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Everyone’s talking about AI tools.
Fewer people are talking about what those tools demand from the humans using them.
We recently studied deal breakdowns and GTM strategies from the CROs of Databricks, Windsurf, Owner, and Perplexity — four of the most AI-forward revenue teams in SaaS.
One thing became painfully clear:
The definition of a “top SDR” has already changed.
The scoreboard just hasn’t caught up yet.
The old skill tree — smile-and-dial, charm-heavy, memorize-the-script — won’t get you promoted in this new era.
The reps getting the best results and fastest career growth in 2025 will master a new set of skills.
Skills that make AI their leverage, not their replacement.
What’s Out ?(Obsolete in the Age of AI)
Chasing volume for the sake of it
Writing generic emails with AI and calling it “personalized”
Repeating company slogans without knowing what they mean
Measuring success by effort, not outcomes
Blindly following sequences without thinking critically
What’s In (What Top SDRs Are Doing Differently)
1. Prompting as a Core Skill
The best SDRs don’t just use AI.
They direct it.
They know how to prompt ChatGPT, Clay, and internal tools to get insights others miss — fast.
Want to stand out as an SDR? Learn to ask AI better questions than your manager.
2. Sales as System Design
Great SDRs today think like RevOps.
They don’t just care about the call. They care about:
What happens after the call
Where deals stall
How data moves between tools
Which signals actually matter
They think in flows, not just actions.
3. Teaching over Pitching
The “people person” rep is fading.
“Customers trust AI more than uninformed humans.” – CRO, Perplexity
If you want to stand out, you need to:
Teach your prospects something they didn’t know
Share real insights from your product, not surface-level fluff
Show up as an expert, not a spammer
4. Owning Your Tools
Top reps don’t wait for enablement.
They tinker.
They break stuff.
They rebuild their own outreach workflows.
They learn how to pull data without asking for permission.
“I want SDRs who operate inside my AI system — not outside it.” – CRO, Windsurf
5. Follow-Through > Follow-Up
“Just checking in” emails are dead.
Top SDRs today:
Send AI-generated summaries after every call
Find signal-based excuses to stay in touch
Use tools like Mutiny, Warmly, and Clearbit to time their follow-ups with precision
The Big Shift
In 2021, SDRs were judged by output.
In 2023, they were judged by outcomes.
In 2025, they’ll be judged by leverage.
How much can you move with the least effort?
How many better things can you create using smarter systems?
That’s what hiring managers will care about.
And that’s what will get you promoted faster.
From SDR to AE: What It Takes Now
The SDRs who rise fastest will not be the loudest.
They’ll be the ones who learn faster than anyone around them.
They:
Embrace AI, but don’t outsource their thinking
Think like managers, even when they’re still reps
Study their product like a SE, not just a script
See patterns others miss
They are already working like AEs before the title arrives.
And in this era, you don’t wait to be promoted. You work like it, and the title follows.
Your move.
PS. If you liked this breakdown, forward this to a rep who’s trying to level up.
They’ll thank you in 6 months.
When you're ready, here’s how we can help you grow:
1. Hire SDRs from Us
We’re #1 choice for SDR hiring — with recent hires placed at:
Chargebee • Birdeye • Zluri • Whatfix • Salesforce • Zoom • Rippling • Quizizz • Alaan • LambdaTest • VWO • Netradyne • Epicor • Sogolytics • ConvertCart
Looking to scale your team with job-ready SDRs?
Try our hiring engine: GetMeAnSDR.com
2. Try Blue — Your AI Sales Coach
Get instant feedback on your cold emails and cold calls.
Built for reps who want to improve without waiting for a manager’s calendar.
Sign up and get 25 free credits: getblue.ai
Or just browse our free content and upcoming courses:
👉 learn.schoolofsdr.com