Hello! Welcome to your first lesson. I'm excited to help you start your journey into a sales career.
Based on our conversation, you're looking for a fast, practical path to landing your first Sales Development Representative (SDR) role. You want to start applying for jobs immediately, so we've designed this course to be your "just-in-time" guide for that process.
Today's lesson is all about the first, most crucial step: identifying the right companies and industries to target. Instead of just blasting your resume everywhere, we'll focus on a strategic approach that will significantly increase your chances of getting noticed. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a clear framework for building a list of promising companies to apply to.
Your Experience is More Relevant Than You Think
Before we dive in, let's address the elephant in the room: breaking in without direct sales experience. Your background in customer service is actually a great starting point. You already have experience talking to customers and explaining products, which are core skills for an SDR.
Many modern tech companies understand that sales skills can be taught, but grit, curiosity, and communication skills are harder to find. They often prefer to hire candidates with potential and train them from the ground up.
To see why this is the case, let's watch a short clip.
How To Get A Sales Job Without Sales Experience | SaaS Sales, Software Sales & Tech Sales
Patrick Dang, a well-known sales career coach, explains why tech companies are increasingly open to hiring people from diverse, non-sales backgrounds. This should give you confidence as you start your job search.
Watch the section from 01:17 to 03:47. Pay attention to his points about companies wanting to train people from the ground up and avoiding candidates with 'bad habits' from other sales roles.
The SDR Role: Your Entry Point into Tech Sales
You've correctly identified the SDR or Business Development Representative (BDR) role as your target. These titles are often used interchangeably. This is the most common entry point into tech sales because the primary goal isn't to close deals, but to start conversations and book meetings for the senior sales team.
This image provides a great overview of where the SDR role fits within a typical sales team.
Your job as an SDR will be to research potential customers, reach out to them (via email, phone, and social media), and qualify their interest to see if they are a good fit for your company's product.
Step 1: Identify High-Growth Industries
Your job search will be much more effective if you focus on industries that are actively and aggressively hiring salespeople. To help with this, let's look at some expert predictions for the coming year.
The following article compiles insights from 16 hiring experts on which industries are expected to have the most sales jobs. The consensus points strongly toward the technology sector.
What industries are expected to hire the most sales people ...
This article, 'What industries are expected to hire the most sales people in 2025' from College Recruiter, provides a broad overview of hiring trends. We'll focus on the sections most relevant to entry-level tech sales.
Please read the following sections from the article: Technology Industry Dominates Sales Hiring in 2025 SaaS Sector to Hire Most Sales Candidates Cybersecurity Firms Will Hire Sales Specialists Focus on why these sectors are growing and what that means for sales roles.
As you can see, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Cybersecurity, and AI are hotbeds for sales talent. Companies in these spaces are often well-funded and need to build their sales teams quickly to capture market share. This creates a huge opportunity for entry-level candidates.
Other areas mentioned like Renewable Energy, Fintech, and Healthcare Technology are also excellent options to consider, especially if you have a personal interest in one of them.
Step 2: Build Your "Dream 10" Company List
Now that you have a few industries in mind, it's time to get specific. One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is applying to hundreds of jobs indiscriminately. A far more effective strategy is to treat your job search like a sales process itself.
This means you'll first identify a small, focused list of companies you'd genuinely want to work for. A sales expert named Alen Orač provides a simple, powerful framework for this.
How to find your first SDR role using sales tactics
In this LinkedIn post, 'How to find your first SDR role using sales tactics,' Alen Orač outlines a 4-part process. We'll focus on the very first step.
Read 'Part 1. Build your “Dream 10” list.' Notice the advice to be selective and treat your job hunt like 'qualifying accounts.' This is a core sales concept you can apply right away.
Your Action Item:
Start a simple spreadsheet or document. Brainstorm 10-12 companies that fit your initial criteria. Think about:
- Industry: Which of the industries from the article (e.g., SaaS, Cybersecurity, Fintech) interests you most?
- Company Size: Do you prefer a small, agile startup or a large, established corporation like Oracle or Salesforce? (Startups often offer more hands-on experience, while large companies provide structured training).
- Location: Are you looking for a remote role, or are you tied to a specific city?
Don't overthink it at this stage. This list will evolve. The goal is to move from a vague search to a targeted one.
Step 3: Find the Job Postings (The Smart Way)
With a target list in hand, you can now hunt for actual job openings. Here are the most effective places to look, starting with the most direct.
1. Company Career Pages
Go directly to the websites of the companies on your "Dream 10" list and find their 'Careers' or 'Jobs' page. As you browse their openings, pay close attention to the qualifications. Many entry-level SDR roles won't require direct sales experience.
The next video demonstrates this process and also shows how to find entry-level roles on job boards like AngelList (now called Wellfound).
How To Get A Sales Job Without Sales Experience | SaaS Sales, Software Sales & Tech Sales
Let's return to Patrick Dang's video. This time, he walks through how to find companies hiring in batches and how to analyze job descriptions on a company's career page.
Watch from 05:22 to 11:19. He provides a live example of looking at Fastly's career page and highlights how the job description doesn't demand sales experience. He also introduces AngelList as a great resource for startup jobs.
2. Job Boards and Alerts
While company pages are great, you also need a system to catch new jobs as they're posted. This is where job boards come in, but there's a strategy to using them effectively.
The key is speed. An SDR job posting on LinkedIn can receive over 2,000 applications. However, the hiring manager often stops reviewing after they have a small pool of qualified candidates. Being one of the first 50 applicants dramatically increases your chances.
This video explains how to set up alerts and find jobs on less-crowded, niche platforms.
How to Find Tech Sales Jobs With Low Competition
In 'How to Find Tech Sales Jobs With Low Competition,' the creator explains the importance of applying early and using specific job alerts and niche websites to get an edge.
Watch from 02:02 to 05:44. Focus on two key takeaways: How to set up specific job alerts on LinkedIn to be one of the first to apply. The names of alternative job sites like remotesales.io and startup.jobs that have less competition.
Test your understanding!
Based on the videos, what are the two most important actions you can take to stand out when thousands of people are applying for the same SDR job on LinkedIn?
Show answer
- Apply early: Set up specific job alerts and apply as soon as a new job is posted, ideally within the first few hours. This gets your application in front of recruiters before they are overwhelmed.
- Be proactive: Don't just submit an application. Find the hiring manager or a recruiter at the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message expressing your interest. This shows initiative and helps you bypass the crowded application portal.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
You now have a complete, practical system for your job search. Let's recap:
- Start with confidence: Tech companies are actively hiring entry-level talent they can train.
- Focus your efforts: Target high-growth industries like SaaS, Cybersecurity, and Fintech where demand for salespeople is strong.
- Be strategic: Create a "Dream 10" list of companies you'd actually want to work for based on industry, size, and location.
- Execute with speed: Use a mix of company career pages and alerts on both large (LinkedIn) and niche (
startup.jobs) job boards to find and apply to roles immediately.
Your homework from this lesson is to start building your "Dream 10" list and set up job alerts on LinkedIn and at least one other niche site.
In our next lesson, we'll tackle the next step: "Craft a resume that highlights transferable skills from your customer service experience." We'll work on translating your current background into the language of sales so your application gets noticed by recruiters.