SDR vs BDR vs AE: Roles, Pay and Career Path

SDR, BDR and AE are three of the titles you will see most in a sales job search, and companies don't all use them the same way. This guide explains what each role does day to day, where the titles blur, how pay is usually structured, and what it takes to get hired and promoted. It ends with how to prepare for the mock cold call that many SDR and BDR interviews include.

What does an SDR do?

A sales development representative (SDR) works at the top of the funnel. The job is to turn interest into qualified meetings for the account executives who close deals. At many companies the SDR's main source of work is inbound: people who requested a demo, started a trial, downloaded a guide or attended a webinar. The SDR responds quickly, finds out whether there is a real need, and books a meeting when there is.

• Following up on inbound leads while they still remember why they got in touch
• Asking qualifying questions about the problem, timing, who else is involved and fit with the ideal customer profile
• Booking discovery meetings and writing handoff notes for the account executive
• Logging every touch in the CRM so the pipeline stays accurate
• Running outbound sequences when inbound volume is low

SDRs are usually measured on meetings booked and, more importantly, on meetings that actually happen and that the AE accepts as qualified. A full calendar of no-shows doesn't count for much.

What does a BDR do?

A business development representative (BDR) usually does outbound prospecting. Instead of responding to people who raised their hand, a BDR chooses target accounts and starts the conversation through cold calls, cold emails, LinkedIn messages and referrals. The goal is the same as the SDR's, a qualified meeting for an AE, but the starting point is colder.

• Researching target accounts and finding the right people inside them
• Making cold calls and getting past the gatekeeper without misleading anyone
• Writing short, specific emails and follow-ups
• Handling early brush-offs like "send me an email" and "not interested"
• Working with AEs on plans for the largest target accounts

BDR work leans on research and resilience. A lot of outreach goes unanswered, so the BDRs who last tend to treat each call as a chance to improve one thing, usually the opener, rather than as a number to get through.

SDR vs BDR: the real difference

The textbook split is inbound versus outbound: SDRs qualify leads that come in, and BDRs create leads that didn't exist. In practice the titles blur. Some companies call everyone in the role an SDR. Some use BDR for outbound only, and some use the two the other way around. A few use BDR for partner or channel development, which is a different job entirely.

So don't choose a role based on the title. Read the job description and look for these signals:

Ask in the interview as well: "How is a typical week split between inbound follow-up and outbound prospecting?" The answer tells you more than the title does, and asking it shows the interviewer you understand the job.

Where the account executive fits

The account executive (AE) takes the meeting an SDR or BDR booked and owns the deal from there to signature: discovery, demo, proposal, negotiation and close. AEs carry a revenue quota, so they are judged on closed business rather than activity.

Many companies split AEs by deal size or segment. Smaller deals mean shorter cycles and more of them. Enterprise deals mean longer cycles, more people involved and a heavier qualification framework such as MEDDPICC. Plenty of AEs also prospect for part of their own pipeline, especially where the SDR team is small.

Once a deal closes, an account manager (AM) or customer success manager often takes over the relationship and looks after renewals and expansion. Titles vary here too, so check who owns the customer after the sale.

SDR vs AE vs AM at a glance

Treat this as a general map. Your target company's version may differ, which is one more reason to ask how a role is measured before you accept an offer.

A day in the life of an SDR

There's no single schedule, but most SDR days are built from the same blocks. Here is an example for an outbound-heavy role. The times are illustrative; yours will depend on your territory and your team.

Two habits separate a good SDR day from a merely busy one: call blocks that are protected from email and meetings, and a short review at the end of the day. Volume matters, but you improve by looking at what actually happened on yesterday's calls and changing one thing.

How SDR and BDR pay is usually structured

SDR and BDR roles are almost always paid as a base salary plus variable pay. The variable part rewards results, and the two together make up on-target earnings (OTE): what you would earn in a year if you hit exactly 100 percent of your target.

We don't quote salary figures here. They change with city, company size, industry and year, and any number would go out of date quickly. Several US states and cities now require pay ranges in job postings, so the listing itself is often the most current source. Compare it with recent public salary data for the same title and location.

What the variable part is usually tied to

• Meetings held, not just booked
• Opportunities the AE accepts as qualified
• Sometimes pipeline or closed revenue from the meetings you sourced

Some plans pay per qualified meeting, and others pay a monthly or quarterly bonus against a target. Many add accelerators above target and a reduced target while you are new, during your ramp time.

How AE pay differs

AEs are also paid base plus variable, but the variable part is usually commission on closed revenue, measured against a quota. Your quota attainment drives your pay, and because a single deal can be large, AE pay tends to swing more from one quarter to the next.

Questions to ask about any comp plan

• What is the split between base and variable pay at target?
• What exactly counts as a qualified meeting, and who decides?
• Is variable pay capped? Are there accelerators above target?
• How long is the ramp, and is the target reduced during it?
• How many people on the team reached target last quarter?
• Is any commission clawed back if a customer cancels?

How to move from SDR to AE

Moving from SDR to AE is a common path, but it isn't automatic, and the timeline varies by company. The surest way to get there is to start doing parts of the AE job well before you have the title.

1. Get the promotion criteria in writing. Ask your manager what an SDR needs to show to be considered for an AE seat: target attainment over a set period, handoff quality, a certification call, or something else.
2. Track what happens after the handoff. Meetings that turn into real opportunities say more about your judgment than the raw number you booked.
3. Learn discovery. Sit in on AE calls, study a framework such as SPIN Selling or BANT, and run mock discovery calls.
4. Write handoff notes an AE would want. The problem, its impact, who is involved, the timeline and the agreed next step.
5. Lead part of the call. Ask the AE if you can run the first few minutes of discovery on meetings you booked.
6. Prepare for the internal interview like an external one. Many companies ask internal candidates for a mock discovery call or demo. Work through account executive interview questions before you apply.

How to get hired: the mock cold call and interview

SDR and BDR interviews often include a mock cold call. The interviewer plays a prospect, sometimes a difficult one, and watches how you open, how you handle pushback and whether you ask for the meeting. It isn't a test of a perfect script. It's a test of whether you can stay composed and keep a conversation moving.

1. Learn the company's product well enough to say who it helps and what problem it solves in one sentence. Its website and customer stories are enough.
2. Write a short opener: who you are, why you are calling this person, and a question. The B2B SaaS cold call script is a good model.
3. Rehearse the two or three objections you are most likely to hear, then ask for a specific meeting time.

Notice what the candidate didn't do: argue with the brush-off, list product features or end the call without asking for a time. For a full walkthrough, read the SDR mock cold call guide, then work through SDR and BDR interview questions and the most common sales interview questions.

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