Sales Development Representative

handshake; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

401(k) match

Parental leave

Mental health support

Learning stipend

Remote & Office: SF office perks

Job summary

Handshake is hiring a Sales Development Representative to join our Employer SDR team in the New York City area. You will be the first touch for prospective employer partners, building pipeline and maintaining high standards in every interaction.

This fast-paced, metrics-driven role rewards consistency and accountability, with opportunities to learn, grow, and advance within Handshake as you hit monthly targets and collaborate with Account Executives.

Qualifications

• 6–12 months of SDR or quota-driven experience.
• Proven attainment in quota-driven roles.
• Advanced written communication skills.
• Take ownership of results and learn from setbacks.

Responsibilities

• Hit or exceed monthly targets; new hires should exceed ramping quota from Month 2.
• Generate and qualify a high volume of outbound opportunities with personalized outreach.
• Manage and convert inbound leads quickly with strong context and professionalism.
• Partner with Account Executives on territory plans, messaging, and deal strategy.
• Track activity and insights in Salesforce, Gong, and Outreach.
• Reflect on performance weekly and identify improvements.

Skills

SDR experience

Quota ownership

Written communication

Ownership of results

Coachable

High-volume activity

Curiosity

Composure

Tools

Salesforce

Gong

Outreach

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

ZoomInfo

Job description

About Handshake

Handshake was founded on a simple belief that everyone deserves a path to a great career, regardless of where they went to school or who they know. Today, we power 25 million job seekers, 1 million+ employers, and 1,600 educational institutions.

In 2025, we started Handshake AI and built the fastest-growing AI data business in history. We work directly with frontier AI lab researchers to create evaluations, publish benchmarks, and push the boundary of data. We’ve grown from $0 to ~$1B run rate and pay ~$60M to over 30K individuals every month.

Why join Handshake now:

• Shape how every career evolves in the AI economy, at global scale, with impact your friends, family and peers can see and feel

• Partner hand-in-hand with world-class AI labs, Fortune 500 partners and the world’s top educational institutions

• Work together with engineers, scientists, operators, and more from Palantir, Meta, Scale AI, and former YC founders

• Build a massive, fast-growing business with billions in revenue

The Role

Handshake is hiring a Sales Development Representative to join our Employer SDR team. This role is best suited for someone who works with focus, consistency, and accountability. You’ll be the first point of contact for prospective employer partners; responsible for building qualified pipeline and maintaining a high standard in every interaction.

This is a fast-paced, metrics-driven environment where results matter. The people who succeed here balance volume with quality, learn quickly from feedback, and hold themselves to a high bar. When challenges come up, they pause, reassess, and find a better way forward. Success in this role requires steadiness under pressure, clear communication, and a genuine commitment to continuous improvement.

You will have an opportunity to learn and grow in this role. We support our SDRs and seek to promote them internally based on their demonstrated success in the role, alignment with our values, and a passion for helping students.

• Consistently hit or exceed monthly targets; starting at Month 2, new hires are expected to exceed their ramping quota

• Generate and qualify a high volume of outbound opportunities through thoughtful, personalized outreach

• Manage and convert inbound leads quickly and efficiently, maintaining a high level of context and professionalism

• Partner closely with Account Executives on territory plans, messaging, and deal strategy

• Track activity and insights accurately in Salesforce, Gong, and Outreach

• Reflect on performance weekly; what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve

You Have

• Have 6–12 months of SDR experience or have worked in a consulting, closing, or operations role with clear quota ownership

• Can demonstrate proven attainment in any quota-driven role

• Have advanced written communication skills and can convey context clearly and succinctly

• Don’t get derailed by a bad month; you analyze it, adjust, and come back stronger

• Take complete ownership of results and can point to concrete examples of how you improved a process or outcome

• Are coachable, consistent, and can manage a high volume of activity without losing quality

• Bring curiosity and composure to conversations with senior leaders

• Are motivated by measurable impact, not hypothetical success

Bonus Points

• Experience in consulting or operations

• Internship experience in a performance-based or client-facing environment

• Hired for a job or internship from Handshake

• Familiarity with Salesforce, Outreach, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo, or Gong

Please note that this role is not eligible for relocation; candidates must be currently based in the New York City Area.

We Offer

Handshake delivers benefits that help you feel supported and thrive at work and in life.

The below benefits are for full-time US employees.

• Ownership: Equity in a fast-growing company

• Financial Wellness: 401(k) match, competitive compensation, financial coaching

• Family Support: Paid parental leave, fertility benefits, parental coaching

• Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision, mental health support, $500 wellness stipend

• Growth: $2,000 learning stipend, ongoing development

• Remote & Office: Internet, commuting, and free lunch/gym in our SF office

• Time Off: Flexible PTO, 15 holidays + 2 flex days

• Connection: Team outings & referral bonuses

Explore our mission, values, and comprehensive US benefits at joinhandshake.com/careers.