This blog reveals the top four mistakes that prevent you from breaking into tech sales and shows what to do instead to become a top candidate for SDR roles.
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Most people fail to break into tech sales not because they lack potential, but because they carry the wrong mindset. If you’re applying to SDR jobs and wondering why you’re not getting traction, this is for you.
In this post, I'll cover the top four signals that show someone is not ready for tech sales. These patterns show up within the first 60 seconds of meeting someone, and they’re more common than you’d think. The good news? You can fix all of them—if you’re willing to take action.
This is for aspiring SDRs who want to land interviews and get hired at top tech companies.
There is no shortage of people trying to break into tech sales right now. Bootcamps, certificates, online communities, and coaches are everywhere. But very few people understand what it actually takes to succeed.
“I've coached over 6,000 people in tech sales. I can tell within 60 seconds if someone isn’t going to make it.”
This blog is here to help you catch those blind spots and course-correct before you waste time on the wrong path.
Your background might open a door, but it won’t get you hired.
Having a STEM degree, playing sports at a high level, or graduating from a top school might get you an interview. But once you're in the room, none of that matters. Interviews shift quickly to one thing: your ability to perform in an interview and sell yourself.
When I was breaking in, a top med device company called me 18 minutes after I applied, purely because of my resume (Team USA, Dean's List Scholar). But once the interview started, the “tell me about your background” part was over in two minutes. The rest was sales questions that had nothing to do with my background.
What to do instead: Treat your background as a foot in the door, not the solution. Prepare like you have no advantage. Learn to communicate value, handle objections, and demonstrate curiosity. Those are the traits that get hired.
Sales is not something you learn just by watching videos. You have to get in the arena.
If your first move is emailing people to ask for 30 minutes of their time—before you've applied to jobs, optimized your resume, or experienced rejection—you are not serious. You are trying to skip the hard part.
You won’t learn sales by talking to me for 30 minutes. You’ll learn by getting rejected, adjusting your approach, and trying again. There are tons of resources out there (like YouTube and Higher Levels) for you to get a baseline understanding quickly before you even need to ask a stranger for their time.
What to do instead: Truly assess where you're at. If you just found out about tech sales, learn more about it in the next few days before asking a stranger for their time without any context. Ready to apply? Stop procrastinating and start applying now. You're likely going to get rejected, and that's part of it. Track what works and what doesn’t. Ask better questions after you’ve taken real action. Sales is about motion, not theory. You learn fastest when you stop preparing and start doing.
Posting content is not the same as gaining real experience.
We see a lot of new SDRs treating LinkedIn like it’s their main job. They post daily tips, write threads, and even sell courses—after just a few months on the job. That’s a red flag.
To be blunt, no one cares about your 'personal brand' if you don't have sales experience. Your time is better spent direct messaging hiring managers and SDRs you want in your network as opposed to posting any type of 'advice'.
There is nothing wrong with sharing your journey. But if your goal is to break in or get promoted, you need to focus on inputs that drive results. The best companies in the world are not looking for candidates that constantly post on LinkedIn.
What to do instead: Focus on developing your craft before teaching others. Let credibility build through action, not content volume.
If you can’t handle blunt feedback or cold rejection, you won’t last in sales.
Sales is filled with friction. You will be told no. You will be ghosted. Your manager will give you direct feedback, sometimes in ways that are uncomfortable. If that ruins your day, this job will ruin your career.
Some of the best managers I’ve had were the most blunt. It wasn’t personal. They wanted me to get better.
What to do instead: Train yourself to look at feedback objectively, act on it quickly, and move on. Develop thick skin. Feedback is not a threat—it’s fuel. Rejection is not personal—it’s part of the game.
If you’re serious about breaking into tech sales and you’ve been struggling on your own, Tech Sales Ascension leverages 15+ hours of content, live coaching, and 20+ years of experienced coaches from the best companies in the world to guide you to not only break into tech sales, but break into the top tech companies.
This program has helped hundreds of people land offers at top tech companies by mastering the mindset, strategy, and skills needed to stand out—without wasting time on fluff.
→ You can check out our Free Community to learn more, or check out the hundreds of students that have shared their experience of breaking into the best companies in the world.
Q: Do I need a tech background to break into tech sales?
A: No. What matters is how you communicate, how you handle rejection, and whether you can execute consistently.
Q: What is the fastest way to get a tech sales job?
A: Start applying daily. Track your process. Iterate fast. Use rejection as data. Then ask smart questions based on what you’ve tried.
Q: Is it bad to build a personal brand early in my sales career?
A: It depends on your motive. If you’re doing it to get attention instead of experience, it will hurt you. Build skill first, brand later.
Q: How do I handle rejection in sales?
A: Normalize it. Most salespeople hear “no” 90 percent of the time. Detach your self-worth from the outcome and keep improving your approach.
"Before I found Higher Levels, I sent 100+ resumes with zero replies. After Tech Sales Ascension, I had 4 interviews in one week and landed a fully remote role in cybersecurity.” — Daul Bae, now at a top cyber company
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