Roles · SDR
SDR recruiting for software companies
AI is eating the spray-200-emails-a-day SDR job. That’s just facts. But the demand for people who can actually talk to a human, handle an objection, and build trust just went up. Way up. We find the SDRs who can think.
The screen
What we screen for
- Quota-carrying demo-setting experience, with the numbers to prove it
- Real phone work: dials, connects, conversations booked
- Outbound they generated, not inbound they routed
- A clear answer to “where do you want to be in 18 months?”
- Coachability: how they took their last hard piece of feedback
The tells
Red flags we catch
- Has only worked inbound leads
- Can’t tell you their conversion from conversation to meeting
- Wants the AE title in 90 days without a plan to earn it
What it pays right now
| Role | Base | OTE | Seen in |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDR (12–36 months) | $50K–$60K | $80K–$85K | Remote SaaS, founding SDR seat |
| Senior SDR / Junior AE | $70K–$90K | $130K | Atlanta (Chamblee) edtech, hybrid |
From ZRG’s live searches, September–October 2026. Updated quarterly.
Questions
What should we pay an SDR?
In our current searches: $50K–$60K base and $80K–$85K OTE for 12–36 months of experience. Senior SDRs ready to close run $70K–$90K base, about $130K OTE.
Should our first SDR report to the VP of Sales?
Often, yes. A founding SDR sitting directly under the person closing deals learns faster than anywhere else. They need a clear path to AE or to building the SDR team.
Remote or in-office?
Both work. In Atlanta, most of our SDR searches are hybrid, 2–4 days in office.
How long does it take to hire an SDR?
CONFIRM: typical time to first slate and to offer.
See also: Hiring in Atlanta · Case studies · How we work
Your move
Hiring SDRs?
Fifteen minutes and we’ll tell you what it should pay and how long it’ll take.
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