Sales Recruitment

How to Hire a Business Development Representative in the UK (2026)

Outbound pipeline builders. Hiring a BDR who can start conversations from cold.

By Mark Wilkinson, Managing Director of Coburg Banks

Mark has spent over 30 years in recruitment, placing sales people from SDR up to Sales Director for SMEs across the UK.

BDRs live at the cold end of the pipeline. Outbound, prospecting, starting conversations with people who weren't expecting the call. It takes a particular temperament, and hiring for it is more about wiring than experience.

⚡ In short

A UK BDR typically earns £26k-£36k base plus commission. These roles fill in 2-5 weeks. Coburg Banks recruits BDRs with no fee until your hire starts.

£26k-£36k

Typical base salary

2-5 weeks

Time to hire

48 hrs

To first shortlist

12 wks

Replacement guarantee

What to look for in a Business Development Representative

Comfortable going cold

Outbound is the job. Ask directly how they feel about cold outreach, and watch whether they light up or wince.

Creative prospecting

The best BDRs don't just hammer a list. They find angles. Ask how they'd get into an account that's ignored three emails.

Resilient and consistent

Rejection is daily. Look for someone who keeps a steady rhythm rather than riding the highs and lows.

How to run the hire

1. Confirm it's outbound.
BDRs live at the cold end, so be clear the job is net-new prospecting and hire for that temperament.

2. Score for creativity and grit.
Weight resourceful prospecting and resilience over a slick pitch.

3. Move quickly.
These people get hired fast.

4. Ask for a real cold email.
Have them write one for your business on the spot - it shows research, thinking and tolerance for the hard part.

5. Set the rhythm.
Define the daily activity expectations clearly so there are no surprises.

How much does it cost to hire a BDR?

Fees typically run 15-18% of first-year salary, capped and agreed upfront.

You pay nothing until your hire begins. The fee covers a shortlist screened for genuine appetite for outbound, which is the hardest part to judge.

How long does it take to hire a BDR?

Usually 2-5 weeks.

Finding people is quick; the value we add is filtering for those who actually enjoy going cold and can keep a steady rhythm, rather than those who'll burn out after a fortnight of rejection.

What's the difference between a BDR and an SDR?

BDRs usually focus on outbound, net-new prospecting - starting cold conversations. SDRs often handle inbound and qualification.

The labels get used loosely, so we scope the real motion. Cold outbound needs a particular temperament, and we screen for it directly.

Can you recruit a team of BDRs at once?

Yes - we handle volume outbound builds as well as single hires.

Hiring a cohort together has advantages: shared onboarding, a bit of healthy competition, and a consistent standard. We'll manage the pipeline so you're interviewing a steady flow rather than a flood.

What does a BDR do?

A Business Development Representative focuses on outbound prospecting - starting cold conversations, finding angles into target accounts and booking meetings for the wider team.

It overlaps with the SDR role, but usually leans more to net-new outbound. It suits people who are comfortable going cold and staying consistent.

What should I ask a BDR at interview?

Ask:

Write me a cold email to one of our target accounts.
How do you get into an account that's ignored three emails?
How do you keep a steady rhythm when the highs and lows hit? and What's your best channel for starting cold conversations?

External citations

Sources:
- REC
- ONS Labour Market
- Coburg Banks Trustpilot

Tell us about your role and a specialist sales recruiter will call you. No fee until your hire starts.

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