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You want to break into tech sales. You're refreshing job boards daily, tweaking your CV for the hundredth time, and watching other people celebrate offer letters on LinkedIn while you're still waiting to hear back from interviews you did three weeks ago.
Here's the truth: speed matters in tech sales hiring. The best roles get filled quickly, and hiring managers move fast when they find someone they like. So if you want to land that SDR or AE role before someone else does, here are 10 tactics that actually work.
1. Apply Within 24 Hours of Job Posting
The early bird doesn't just get the worm in tech sales. They often get the only interview slot before the role gets flooded with applicants. Set up job alerts and apply immediately. Hiring managers pay most attention to the first batch of candidates.
2. Target Companies, Not Just Job Boards
Stop exclusively searching "SDR jobs London" on Indeed. Make a list of 20 tech companies you actually want to work for. Check their careers pages directly. Many roles never make it to job boards because they get filled through direct applications or referrals.
3. Fix Your CV for Sales Roles
Your CV shouldn't read like every other graduate's. Hiring managers want to see results, not responsibilities. Did you increase event attendance by 40%? Coordinate a team project under tight deadlines? Sell anything, even informally? Quantify it. Make it relevant to sales.
4. Record a Video Introduction
Most candidates hide behind text. Stand out by recording a 60 second video introducing yourself and explaining why you want the role. It shows confidence, communication skills, and initiative. Upload it to your LinkedIn or include a link in your application.
5. Reach Out to Hiring Managers Directly
Find the sales leader or recruiter on LinkedIn. Send a short, genuine message. Not "I'd love to pick your brain" but "I've applied for your SDR role and wanted to share why I think I'd be a strong fit." Keep it under 100 words. Personalise it.
6. Get Comfortable With Rejection (And Keep Going)
You'll get rejected. A lot. Some companies will ghost you. Others will send generic "we've decided to move forward with other candidates" emails. The people who land roles fastest are the ones who apply to 10 more companies the same day they get rejected.
7. Nail the Follow Up
After every interview, send a follow up email within 24 hours. Reference something specific from your conversation. Restate why you're excited about the role. Keep it short. This simple move puts you ahead of 80% of candidates who never follow up at all.
8. Leverage Your Network (Even If It's Small)
You don't need a huge network. You need a strategic one. Tell everyone you know that you're looking for tech sales roles. Post on LinkedIn. Message old colleagues or university friends who work in tech. One introduction can skip you past 200 other applicants.
9. Show You Understand Sales
In interviews, demonstrate that you get what sales actually involves. Talk about curiosity (asking good questions), coachability (taking feedback well), grit (pushing through rejection), and communication (building rapport). These four traits matter more than your degree.
10. Use meritt. to Get Ahead
Most recruitment processes are slow because companies waste time screening hundreds of poor fit candidates. At meritt., we flip that. Our AI psychometric assessment evaluates your curiosity, coachability, grit, and communication upfront. You record a video introduction that shows your personality beyond your CV. And you get real feedback within 48 hours, whether you progress or not.
We work with fast growing tech companies who want to hire quickly without compromising quality. That means less waiting around, fewer wasted interviews, and roles that actually match your strengths. If you want to fast track your tech sales job search,