About EliseAI's Hiring Philosophy

EliseAI builds agentic AI for the industries that matter most: housing and healthcare. Backed by a $250M Series E led by Andreessen Horowitz, with $200M+ ARR and 100% year-over-year growth, the company powers 1 in 6 apartments in the U.S. As a Sales Development Representative, you are the first impression of EliseAI for a client's decision maker. Your job is to prospect, target, and generate qualified leads through multi-channel outbound (phone, email, social) using tools like Outreach.io, Sales Navigator, LinkedIn, and ZoomInfo, then book meetings that fuel pipeline for the Account Executive team.

The hiring bar reflects the pace. EliseAI wants fearless, goal-oriented, high-energy people who thrive when measured against individual metrics and are comfortable in-office five days a week. This is a ground-floor seat at a unicorn scaling fast, so expect the process to test whether you can cold call under pressure, handle objections, and stay hungry. Reports describe a mostly quick, transparent process built around a make-or-break mock sales call.

Quick Stats

* Typical process: 3 to 4 rounds, roughly 2 to 6 weeks (some report up to 2 months)

* Format: Video screen with the Sales Development Manager, mock call(s), and a final in-person round at the NYC office

* Core focus: Sales motivation, background and quota track record, cold-call and mock-pitch performance, objection handling, culture fit

* Difficulty: Moderate (2.92/5 company-wide); the mock call is the true filter and back-to-back mocks can feel intimidating

What EliseAI Looks For

* Consistent history of hitting and exceeding quota in high-touch outbound sales

* High energy, sense of urgency, and comfort being measured against individual metrics

* A confident, concise cold-call and pitch delivery (aim for under 2 minutes)

* Coachability and willingness to experiment with the pitch and process

"The company worked with me. It was a quick process, not too many stages. They are super transparent and helpful! I was able to go in and meet everyone in person and they all took time to speak with me and answer all my questions." (Sales Development Representative candidate, accepted offer)

Round 1: Recruiter / Sales Manager Screen (~15 min)

What to Expect

This is a short Zoom call with the Sales Development Manager, often 10 to 15 minutes. It is fast and conversational: you tell them about yourself, walk through your sales background, and explain why you want to be in an SDR role and why EliseAI specifically. Reports note this round can be a quick filter, so a crisp, energetic answer matters. Be ready to speak to quota attainment and CRM experience early.

Example or Reported Questions

* "Tell me about yourself."

* "Walk me through your background."

* "Why do you want to work in sales?"

* "Why do you want to work at EliseAI?"

Tips

* Lead with metrics: name your quota, your attainment, and the outbound channels and tools (Salesforce, Outreach.io, Sales Navigator) you have used.

* Tie your "why EliseAI" to the mission (housing and healthcare) and the growth story (Series E, 1 in 6 apartments), not just generic startup enthusiasm.

* Rehearse this fast phone-screen mix in Nora's Standard Mode so your background walk-through and "why sales" land tight and confident in under a minute.

Round 2: Mock Sales Call / Pitch (~20 to 30 min)

What to Expect

This is the make-or-break stage. You deliver a mock cold call or sales pitch, often targeting a property manager persona, and try to keep it tight (candidates report aiming for under 2 minutes). Some candidates face two back-to-back mock calls in one sitting, with feedback between attempts and a second chance to improve. They are looking for specifics in your approach even while telling you that you do not need to know the product inside and out. This tests your discovery, objection handling, and ability to book the meeting.

Example or Reported Questions

* "Please provide me with your sales pitch."

* "Why do you want to be in an SDR role?"

* "About my time in sales."

* "What are your work ethics?"

Tips

* Build a repeatable structure: quick hook, one or two discovery questions, a value statement tied to property management pain (leasing, tours, maintenance), and a clear ask for the meeting.

* Expect an objection and prepare 2 to 3 clean rebuttals; the interviewers apply feedback and want to see you adjust on the second attempt.

* Drill mock cold calls out loud in Nora's Behavioral Mode to practice pitch delivery, handling objections in real time, and pacing under the 2-minute pressure.

Round 3: Cross-Functional and In-Person Interview (~30 to 60 min)

What to Expect

As an early team member, you get face-time with other departments and sometimes founding leadership. Reports describe a later interview stage plus a final in-person round at the NYC office, where you meet the team and they answer your questions. Expect deeper behavioral questions about work ethic, urgency, resilience, and how you handle a performance-oriented environment measured on individual metrics. Culture and drive fit are weighed heavily here.

Example or Reported Questions

* "Why did you choose sales?"

* "Share your experience / your background."

* "What are your work ethics?"

* "Why do you want to work at EliseAI?"

Tips

* Use STAR stories that show grit and quota-crushing under pressure; EliseAI values people who are fearless and thrive in a fast, no-micromanagement environment.

* Confirm you are genuinely comfortable with in-office work five days a week, since candidates report this being a firm and repeated expectation.

* Run full behavioral reps in Nora's Behavioral Mode to sharpen your resilience, urgency, and "why sales" stories so they sound specific and confident in person.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1) How many rounds are there?

Most candidates report 3 to 4 stages: a short screen with the Sales Development Manager, one or two mock sales calls, a behavioral interview, and a final in-person round at the NYC office. Some processes are shorter and quick, while others report spanning up to 2 months with multiple people across the company.

2) What topics are most common?

* Your sales background, quota attainment, and why you chose sales

* A mock cold call or pitch (kept under 2 minutes), objection handling, and culture and metrics fit

3) How long does the process take?

It varies. Several candidates describe a fast, transparent process of a couple weeks, while others report a longer cycle up to 2 months with interviews across departments. Referrals are common (about 38% of company-wide candidates got in that way), which can speed things up.

4) How should I prepare?

* Nail your 60-second story: background, quota numbers, outbound tools (Salesforce, Outreach.io, Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo), and a specific "why EliseAI."

* Build and rehearse a tight mock pitch with a hook, discovery, value tied to property management, and a clear meeting ask, plus 2 to 3 objection rebuttals.

* Prepare STAR stories on grit, urgency, and hitting goals, and confirm you are ready for 5-day in-office work.

* Practice with Nora AI: use Standard Mode for the recruiter screen, Behavioral Mode for the mock call and culture-fit rounds, and Salary Negotiation Mode to handle the offer conversation with confidence.