Interview prep

Sales Development Representative

Okta · Tokyo, Japan

Apply on Okta's site

Motion: Inbound and outbound
Selling to: Enterprise, Mid-market
Level: SDR / BDR

What they'll measure you on

Quoted from the posting. Have a number ready for each one in your answers.

“The team is part of the wider APJ xDR Organization (ANZ/Asia/JP) and shares the team mission of securing the future of APJ by cultivating high-calibre talent and revenue generating pipeline.”
“Reporting to the Japan SDR Director, this role will prospect target accounts to set opportunities that generate demand for our sales organization.”
“Prospecting for new business opportunities via outbounding initiatives.”
“Qualifying, nurturing and developing a volume of inbound leads on set target accounts.”

Your prep checklist

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Questions they're likely to ask

Walk me through why you want to be an SDR, and why here.
They want proof you chose this role and this company on purpose. Name something specific from their site.
Tell me about a time you got a lot of 'no's in a row. What did you do?
Rejection is the job. Show a habit that kept you going and what you changed.
How do you organize your day when you have 80 dials and 40 emails to get through?
They're checking you can plan: blocks of time, priorities, and when you review what worked.
Tell me about a goal you set and hit. How did you track it?
SDRs live by numbers. Use a real number and say how you measured progress.
What would you do in your first 30 days here?
Bring a short 30-60-90 outline. It shows you think like the job already started.
What feedback have you received that changed how you work?
SDR managers often ask about coachability. Pick something real and show the before and after.
Cold call me. You're selling our product to one of their buyers.
Outbound SDR interviews often include a role-play. Open with who you are, why you're calling, and a question.
The prospect says 'Just send me an email.' What do you say?
Acknowledge it, ask one question to make the email useful, then ask for 15 minutes.
How would you research an account before calling?
Name two or three signals: recent hiring, funding, a new leader, tech they use. Then how it changes your opener.
Write a three-sentence cold email to a VP at a target account.
Short, about them, one ask. Reference something specific.
A lead fills out a demo form at 4:55pm on Friday. What do you do?
Speed to lead matters. Say you respond within minutes and how.
How would you get into an account with 10,000 employees where we know nobody?
Multi-threading: several personas, a reason for each, and working with your AE on a plan.

Questions to ask them

What does a great first 90 days look like for an SDR here?
How are SDRs measured: meetings booked, meetings held, or pipeline created?
How do SDRs and AEs work together day to day?
What's the typical path from SDR to AE here, and how long does it take?
What does coaching look like: call reviews, role-plays, 1:1s?

Expect objections in the role-play. The objection library has word-for-word answers to the twelve most common ones.

Read the full posting

Secure Every Identity, from AI to Human Identity is the key to unlocking the potential of AI. Okta secures AI by building the trusted, neutral infrastructure that enables organizations to safely embrace this new era. This work requires a relentless drive to solve complex challenges with real-world stakes. We are looking for builders and owners who operate with speed and urgency and execute with excellence. This is an opportunity to do career-defining work. We're all in on this mission. If you are too, let's talk. The xDR Team Reporting into the Japan Sales Development Director, the Japan xDR team supports the Enterprise, Commercial and Emerging sales segments. The team is part of the wider APJ xDR Organization (ANZ/Asia/JP) and shares the team mission of securing the future of APJ by cultivating high-calibre talent and revenue generating pipeline. The Sales Development Representative Opportunity Reporting to the Japan SDR Director, this role will prospect target accounts to set opportunities that generate demand for our sales organization. The Sales Development Representative role is a great opportunity to kick-start your sales and marketing career here at Okta and help drive demand for our market-leading cloud adoption and management solution. We are looking for an individual who is curious and motivated. The ideal candidate will possess strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and communication skills. A strong candidate is flexible with change, comfortable in a fast-paced environment, and eager to begin a career in Sales and Marketing. Many of our SDRs move internally to become an Account Executive in our Sales teams. What you’ll be doing • Prospecting for new business opportunities via outbounding initiatives. • Qualifying, nurturing and developing a volume of inbound leads on set target accounts. • Generating sales-ready meetings and opportunities for the Account Executives. • Researching contacts and generating demand through call and email campaigns. • Utilizing active listening skills to uncover customer needs and business outcomes. • Consistently achieving quota by hitting call, email, and meeting targets. • Collaborating with other members of the sales and marketing organization to drive deals forward. • Attending in-person and online marketing events to represent the xDR Organization. • Using and maintaining our SaaS toolkit (SDFC, Outreach etc) to keep data accurate. • Achieving and exceeding monthly set quotas of qualified opportunities. What you’ll bring to the role • 2+ years of previous corporate/business experience. (inside-sales desirable). • Excellent written/verbal communication skills in Japanese • Highly motivated, driven and self-starting individual • Ability to work in a fast paced, team environment • Ability to understand customer needs and meet that need with a successful product sale • Excellent time management/organizational skills #LI - P12825_3589757 #Onsite The Okta Experience • Supporting Your Well-Being • Driving Social Impact • Developing Talent and Fostering Connection + Community We are intentional about connection. Our global community, spanning over 20 offices worldwide, is united by a drive to innovate. Your journey begins with an immersive, in-person onboarding experience designed to accelerate your impact and connect you to our mission and team from day one. Okta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, or status as a protected veteran. We also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and convictions records, consistent with applicable laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to complete any part of the job application, interview process, or onboarding please use this Form to request an accommodation. Notice for New York City Applicants & Employees: Okta may use Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDT), as defined by New York City Local Law 144, that use artificial intelligence, machine learning, or other automated processes to assist in our recruitment and hiring process. In accordance with NYC Local Law 144, if you are an applicant or employee residing in New York City, please click here to view our full NYC AEDT Notice.

From Okta's public job board. Details can change; the company's posting is the source of truth.