How to become a bilingual Sales Development Representative in Canada

SDRs start conversations with potential customers and book meetings for account executives. It's a common first step in a sales career.

At a glance

Typical pay in Canada
$37,000 – $110,000
Median $61,000 a year ($31.50 an hour)
Experience employers ask for
0–2 years
Entry level
Jobs on Bilingo
11 live jobs
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Pay shows the low (10th percentile) to high (90th percentile) Canada-wide wages for Sales and account representatives - wholesale trade (non-technical), from Job Bank (2023–2024), as yearly amounts for full-time work. Pay varies by province, city and experience. See wages in your area on Job Bank

What you'll do

  • Research and prospect target companies and contacts
  • Reach out by phone, email and LinkedIn
  • Qualify leads and book meetings for account executives
  • Keep the CRM up to date
  • Meet weekly activity and meeting targets

How to get there

  1. Many employers hire new graduates or people from retail and customer service.
  2. Learn a CRM such as Salesforce or HubSpot; free training is available online.
  3. Sales bootcamps and communities in Canadian cities can help you land your first role.
Licensing and certification

Commercial emails to prospects in Canada must follow Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL): you need consent (express or implied), clear identification and a working unsubscribe.

Your bilingual advantage

Speaking two languages makes you stand out in Sales Development Representative jobs. Here's where it helps most and how to prove it.

Where bilingual skills are in demand

  • Quebec, where French is the language of work and English or other languages often help with clients outside the province
  • New Brunswick, Canada's only officially bilingual province
  • Ottawa–Gatineau and the federal public service, where many positions are designated bilingual
  • National companies serving customers across Canada, and employers serving newcomer communities in other languages

Prove your level

Employers trust a recognized result more than "fluent". For French, common tests include the DELF and DALF diplomas and the TEF and TCF tests. Federal public service jobs use their own Second Language Evaluation (levels A, B and C). Describe your level for speaking, reading and writing separately.

Expect part of the interview in each language

Bilingual employers often switch languages during the interview or give a short written task. Practise answering the questions on this page in both languages.

What employers look for

Usually required

  • Strong communication and confidence on the phone
  • Resilience and a positive attitude
  • Organization and comfort with targets
  • Curiosity and willingness to learn
  • Knowledge of CASL rules for commercial emails, or willingness to learn

Gives you an edge

  • Previous sales or customer service experience
  • French, for selling in Quebec

How to stand out

1

Show resilience and results from any target-driven job.

2

Show you research before you reach out.

3

French opens roles selling into Quebec.

See a full Bilingual Sales Development Representative résumé example, or get our Bilingual Resume Template.

Interview questions to prepare for

Employers hiring for this job often ask questions like these. Prepare a short, specific example for each.

  1. Pitch me something you love in 60 seconds.
  2. How do you handle rejection after 20 calls without a yes?
  3. How would you research a company before calling them?
  4. Let's role-play a cold call to a busy manager.
  5. Where do you want to be in two years?

Where it can lead

Your rights and tips as a job seeker in Canada

Know the pay before you apply

In British Columbia and Prince Edward Island, public job postings must include the pay or pay range. In Ontario, so must postings from employers with 25 or more employees made since January 1, 2026. Use the pay on this page to judge whether an offer is fair.

New to Canada?

In Ontario, employers with 25 or more employees can't ask for Canadian experience in a job posting or application form. For regulated jobs, such as engineering, teaching or a skilled trade, contact the provincial regulator early to have your credentials assessed.

You're protected from discrimination

Human rights laws mean employers can't make hiring decisions based on your age, sex, gender identity, race, religion, disability, or family or marital status. You can ask for accommodation during the hiring process, for example for an interview.

Hear back after interviews

In Ontario, employers with 25 or more employees must tell you within 45 days of your last interview whether a hiring decision has been made for a publicly advertised job.

Never pay to get a job

Real employers don't charge you to apply, to be trained or to be hired, and they don't ask for banking details before an offer. Only share your Social Insurance Number (SIN) after you're hired. Stay safe from job scams

Starting out young?

Each province sets its own minimum working age and limits on hours for young workers. See the rules by province

General information, checked on October 3, 2026. It isn't legal advice; rules depend on your province or territory.

Find your next Sales Development Representative job

Create a free profile, add your résumé and apply to bilingual jobs across Canada.

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