Why day-to-day matters more than culture tours
Company visits are great for vibe — but I wish someone had walked me through what people actually do in their first role. That clarity changed how I applied and interviewed.
Sales hierarchy (simplified)
- SDR / BDR — First touch. Qualify interest, book meetings, learn the product.
- Account Executive — Closes deals. Owns the relationship deeper in the cycle.
- Enterprise vs SMB — Deal size and complexity differ; paths vary by company.
My day as an SDR (high level)
- Review inbound leads — people who already showed interest
- Discovery calls — understand their needs, explain how we help
- CRM updates — log conversations so the team stays aligned
- Collaboration — work with account executives when a lead is ready
Internship vs full-time
My Uber Eats internship was full-cycle sales — pitch to close. My current SDR role is first touch on inbound leads. Both taught me to communicate clearly and handle rejection.
If you’re exploring sales
Ask people: What percentage of your day is calls vs email vs research? Inbound or outbound? That tells you more than a mission statement.
Draft for Ari to expand with her own schedule and examples.
