representative Job Description & Resume Guide
Sales development representatives (SDRs) generate pipeline through outbound outreach and inbound qualification. The role is often the first step into sales. This guide covers typical job requirements and resume keywords for SDR and BDR positions.
60-second answerUpdated September 2026
Sales Development Representative resumes in 2026: what gets you screened in (the 5-point short version)
- Open with quota and attainment: quota number, attainment percentage, and how many quarters you hit. 'Carried 14 SQLs/month, 118% average attainment over 6 quarters' is the first and sometimes only thing a sales manager reads.
- Split the numbers by motion — outbound versus inbound, meetings booked versus meetings held versus opportunities accepted, and pipeline dollars sourced. Sales leaders discount 'meetings booked' alone because it is the easiest number to inflate.
- Name the segment and ICP you prospected: SMB, mid-market or enterprise; the industries; the personas and the average deal size. An SDR who has cold-called CISOs is being hired for a different role than one who ran SMB inbound.
- List the stack precisely — Salesforce or HubSpot, Outreach or Salesloft or Apollo, ZoomInfo or Clay or Cognism, Gong, LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Add any AI prospecting workflow you built, because in 2026 that is the visible productivity differentiator.
- Show one piece of craft: a sequence you wrote that beat the team's reply rate, a cold-call opener you tested, a territory plan you built. Attainment proves you can run; craft evidence proves you can be promoted to AE.
Responsibilities
- Prospect and reach out to leads via email, phone, and social
- Qualify leads and book meetings for account executives
- Hit activity and pipeline targets
- Use CRM and sales tools; keep data accurate
- Collaborate with marketing and sales on messaging
Required skills
- Strong communication and persistence
- Basic CRM use (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
- Ability to research prospects and tailor outreach
- Resilience and time management
- Interest in sales and product
Salary range
Often $45,000–$65,000 base plus variable compensation.
Typical career path
SDR → Senior SDR → Account Executive → Sales Manager
Top resume keywords for this job
SDRoutboundpipelineCRMSalesforcequalificationcold callleadquotadiscovery
SDR resumes should show activity and results: calls/emails per day, meetings booked, pipeline generated, or quota attainment. Highlight any sales or customer-facing experience. Tailor to the company's segment and product.
WadeCV can help you align your SDR or related experience with job descriptions and highlight your strongest numbers.
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