Sales Development Representative (BDR / SDR)
Job description, salary, sourcing, 15 interview questions and a 30/60/90 plan to hire an SDR / BDR in a German SMB.
Compiled by the Join team from public data and our hiring experience.
Updated
At a glance
- Median salary€36,000€32,000 – €44,000
- Time to fill30–50 days
- Experience0–2 years
How to hire a Sales Development Representative for your SMB
Before you write the job posting, settle three questions. They decide whether the hire is the right lever and which profile you actually need.
Question 1: Do you need an SDR, an Account Executive or an Inside Sales? The SDR generates pipeline through outbound and qualifies upstream, without closing. The Account Executive takes over with deep discovery, negotiation and closing. Inside Sales often does both on short cycles and small basket sizes. If your average sales cycle is under 30 days and your basket size under 5 k€, you are probably looking for an Inside Sales, not an SDR. If your current AEs spend more than 40 percent of their time cold calling, you are looking for an SDR to take the load off. Settle this ratio before writing the ad, otherwise you attract mismatched profiles.
Question 2: Outbound-heavy or marketing-fed? In an SDR position the range is wide: 90 percent cold calling (you are starting the sales engine) or 30 percent outbound with 70 percent qualification of inbound marketing leads (you have a mature inbound funnel). The ideal profile differs strongly: an outbound-heavy SDR needs very high resilience to rejection and an almost industrial cadence discipline; a marketing-fed SDR needs qualification discipline and reactivity (an inbound lead not called back within 5 minutes loses half its value). Without this framing you attract candidates looking for the opposite and disappointed after hiring.
Question 3: First SDR or n-th in an existing team? The first SDR builds the prospecting machine from zero: choosing the ICP, sequences to test, tooling to set up, rituals to establish with the AEs. They need more autonomy and more closeness to the Sales Manager. The n-th joins an existing cadence: they have to integrate into an established structure without rebuilding everything. You recognize these two profiles through different interview questions (see the Evaluation section).
If the three answers converge on a full-time SDR position (and not an AE, an Inside Sales or a marketing reinforcement), move on to the ad template below. An indicative capacity calculation: an SDR typically generates 8 to 15 qualified meetings accepted by the AEs per month in the outbound-heavy mode, 15 to 25 in the marketing-fed mode. Above 30, check whether qualification holds; below 8, check the quality of the ICP or the opening.
JD template
Sales Development Representative (BDR / SDR) (m/w/d): B2B pipeline generation
[Company name], a B2B SMB in [industry] based in [city], [X] employees, [X] M€ ARR, is looking for a Sales Development Representative (BDR / SDR) to generate and qualify pipeline for the team’s Account Executives.
Your mission
As an SDR / BDR you generate and qualify a pipeline of prospects on [territory or ICP segment] for the team’s Account Executives. You carry a quota in qualified meetings and SQLs generated, not in revenue. You report to the [Sales Manager / Head of Sales / Head of SDR].
Key responsibilities
- Make [X] to [Y] outbound touches per day, multi-channel (calls, emails, LinkedIn), on a clearly defined ICP.
- Test and iterate on 3 to 4 outbound sequences per quarter, measuring the differential response rate per variant.
- Qualify inbound or outbound prospects against the [BANT / simplified MEDDIC / other] frame before booking a meeting.
- Book [8 to 25] qualified meetings per month, with a target acceptance rate by the Account Executives above 70 percent.
- Keep rigorous CRM hygiene: structured notes at the end of the day, a dated next step, no ghost deals.
- Brief each Account Executive on the handed-over meetings (context, the concern identified, the stakeholders met).
- Take part in the team rituals: weekly pipeline (30-45 min), a weekly SDR / AE sync (15 min), a weekly 1:1 with the Sales Manager (30 min).
Profile
- Required: a trace of cadence discipline in a prior experience (team sport, sales, service, telemarketing, commercial apprenticeship); the ability to hold a repetitive quantitative target over time; a clear affinity for sales with a development perspective toward Account Executive.
- Desired: a first SDR / BDR experience or a commercial internship in B2B SaaS; familiarity with a modern CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive) or a sequencer (Lemlist, Outreach, Salesloft); native or C2-level German, business-fluent English.
- Disqualifying: no experience with a repetitive task with a quantitative target; looking for a direct closing position; rejection of the cold-calling dimension of the job.
What we offer
- Gross annual compensation: fixed [32-44] k€ + variable [10-16] k€ at OTE (70/30). Details of the variable plan are shared in the interview. The quota is in qualified meetings accepted by the AEs and SQLs generated; no revenue quota.
- An articulated career ramp: a formal review after 12 months; a candidate for a move to Account Executive between month 15 and 24 on reaching the criteria defined at hiring.
- Model: [full-time, hybrid 2-3 days / week on-site, based in [city]].
- Benefits: [company pension, bike leasing, employee shares, vacation, home-office policy, professional development, access to external sales coaching].
- Stack: [CRM, outbound sequencer, commercial intelligence Sales Navigator, call-cadence tool, video conferencing].
Salary band
Base salary, gross annual
- 25th percentile
- €32,000
- Median
- €36,000
- 75th percentile
- €44,000
Variable at OTE€14,000 – €19,000Typical for SDR / BDR in B2B SaaS
Reference range for an entry-level SDR / BDR (0 to 2 years) at a German B2B SMB, predominantly SaaS. Berlin, Munich and Hamburg scale-ups pull it up (38-46 k€ fixed); profiles in the provinces or the classic Mittelstand pull it down (30-34 k€ fixed). The variable component is significant in this job (see the OTE block). The position is designed as a 12- to 24-month ramp toward the Account Executive role, not as a career destination.
Sources: Stepstone Gehaltsdaten Sales Development Representative Deutschland 2026; Stepstone Gehaltsreport 2026; kununu Gehaltsdaten Sales Development Representative; Destatis Verdiensterhebung (April 2025)
Where to source this role
LinkedIn
€150-300 / month (Job Slots)The most important channel for SDR / BDR in Germany, especially in the SaaS and tech segment. Combine job posts (passive visibility among graduates and career changers) with active sourcing via Recruiter Lite on profiles who have been in a first sales role for 6-18 months (signal: the end of the first ramp). The application volume is high in this job; an automated pre-qualification filter is helpful but must stay under human oversight (see the EU AI Act disclosure).
XING
ProJobs from €195 / monthStill relevant for SDR / BDR profiles outside the pure Berlin/Munich tech scene, especially in the classic Mittelstand (mechanical engineering, industry, wholesale) and in NRW, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria. Weaker than LinkedIn for graduates from IT and tech degrees, but stronger for career changers from adjacent jobs (inside sales, telephone sales, customer service) and for profiles over 30.
Stepstone
From €995 / 30 daysThe largest classic job market in Germany with a broad applicant pool, well suited to entry-level volume. The quality-to-quantity ratio is weaker than on LinkedIn or XING, but the cost per application stays competitive when you want to see many profiles at the top of the funnel. Particularly useful for career changers without an established LinkedIn network.
Indeed
€50-150 / month (click sponsoring)The broadest volume for entry-level positions in Germany, including outside the tech hubs. A weaker signal per application than LinkedIn or XING, but very competitive on cost-per-application for volume recruiting at the top of the funnel. A good fit when you fill 2-3 SDR slots in parallel or deliberately target career changers from retail, telecommunications or customer service.
Evaluation playbook
The SDR / BDR role reveals itself across five evaluation stages. The outbound role-play (stage 4) is the most predictive: what separates a good SDR from an average application is cadence discipline and the quality of the first seconds of a conversation, not closing or interview presence.
Stage 1: CV review
Look for: a trace of cadence discipline in a prior experience (team sport, student telemarketing, retail, hospitality service, a delivery job). These experiences show the ability to hold a repetitive rhythm without dropping the quality. Negative: a cluster of short contracts (under 6 months) without a clear logic (other than a deliberate reorientation). The degree counts for less than 30 percent in this position; do not over-weight the university or the business degree. A dual apprenticeship (e.g. Industriekaufleute) is often a stronger signal than a generic business degree with no sales connection.
Stage 2: Phone screen (20-25 min)
Three questions only: (1) What appeals to you about a job where you will get many rejections every day? (an honest reading vs. a cliché), (2) Describe a day when you held a quantitative target, in any context, (3) Why an SDR position and not another sales start? Outcome: go / no-go in a 5-minute debrief, no more. A long phone screen is a poor decision signal in this job.
Stage 3: Structured interview (60-75 min)
Work through the 15 questions below, alternating behavioral, situational, case, technical and values. Focus on the questions about cadence and objection handling (the real differentiators in this job). At least two interviewers, ideally including the future direct manager (Sales Manager). Independent scoring before the debrief, to avoid the halo effect (a likable SDR application always looks better in a one-on-one interview).
Stage 4: Outbound role-play (45-60 min)
Give the candidate a fictional ICP brief 24-48 hours in advance (no more, to stay realistic). The ask: (1) a written outbound sequence of 5-7 touches, multi-channel (LinkedIn + email + call), (2) a simulated cold call of 3-5 min with a member of your team as the prospect, (3) a 15-min debrief on the strategy and what they would do differently on a second iteration. This is the most predictive stage: the quality of the first seconds of the conversation and the handling of the first objection determine quota performance in the sixth month.
Stage 5: References (structured check)
Call two references: a former direct manager (an internship, an apprenticeship, a first job) and a former colleague. Ask both the same 4 questions: How would you describe their work cadence day to day? On which complementary trait would you hire a second person? Would you hire them again tomorrow? A concrete example of a moment when they persevered despite difficulty? The fourth question delivers the most signal in this job, where resilience is the first predictor of success.
Structured interview questions
BehavioralCadence and discipline Describe a moment when you had to hit a repetitive quantitative target (number of calls, visits, tasks) and felt fatigue or weariness. How did you keep going?
What a strong answer surfacesThe ability to recognize that the job has a repetitive cadence component, and to name concrete levers to hold it (structuring the day, micro-targets, team support). Candidates who answer motivation is enough or cannot name an example show a naive reading of the role. Bonus: an explicit reference to quality held despite fatigue, not just to volume.
BehavioralResilience to rejection Tell me about a moment when you got many consecutive rejections (commercial, sporting, academic, personal). What helped you carry on?
What a strong answer surfacesA mature reading of rejection: separating it from a personal judgment, identifying what can be adjusted on the next iteration. Candidates who describe a rejection as hard to digest, but you learn without anything concrete stay on the surface. The best name a concrete operational change after a string of failures (a change of opening, channel or timing).
BehavioralCadence and discipline Describe an experience where you had to organize your day with repetitive tasks and unforeseen events. How did you prioritize?
What a strong answer surfacesThe ability to split the day into blocks (e.g. morning: cold calling, afternoon: follow-up and qualification, late afternoon: CRM and preparation for day +1). Candidates who answer I adapt to the flow without structure show a decisive weakness for a job where calendar discipline is the first predictor of hitting quota.
SituationalPersonal cadence steering You start your week with a target of 15 qualified meetings booked. By Wednesday evening you have 4. What is your plan for the remaining 2 days?
What a strong answer surfacesDiagnosis first: this week's response rate vs. the average, the quality of the ICP targeted, the sequences completed. Plan: raise the volume of first touches on Thursday morning to reactivate, recycle the lukewarm contacts from last week, a short debrief with the Sales Manager. Answers I'll just make more calls without diagnosis show a lack of method. Bonus: recognizing that at T-2 on a weekly target the gap is closed through controlled acceleration and recycling, not panic.
SituationalObjection handling A prospect tells you in the 20th second of a cold call: Send me a document, I'll look at it and get back to you. What do you do?
What a strong answer surfacesRecognizing that send me a document after 20 seconds is almost always a polite closing formula, not a signal of interest. A good answer: try a short open question to re-qualify (Before I send you anything, just so I send the right document: what interests you most about topic X today?), then decide based on the answer. Candidates who simply send the document show a lack of qualification discipline.
SituationalQualification discipline You find that a target account was already contacted 4 times by your predecessor without success. You believe you have a better entry angle. What do you do?
What a strong answer surfacesFirst a check (read the CRM, the reason for the last rejection, the identity of the previous contact), then a differentiated approach if the angle is genuinely new (a new stakeholder, a new trigger event, a new value contribution). Candidates who launch in without the CRM history show a discipline weakness that repeats every week. Candidates who never dare to re-contact show a lack of confidence in their own value contribution.
CaseReading the metrics Target cadence: your monthly target is 12 qualified meetings accepted by the AEs. Your touch-to-meeting conversion rate is 3 percent, and 70 percent of the meetings booked are accepted by the AEs. How many touches must you make per working day to hit quota?
What a strong answer surfacesBasic sales math: meetings to book = 12 / 70 percent = 17 per month; touches needed = 17 / 3 percent = 567 per month; per working day (20 days) = 28-30 touches per day. Bonus: an adjustment for meeting, training and CRM days (real capacity at 80 percent of the time, so a higher target). Candidates who cannot run this calculation out loud in 90 seconds have not internalized the mechanics of the job. No calculator.
CaseCommand of the opening I give you a fictional ICP: Head of Sales of a German SaaS SMB, 30 to 80 employees, in logistics or e-commerce, with Series A funding in the last 6 months. How do you build an outbound sequence with 5-7 touches over 14 days? Give the channel and angle for each touch.
What a strong answer surfacesAn alternating multi-channel sequence (e.g.: T1 a personalized LinkedIn connection, T2 a short email with the Series A trigger, T3 a cold call, T4 a value email, T5 a LinkedIn voice note, T6 a break-up call, T7 a break-up email). Varying angles (curiosity, value, social proof, gentle urgency, break-up). Candidates who propose 5 identical emails or never mention the cold call show a lack of exposure to the modern job.
CaseQualification discipline You have 5 lukewarm contacts from last week to follow up: Contact A (Head of Sales, verbal interest but no slot booked), Contact B (CFO, wants to discuss with the managing director), Contact C (Sales Manager, says not the right time without a date), Contact D (Head of Sales, read the email but did not reply), Contact E (managing director of a 15-person SMB, outside the ICP). How do you prioritize your Monday morning?
What a strong answer surfacesPrioritization by effort times probability times maturity of the signal. Contacts A and D should be the priorities (a positive signal, an action feasible in one touch); Contact B requires re-targeting the managing director directly (a change of contact); Contact C requires a dated follow-up in 4-6 weeks, not Monday; Contact E must be archived (outside the ICP). Candidates who follow up all 5 without prioritization show a discipline weakness that dilutes their impact every week.
TechnicalCommand of the opening Say out loud the first sentence of a cold call for this fictional account: a German SaaS SMB, 50 employees, in logistics. You are calling the Head of Sales. Form the first sentence, then the second sentence depending on whether the prospect says yes, I have 30 seconds or no time at all.
What a strong answer surfacesA short first sentence (at most 12 seconds), a clear identification (name, company), the reason for the call anchored on a trigger event or a plausible segment concern (no product pitch). A second sentence that adapts to the answer: on yes, an open qualifying question; on no time, a fast reformulation and a proposal for a short slot (12 minutes Tuesday at 2 pm, would that work?). Candidates who recite a product pitch verbatim are not calibrated to the job.
TechnicalReading the metrics Which metrics do you look at daily and weekly? Why this cadence?
What a strong answer surfacesA healthy cadence: touch volume daily (calls, emails, LinkedIn); response rate, meeting-booked rate and qualified-meeting rate weekly. A distinction between leading indicators (activity) and lagging indicators (meetings booked, SQLs generated). Candidates who name only the number of meetings booked show an immature reading; the best also speak of the quality of the downstream meetings (the acceptance rate by the Account Executives).
TechnicalQualification discipline You arrive and find that the prospecting notes in the CRM are incomplete: no reason for the non-reply, no dated next step, no sequence tags. How do you organize yourself personally, without waiting for a team change?
What a strong answer surfacesA personal method: before the end of day 1, create your own notes standard (a template with at least 3-4 fields), block 15 min at the end of the day for updates, ask the Sales Manager about the expected format to align. Candidates who wait for a standard to be imposed do not hold CRM discipline over time. CRM hygiene is the first habit that separates a scalable SDR from a plateauing one.
ValuesReading the job Why an SDR / BDR position and not directly an Account Executive or Inside Sales position?
What a strong answer surfacesAn honest reading of the job as a 12-24-month learning ramp toward the Account Executive role, with genuine recognition of the position's own value (upstream qualification, cadence discipline, first market signals). Candidates who describe the SDR as a mandatory step without intrinsic value show a posture that translates into disengagement around month 9. The best name 2-3 specific skills they want to acquire before moving to AE.
ValuesCoachability How do you take uncomfortable feedback on a call you thought you handled well?
What a strong answer surfacesOpenness: the ability to separate the feedback from a personal judgment, to ask for concrete examples to understand. Bonus: the candidate describes a personal ritual for digesting hard feedback (immediate notes, sleeping on it before reacting, a 48-hour follow-up point). Candidates who describe having explained their logic to the manager instead of listening are worth marking down. Coachability is the second predictor of success after resilience in this position.
ValuesTeamwork SDR / AE How do you work with an Account Executive who receives the meetings you book? How do you handle negative feedback on the quality of a handed-over meeting?
What a strong answer surfacesA partnership posture: bidirectional and structured feedback, regular alignment on the qualification criteria (BANT, MEDDIC or a simplified equivalent), acceptance that some meetings booked are not qualified in the AE's view. Candidates who speak about the AE with frustration or detachment (I book the meeting, after that it's for them to close) show a teamwork weakness that sabotages the SDR-AE funnel in 3 months.
How to recognize a great hire
| Trait | Below bar | On bar | Above bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadence and discipline | Works on instinct; does not split the day into blocks, does not hold a stable target touch volume. Strong variation between days with no external cause. | Splits the day into 2-3 blocks (cold calling, follow-up, qualification, CRM). Holds a stable touch volume on 4 of 5 days. Can explain why a day fell off. | An almost industrial cadence: a stable touch volume within plus or minus 10 percent over 8 consecutive weeks, with no loss of quality. Diagnoses a variation through an honest reading of the calendar and adjusts for day +1. |
| Resilience to rejection and coachability | Takes rejections personally; tends to reduce the volume after a string of nos. Looks for the explanation in the prospect or the market, with little self-criticism of their own angle. Hears feedback but returns to the same behavior. | Separates the rejection from the self; identifies 1-2 concrete levers to adjust (opening, channel, timing) after a string of nos. Holds the volume stable over 5 consecutive days. Integrates feedback in 2-3 iterations. | Sees every rejection streak as iteration material. Keeps an informal journal of the objections met and the reformulations that work, shared with the team. Actively asks for observations on recorded calls. Holds energy over 4-6 weeks of intensive prospecting. |
| Command of the opening and objection handling | A long first sentence or a product pitch recited verbatim; reformulates little on objections; sends a document at the slightest request, without qualifying. Falls into brochure mode. | A short first sentence, anchored on a plausible trigger; reformulates the 3-4 classic objections (Not the right time, Send a document, We already have a tool, Not the decision-maker) in a calibrated way. | A mental library of openings per segment; tests 2-3 variants per month and measures the differential response rate. Asks for a short slot after an objection without hesitation (12 minutes Tuesday at 2 pm). |
| Qualification discipline | Books meetings on the prospect's verbal interest, without qualifying budget, timing or decision authority. Patchy CRM notes. | Applies a minimal qualification frame (e.g.: timing, authority, a named problem) before booking a meeting. Structured CRM notes at the end of the day. | Internalizes the qualification criteria to the point that the AE validates more than 80 percent of the qualified meetings. Can decline an immature meeting and hold the contact for a dated follow-up. |
| Teamwork SDR / AE | Works in a silo, regards the AE as an internal customer rather than a partner. Reacts defensively to quality feedback from the AEs. | Hands each AE a written briefing for every handed-over meeting; shares techniques with the SDR peers; accepts legitimate quality feedback. | Structures the relationship with the AEs as a partnership (a short weekly ritual, alignment on criteria, bidirectional feedback); informally mentors the new SDRs after 6 months. |
30 / 60 / 90 day success plan
By day 30
- Full product onboarding, internal certification validated; able to pitch the value proposition in 90 seconds
- Command of the tools: CRM, email sequencer, commercial intelligence (Sales Navigator or equivalent), call-cadence tool
- Shadowing of 15-20 prospecting calls with various senior SDRs / AEs; a structured debrief after each session
- First 30-50 outbound touches independently on a clearly defined ICP, with post-call coaching from the Sales Manager
By day 60
- Reaching 50-70 percent of the target cadence (daily touches, weekly qualified meetings) with quality held
- First qualified meetings accepted by the Account Executives; a target acceptance rate above 60 percent after 60 days
- Command of 3-4 multi-channel outbound sequences, measured by their differential response rate
- CRM notes kept at 100 percent at the end of the day; no missed follow-up actions on lukewarm contacts
By day 90
- Calibrated quota reached in the third month: the target volume of qualified meetings accepted by the AEs with a stable acceptance rate above 70 percent
- An operating cadence held over 8 consecutive weeks with no loss of quality (touch volume plus or minus 10 percent)
- A first personal library of objections plus reformulations that work, shared with the SDR team
- A formal review with the Sales Manager: ramp validated, identification of 1-2 development areas for the next quarter (e.g.: a step up in ICP complexity, opening a new channel)
Common hiring mistakes for this role
The SDR is the position where recruiting mistakes are most expensive in absolute terms (fast turnover, a short but lost ramp) and most invisible in the interview (energy deceives). Here are the five recurring traps.
Hiring on interview energy instead of cadence
The most common trap: a candidate speaks fast, smiles, radiates a convincing energy in the interview, and the analysis stops there. But interview energy (60 minutes) is very different from a sustainable cadence over 6-12 months (40 hours a week of repetitive prospecting). SDR performance after 6 months correlates more strongly with calendar discipline and rejection handling than with interview charisma. Reserve more time for questions about daily rituals and the outbound role-play than for open motivation questions.
Confusing an SDR with an Account Executive or Inside Sales
The SDR generates pipeline through outbound and qualifies upstream; they do not close. The Account Executive qualifies in depth, negotiates and closes. Inside Sales often does both on short cycles and small basket sizes. Blending the three in one ad produces two classic outcomes: either you attract candidates frustrated 4 months after hiring because they lack the promised closing responsibility, or you scare off real SDRs because the scope feels confusing. State explicitly in the ad that the quota is in qualified meetings or SQL, not in revenue.
Confusing an SDR with a telemarketer or inside-sales caller
Classic telemarketing is a job of pure volume on rigid scripts, with little qualification and little personalization. The modern B2B SaaS SDR is a job of discipline plus personalization plus qualification: yes, volume, but on a clearly defined ICP, with an adapted opening and an applied qualification frame. Framing the ad as telephone field sales (100 calls a day) attracts telemarketing profiles who do not hold the expected level of personalization, and scares off the real SDR candidates who are looking for a trajectory toward Account Executive.
Assuming junior equals moldable, without diagnosing baseline discipline
Many SMBs hire graduates as SDRs with the thought we'll train them. That is true, but training does not replace missing baseline discipline at the start. If a candidate arrives late to the interview, has not prepared the fictional ICP sent in advance or did not keep a coherent personal schedule during their studies, training does not correct that base. Filter on observable discipline before raw sales talent; the second can be shaped, the first much less.
Not articulating the SDR-to-AE ramp from the start
For the majority of high-performing profiles the SDR is a 12-24-month position; beyond that they either move internally to Account Executive or go elsewhere. The SMBs that do not articulate this ramp from the start (transition criteria, an indicative calendar, support) suffer a predictable turnover at month 15-18 and lose the ramp investment. Clarify explicitly: if you reach X in 12 months, you are a candidate for an AE move at month 15-18, supported by a 3-month transition plan. Without this articulation you are training SDRs for your competitors.
Frequently asked questions
What does an SDR / BDR earn at a German SMB?
The reference range for an entry-level SDR / BDR (0 to 2 years) at a German B2B SMB is 32-44 k€ fixed salary per year (median around 36 k€), plus a variable component of 10-16 k€ at OTE (typical 70/30 structure). Berlin, Munich and Hamburg scale-up profiles pull it up (38-46 k€ fixed plus 14-18 k€ variable), provincial or classic Mittelstand profiles pull it down. For a solid SDR at 100 percent OTE, expect 45-60 k€ total target compensation.
What is the difference between an SDR / BDR and an Account Executive?
The SDR / BDR generates pipeline through outbound: cold calling, initial qualification, booking meetings. The quota is in qualified meetings or SQLs generated, not in closed revenue. The Account Executive takes over: deep discovery, negotiation, closing on cycles of 45 to 120 days. Blending the two at hiring produces two symmetric frustrations: either the SDR feels downgraded because the promised closing responsibility is missing, or the AE feels over-burdened because they prospect without having signed up for it.
What is the difference between an SDR / BDR and a telemarketer or telephone seller?
Classic telemarketing is a job of pure volume on rigid scripts, with little qualification and little personalization, often B2C or on standardized products. The modern B2B SaaS SDR / BDR combines volume plus personalization plus qualification: they work a clearly defined ICP, adapt the opening per segment, apply a qualification frame (BANT, simplified MEDDIC) and feed an AE who closes. The ramp toward Account Executive is explicit from the start. Confusing the two in the ad wording scares off the real SDR candidates.
How long does it take to hire an SDR / BDR in Germany?
Expect 30 to 50 days between posting the ad and the signature for an entry-level profile at a German SMB. The timeline is shorter than for a senior position, because the application volume is higher and the evaluation process is more standardized. Cutting below 30 days is feasible in this job (a short cycle, few interviews) but sacrifices the outbound role-play, the most predictive stage for future performance. Compared with the French market, German hiring times are 5-7 days longer on average, driven by the more frequent multi-stage validation in the Mittelstand.
Should an SDR's quota be in meetings or in revenue?
An SDR / BDR's quota must be in qualified meetings accepted by the Account Executives or in SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads) generated, never in closed revenue. Setting a revenue quota on an SDR creates two problems: (1) the SDR has no closing responsibility, so the quota is not actionable, (2) it tempts them to push unqualified meetings to fill the gap. The useful secondary metric is the AE acceptance rate of the meetings, which measures the quality of the upstream qualification.
What legal requirements apply to an SDR / BDR ad in Germany?
Three central requirements: (1) a gender-neutral job title with (m/w/d) or colon spelling (§ 11 AGG), (2) the obligation of pay transparency in the ad or before the first interview (EU Pay Transparency Directive 2023/970, implementation by 7 June 2026), (3) transparency about the use of AI tools for pre-selection and guaranteed human oversight (EU AI Act, from 2 August 2026). In a position with high application volume, AI compliance is checked particularly closely.