Attitude vs Experience: What’s more important when hiring an SDR?

Charlie Mart
3 min readAug 2, 2024

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Most companies see experience as a safe bet, but is this really the case?

What does the Research say?

Research indicates that 46% of new hires fail within the first 18 months, costing the business thousands. At Huzzle, we don’t like failed hires for our clients, so when we saw this stat, it got us thinking: when hiring a candidate, which is a more important predictor of their success, their attitude or their experience?

Well, research suggests that it’s the former. A study analysing more than 20,000 new hires found that 89% of hiring failures were related to the candidate’s attitude, primarily their coachability, emotional intelligence, motivation, and temperament. In contrast, only 11% of hiring failures were due to technical skills, showing that attitude is a stronger predictor of whether a hire would fail.

Why is Attitude so Important?

While this may seem surprising, when you think about it, the reasons are self-explanatory. On the surface, picking for experience feels safe. It feels more likely that the candidate will succeed. In reality, however, regardless of how experienced they are, if they have a poor attitude, they’re doomed for failure; a poor attitude often leads to resistance to feedback and change, poor teamwork, and a lack of motivation. These factors can hinder their ability to adapt to new environments, collaborate effectively with colleagues, and continuously improve their skills, ultimately leading to underperformance and conflicts within the team. For these reasons, it’s clear why now 90% of organisations said that a candidate’s soft skills were just as important, if not more, than their hard skills.

What should I look for when Hiring an SDR?

I appreciate that the word ‘attitude’ is broad, and you may be thinking “What does a good attitude look like?”. Well, when it comes to SDRs, we created the “Huzzle 4”, outlining the four most important elements contributing to a good attitude. These five characteristics are:

  1. Resilience
    The nature of sales involves frequent rejection. An SDR must have the resilience to handle these setbacks without becoming discouraged. Perseverance is key; a resilient SDR views each “no” as a step closer to a “yes,” maintaining their effort and enthusiasm despite challenges.
  2. Curiosity
    A curious attitude drives SDRs to understand their prospects’ needs and the intricacies of the industry they work in. This eagerness to learn helps them ask insightful questions, gather valuable information, and continuously improve their approach. A growth mindset, where they seek feedback and learn from experiences, is essential for long-term success.
  3. Proactiveness
    Proactive SDRs take initiative rather than waiting for opportunities to come to them. They’re always on the lookout for ways to improve their processes, find new leads, and optimize their outreach strategies. This proactive attitude ensures they consistently contribute to the team’s goals.
  4. Emotional Intelligence
    Understanding and empathising with prospects is crucial for building rapport and trust. SDRs with high emotional intelligence can gauge the emotions and needs of their prospects, allowing them to tailor their communication and approach effectively. This empathy helps in creating meaningful connections and understanding the pain points of potential clients.

At Huzzle, we only accept candidates who score high in these four areas in the pre-screening process. Nevertheless, we don’t stop there. We believe that finding the perfect SDR means balancing experience with the right attitude. While candidates need a solid foundation to hit the ground running, their attitude is more important in determining their long-term success. We look for individuals who not only have the skills but also the enthusiasm, resilience, and willingness to learn that can drive long-term success with our clients.

If you’re looking for SDRs who bring the right blend of experience and a positive attitude, Huzzle is here to help you find the perfect fit. Please feel free to reach out to ingmar@huzzle.app.

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Charlie Mart
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Techno-optimist trying to make the world a better place through technology ⚡️ Currently Chief of Staff @ Huzzle helping students land their dream jobs💚