Insider Tips for Navigating Your Recruiter Screen for an SDR Interview
During the SDR interview process, the recruiter screen is often the first step in the journey towards securing a position on a sales team. It’s important to understand that there are different types of recruiters (with different motivations).
Internal Recruiters: Is an employee of the company that you are interviewing for. This recruiter's goal is to ensure that the candidates meet the minimum requirements for the role before moving on to the next stage of the hiring process. The recruiter screen is typically a phone interview, and the recruiter will assess the candidate's qualifications, experience, and overall fit for the job.
External (or Agency Recruiters): Is a third party recruiter that is hired by the company you want to work for to help them fill their open slots. While they are still looking to meet candidates that have the minimum requirements for the role, they typically won’t have as much information about the company or position as what an internal recruiter might have.
Regardless of an internal or external recruiter, the purpose of the recruiter screen is to eliminate unqualified candidates and save time for the hiring team. The recruiter is looking for several key factors during the interview, such as communication skills, experience, enthusiasm, and cultural fit. They are also assessing whether the candidate's career goals align with the position and the company.
To stand out during this stage of the process, prepare in advance by researching the company and the position they are applying for. Visit the company’s website, check out employee reviews on Glassdoor, and search RepVue to see what past and current employees say about their sales org.
You should also have a clear understanding of your own skills and experience and be able to articulate their strengths and how they can add value to the company. Whether or not you have previous sales experience doesn’t matter - what does matter is your ability to take your past experience and highlight the transferable skills that you would bring to a sales role.
Start by thinking of a time that you had to think outside the box to form a creative solution to a problem; or a time when you failed or were rejected at something and how you responded; or an area of your life or work that you feel you really excel at and how you will bring those skills to the table an SDR role. Sharing real life, professional examples from other jobs, your education, or volunteer opportunities will help to create the narrative that shows a recruiter you’re going to be their next great SDR hire.
Another effective way to impress the recruiter is to ask thoughtful and well-researched questions. This not only demonstrates the candidate's interest in the position and the company but also helps to show their knowledge of the industry and the role.
Some questions candidates can ask during the recruiter screen include:
- What are the top 2-3 qualities that successful SDRs at your company possess?
- What percent of the SDR team hits their quota each month / quarter?
- How does your company approach sales and marketing, and how does the SDR role fit into that strategy?
- What roles have your employees transitioned into from the SDR role?
- I’ve noticed your company has received XYZ award (ie. Best Places to Work, Top Places to Work for Women, Best Places to Work for BIPOC), does that align with your experience at the organization?
While the recruiter screen isn’t terribly long (30 minutes inclusive of 10 minutes for you to ask questions at the end), it is a critical step during an SDR interview process in determining whether a candidate is a good fit for the role and the company. Candidates should prepare in advance, demonstrate their enthusiasm and expertise, and ask thoughtful questions. By incorporating best practices and new techniques, candidates can stand out from the competition and impress the interviewer during this stage of the hiring process.