Sales Development Representative
Focus GroupStart Your Tech Sales Career | Business Development Executive
No Experience Required | £25k + £30-35k OTE | Promote to £50k+ Within 2 Years
Ready to trade your current job for a six-figure sales career? We'll show you how.
What Happens Next? Next available intakes - January & February & 2026 see below process.
Telephone screen calls - w/c 10th November
1st stage interviews - w/c 24th November
Final stage Interviews - w/c 8th December
What Is This Job Really?
This is your first step into B2B tech sales where you'll build the fundamental skills that every successful salesperson needs.
This is an outbound telesales role, you'll be on the phone daily, calling UK businesses to generate appointments for our senior sales team.
What you'll be doing:
- Make 80-100+ calls per day to business decision-makers
- Introduce Focus Group's technology solutions across Telecoms, IT, Cyber Security, and Mobile
- Qualify prospects and secure face-to-face or virtual meetings for our Business Development Managers
- Track your conversations and opportunities in our CRM
- Work toward daily and weekly activity targets
- Push through rejection and stay motivated
This is where every great salesperson starts. You'll develop the core skills – prospecting, communication, resilience, and work ethic – that will serve you throughout your entire sales career.
Yes, you'll hear "no" more than "yes." Yes, it's hard work. But this is where you prove you've got what it takes and build the foundation for a six-figure career in B2B sales.
Why Start Here? The Career Opportunity
Focus Group has a track record of taking people with zero sales experience and developing them into top-earning sales professionals.
What Our People Have Achieved:
From Zero to Hero:
- James joined in Jan 2023 with no sales experience. Within 2.5 years: generated £1.3m in sales, promoted to BDM, now trains new starters and signed our biggest partner deal ever
Award Winners:
- Emma joined July 2024 fresh from travelling. 8 months later: £70k revenue generated, £500k pipeline built, and nominated as a finalist for National Sales Awards 2025
Leadership Track:
- Michael started as a BDE in Aug 2022 (first job after uni). Within 12 months promoted to Team Leader. His team generated £2m+ profit in year one and doubled it the following year
These aren't once-in-a-lifetime stories. They're what happens when hungry, coachable people commit to the process.
Your Earning Potential
Year 1 as BDE:
- Base salary: £25,000
- Realistic first-year OTE: £30-35k
- High performers: £38-42k
Year 2+ as BDM (typical promotion timeline 12-24 months):
- First-year BDM OTE: £50-60k
- Experienced BDM average: £80-100k
- Top BDM performers: £120k+
Career Path:
BDE (12-24 months) → BDM
BDE (12-24 months) → Customer Engagement
BDE (12-24 months) → BDE Team Lead
Note: Progression depends on both performance and time in role. You'll need to consistently achieve targets and demonstrate readiness before advancing.
What Makes a Great BDE?
We're not looking for experience. We're looking for attitude and character.
You'll thrive here if you:
- ✅ Handle rejection well – 50+ "no's" per day won't break your spirit
- ✅ Stay coachable – You take feedback, adapt quickly, and want to improve
- ✅ Work with urgency – High call volumes and daily targets don't intimidate you
- ✅ Communicate confidently – Clear, professional phone manner that builds rapport
- ✅ Think long-term – You see this as a career foundation, not a short-term gig
- ✅ Stay hungry – Money, progression, and proving yourself motivates you
Background doesn't matter. We've hired successful BDEs from retail, hospitality, call centres, customer service, sports coaching, and fresh graduates. What matters is your mindset. charisma and enthusiasm.
What Focus Group Offers You
Proper training, not sink-or-swim:
- Structured onboarding program covering products, pitch, objection handling
- Weekly sales training sessions
- Mentorship from experienced BDMs who've been in your shoes
- Clear performance framework so you always know where you stand
Company perks:
- Company pension scheme
- Wellbeing support and employee assistance program
- Perks platform with retail discounts
- Regular team socials, nights out, and incentive events (go-karting, Top Golf, etc.
Work environment:
- Collaborative, high-energy sales floor
- Supportive team culture where colleagues become friends
- Recognition for top performers (awards, bonuses, shout-outs)
Scale and stability:
- £1bn company valuation
- 30,000+ customers across the UK
- 1,300+ employees in 20 offices
- One of the UK's fastest-growing tech companies
Realistic Expectations
Focus Group offers a genuine career pathway, but let's be clear: not everyone makes it to six figures. The success stories above represent our top performers who showed exceptional commitment, resilience, and drive.
Most people who succeed here:
- Put in 3-6 months of consistent hard work before seeing real results
- Stay coachable and continuously improve their approach
- Build thick skin and don't take rejection personally
- Show up every day ready to hit the phones with energy
If you're willing to put in the work, we'll give you the training, support, and opportunity to build something special.
Our Process: (Process may vary based on logistics, availability, and office location)
- Phone screening (20 minutes)
- Face to Face competency interview
- Job offer for successful candidates
We move fast. If you're the right fit, we'll get you an offer quickly.
Ready to Start?
If you're tired of dead-end jobs with no progression and want to build a real career in tech sales, apply now. We're looking for people with drive and determination – we'll teach you everything else.
Focus Group champions diversity and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds. Need support during the application process? Just ask – we're happy to make reasonable adjustments.
Focus Group Ltd is committed to protecting all personal data in accordance with GDPR. All employees share responsibility for data protection. Report any concerns to your manager or Data Protection Officer.