If you are anyone like me, as a recent graduate, it is an uphill battle trying to find that first job outside of college. Despite doing everything right, going to a solid school, having a killer resume, and having some prior job experience, I kept hearing no after interviews. Most of the time, I got my “no” before the interview. Companies either ghosted me or I would get the famous formatted mass letter saying thanks but no thanks. Needless to say, it was tough but persistence was the key. This is where the SDR position being the perfect first job out of college comes into play…
My first observation of the SDR position when I started seeking out a sales career was that it does not matter what your degree is in. As a matter of fact, a degree is not necessarily required for sales since it is mostly soft skills that cannot be taught in the classroom. I worked with a wide array of people with different levels of education. One person in my training class only had a high school diploma and one of the senior reps was a college dropout. As for my degree, I studied Human Development which has nothing to do with sales and marketing. One of our managers studied music which is stereotypicall deemed as career suicide but he excels in his craft.
Much like my first observation, my second observation of the SDR position was that the barrier to entry is low. As long as you can rock your interview, your employment history is so-so, and you’re not a serial killer, you can reach the low hanging fruit. This is the type of job where it doesn’t matter if you are a felon or if you were a cook in the past. All that matters is if you have persistence, are personable, and can drive results.
My third observation was that the skills that you learn from this position are transferable, especially in the sales and marketing world. It is likely that your next job will use the same or similar CRMs as your current company. When you continuously use the same CRM, you will be there for all of the latest updates and will keep your saw sharp. If you are in SaaS, you may eventually sell software that you have been using throughout your career. As a current or previous end user, this will give you the winning hand in your deck and the expertise in your product. When it comes to soft skills, you hone your communication, grit, and listening skills that can be taken to any company.
My personal favorite observation about the SDR position was the compensation. Let’s be real, compensation for most jobs out of college are laughable. Many leave you picking and choosing which bills will be on time each month. That is if you are fortunate enough to be able to live in an area with a relatively low cost of living and don’t end up having to live with your parents. The SDR or any sales position for that matter allows you to control your own compensation.
As an SDR, you don’t have to worry about being told you don’t have experience or having a low salary because this destiny is yours to drive.
-Angelica Minoia-
My name is Angelica Minoia and I am a 3 time college dropout turned college graduate with a Human Development BS. I stumbled upon sales when I was working in experiential marketing for a telecommunications project and fell in love with the grind. Right now, I am continuing my education by working on my MBA in Strategic Marketing. In my free time, I frolic around abandoned buildings in Upstate New York and research their history.
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