Sales · Role guide
Sales Development Representative (SDR) Interview Questions & Preparation
Quick answer
An SDR interview focuses on motivation, resilience and coachability, with a mock cold call or role-play as the centrepiece. Expect 'why sales?', objection-handling scenarios, and questions about how you handle rejection and hit targets. Energy, structure and a competitive mindset win.
Overview
SDR interviews hire for attitude and trainability over experience. Managers want to see you can take rejection, follow a process, and stay motivated by a number. The role-play is where offers are won or lost.
The Sales Development Representative (SDR) interview process
| Stage | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Recruiter screen | Motivation, 'why sales?', and a check on resilience and drive. |
| Hiring manager interview | Behavioural questions on targets, rejection and coachability. |
| Mock cold call / role-play | A live role-play — discovery, objection handling and booking the next step. |
| Final / offer | Culture fit and the offer with base plus commission. |
Sales Development Representative (SDR) interview questions
These are the questions you're most likely to be asked. Prepare a structured answer for each, and a STAR story for the behavioural ones.
- 1Why sales, and why this company?
- 2Sell me this pen / product right now.
- 3How do you handle constant rejection?
- 4Walk me through how you'd open a cold call.
- 5Tell me about a time you hit an ambitious target.
- 6A prospect says 'we're not interested' — what do you do?
- 7How do you stay motivated when you're behind on quota?
- 8Tell me about a time you turned a 'no' into a 'yes'.
Example STAR answer
Example answer to: “Tell me about a time you handled rejection and kept going.”
Skills assessed
How to prepare for a Sales Development Representative (SDR) interview
- Prepare a crisp, genuine 'why sales?' tied to your real experience.
- Practise the role-play out loud — structure: open, discover, handle objection, book next step.
- Bring a rejection-resilience story with a number in it.
- Show you're coachable: ask for feedback in the interview itself.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating the role-play casually — it's the most important part.
- Vague motivation ('I like talking to people').
- Getting flustered by objections instead of acknowledging and redirecting.
- No evidence of hitting a target or handling rejection.
Sales Development Representative (SDR) salary
UK SDRs typically earn £25k–£35k base with on-target earnings of £40k–£55k including commission.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SDR role-play interview?
A live mock cold call where you open, run discovery, handle an objection and try to book a next step. It's the deciding round for most SDR offers.
Do I need sales experience to become an SDR?
No — most employers hire for drive, resilience and coachability. Evidence of hitting a target in any context helps.
How should I answer 'why sales?'
Tie it to genuine motivation and a real example: a competitive streak, a target you hit, or enjoying a measurable, fast-feedback role.
Preparing for a Sales Development Representative (SDR) interview?
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