The Best Entry Level Tech Sales Jobs
So you’ve decided you want to get into tech sales, and now you’re looking for entry level tech sales jobs …
But which tech sales jobs are entry level?
You might have heard of SDR and BDR.
But have you heard of ADR and MDR?
What about DGR?
It’s kinda hilarious at this point how many acronyms there are for tech sales jobs.
But here’s the problem …
It makes it difficult for people who are trying to break in.
It’s one of the biggest mistakes I see people make when they’re trying to break into tech sales …
They search for the wrong job titles. ❌
They search for something too generic like “tech sales” or “software sales.”
Or they apply for more senior roles (like Account Executive) and then wonder why they’re not getting any interviews.
After reading this post, you’ll increase your chances of landing an entry level tech sales role, because you’ll know exactly which job titles to search for …
Sales Development Representative (SDR)
SDR is the most common entry level tech sales job title.
This is the #1 job title you should be searching for (assuming you’re looking for entry level tech sales jobs).
You can try searching for both the fully spelled out version and the acronym:
- Sales Development Representative
- SDR
You might be wondering … what does a Sales Development Representative do?
Basically, you’re on the front lines of the sales process.
You’re responsible for getting leads and passing them along to more experienced members of the sales team (Account Executives) who will then try to convert those leads into paying customers.
Business Development Representative (BDR)
BDR is the second most popular job title for entry level tech sales.
After you’ve applied to all the SDR job postings you can find, switch to BDR jobs.
Again, you can search for the spelled out version and the acronym:
- Business Development Representative
- BDR
Now, what’s the difference between Sales Development Representative vs Business Development Representative?
Some people say that SDRs do inbound (qualifying leads that come in through the website, social media, etc.) and BDRs do outbound (e.g., cold calling, cold emailing).
But it’s also the exact opposite at some companies.
Here’s the honest truth …
Entry level tech sales job titles are basically interchangeable.
Here’s an ongoing debate on Reddit about it.
So don’t worry too much about the differences between the job titles.
Just apply to all of them (in the order we have them listed here) to maximize your chances of landing a role.
Account Development Representative (ADR)
ADR is much less popular than SDR and BDR, but you shouldn’t overlook ADR because some top-tier tech companies (like MongoDB and Samsara) use the ADR job title for their entry level sales roles.
Also, there’s less competition for these job postings because fewer tech sales job seekers know to search for the less commonly known ADR job title.
You already know … search for both the fully spelled out version and the acronym:
- Account Development Representative
- ADR
What’s the difference between SDR vs BDR vs ADR?
Again, doesn’t really matter.
If you’re trying to get an entry level tech sales job, just apply to all of them.
But if you’re curious …
Some say that ADRs work with a list of target accounts to identify leads and opportunities.
This could mean establishing a point of contact at a new account or identifying cross-sell and up-sell opportunities within an account that is already a paying customer.
Market Development Representative (MDR)
This is the least common entry level tech sales job.
But again, don’t skip applying for MDR jobs because reputable tech companies like DocuSign and Red Hat have entry level sales roles for MDRs.
What’s the difference between MDR and the other entry level tech sales jobs?
Some say MDRs are more focused on “educating” and driving awareness in the market, rather than generating leads. So you could say MDRs work “higher up” in the sales funnel.
Also, MDRs may work more closely with the marketing team, whereas SDRs and BDRs work more closely with the sales team.
Demand Generation Representative (DGR)
DGRs are similar to MDRs.
They’re responsible for generating demand in the market and ultimately converting leads from marketing campaigns into the sales pipeline.
Like MDRs, DGRs usually work more closely with the marketing team than the sales team.
Amazon (AWS) is a notable tech company that hires Demand Generation Representatives.
FAQs About Entry Level Tech Sales
How much can I make in entry level tech sales?
SDRs with no prior experience can expect to make $65k to $80k OTE in their first year.
SDRs with more than 6 months of experience make slightly more: $70k to $100k OTE.
It’s possible to make six figures in your first year in tech sales.
Source: Betts Recruiting Compensation Guide 2024
Can I get into tech sales with no experience?
Yes.
Starting a career in tech sales may seem daunting, but it’s more accessible than many think.
The truth is: tech companies need junior salespeople and they don’t necessarily expect you to have experience. A lot of tech companies (especially bigger ones) offer on-the-job sales training.
Here are some tangible steps you can take to get into tech sales with no experience:
- Make sure you’re applying for entry roles such as SDR, BDR, ADR, MDR, or DGR.
- Network with tech sales professionals on LinkedIn, e.g., comment on their posts, send Connect requests, ask for their advice, and ask if they’re hiring.
- Highlight transferable skills/experience in your resume and interviews—any customer-facing experience transfers well to sales. Or, if you’ve worked at a startup or tech company before, that transfers well too.
- If you’re still struggling to get interviews, consider doing a tech sales internship or enrolling in a tech sales bootcamp or online course. This will add a foundational sales layer to your resume.
Is it hard to break into tech sales?
It depends.
I’ve helped a lot of people break into tech sales and here’s what I’ve noticed:
- While a college degree isn’t required, candidates with a bachelor’s seem to get more interviews, especially if they went to a well-known college.
- Previous sales experience is a huge plus.
- Working at a startup or a tech company is another huge plus.
- Candidates who struggle the most are trying to transition to tech sales from a completely different industry with very little transferrable skills/experience. It’s even harder if they also don’t have a college degree.
What type of training can I expect to receive in an entry level tech sales position?
Depends on the size of the company.
You’ll receive less training at a startup. They have less people to train you and they probably haven’t fully built out a training program.
At a bigger company, you’ll get better training on the fundamentals of sales, e.g., how to use a CRM, prospecting, qualifying, objection handling, closing, etc.
Here are some tech companies that offer sales training programs:
- Salesforce (learning resources like Trailhead)
- Adobe (career acceleration program, Adobe Sales Academy)
- Oracle (new graduate training program, Class Of)
- SAP (new hire training program, SAP Academy for Customer Success)
- Google (learning resources like Grow with Google)
How important is technical knowledge for succeeding in an entry-level tech sales job?
It’s a common misconception that only coders and hackers work in tech.
The reality is that tech companies are like any other company. They need marketing, HR, legal, finance … and, you guessed it, sales.
Sales is actually one of the best jobs to break into tech.
Conclusion
It’s already hard enough to get into tech sales …
It’s even harder if you don’t know which job titles to search for.
After reading this post, you should know exactly what to search for to find entry level tech sales jobs.
If you still need help, click the chat button in the bottom right corner and send us a message with details on your specific situation and we’ll give you our best advice.
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