How to write a great sales resume

In sales, getting results is your goal. And that's what must come across in a winning sales resume. This article will help you tailor your resume towards sales-related positions and improve your chances. From the author of the newly relased book, "Think Like an Interviewer: Your job-hunting guide to success."

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. **Powerful Introduction**

   Because sales is a very results-driven profession, I suggest having a quick sentence to a short paragraph that summarizes your sales expertise. In other words, tell me in a nutshell how good at sales you are and how much experience you have. And this should be right that the very top so I will see it!

   In other words, summarize your successful sales career and approach or strategy. This way, you're telling a prospective employer how good you are right off the bat! And that's done to impress me and convince me to read on. So make this section powerful and impressive.

2. **Qualities needed for success*

   To be successful in sales, whether it's inside, outside, or telemarketing, requires someone with a very specific set of skills and abilities.

   These include a high degree of: motivation, desire to succeed, product knowledge, honesty, respect, confidence and ability to handle rejection. If you don't bring these to the table, then you're not the kind of person who I'd like as part of my salesforce.

   So I suggest your resume convey these. If you want to include a skills section, you can list these qualities there. Or you can have them mentioned in a summary of your qualifications section. Either way, they must come across in your resume if you want to be successful and get that all-important interview!

3. **Numbers matter**

   Because sales is a numbers game, your chances of success are improved if you have numbers on your resume. So I suggest you include specific numbers on your resume.

   For example, you can tell me:

   a) Your sales volume--max, average, or current, whichever is greatest
   b) The dollar value of your accounts--all accounts combined
   c) The number of clients or customers you manage--all combined
   d) The dollar or percentage you've increased sales
   e) The number of new clients or customers you generated
   f) By how much--percentage or dollar-wise--you've exceeded sales goals

   In other words, any numbers that show what a great salesperson you are should be on your resume! That carries more clout than simplying saying you've increased sales or have sold a lot.

4. **Where to put those numbers**

   On a winning sales resume, you have two places where you can put those numbers. They can go in a separate section that summarizes your sales skills and abilities. Or they can go underneath each sales job you've had. And there's nothing wrong with putting some in each if you'd like. It's all a matter of personal choice!

   However, those numbers should be highly visible so I will see them. In other words, don't bury them way down in the resume, but put them closer to the front and top so they'll standout more.

5. **Awards and Recognition**

   With sales, being recognized for great service, meeting or exceeding sales goals, and being a top performer all carry tremendous weight. So I suggest you make sure these are included on your resume!

   Now it's up to you whether to put them underneath the jobs where you were recognized. Or you can lump them all together into a separate awards or recognition section. Once again, that's a personal choice!

   But my personal opinion is to separate them out so they'll standout more.

   Remember, in sales, providing great service and meeting production goals are most important. Why? Because we want happy and repeat customers. And we want salespeople who do well selling our product or service. So you must come across as someone who excels in both areas!

6. **Training**

   If you went through any sales training, I would suggest you put that on your resume. While training may not be necessary in some areas of sales, there are others where training is essential.

   For example, with real estate and financial sales, most people will go through some sort of in-house training program. Why? Because it's not something that's taught in schools. And so, specialized training is required before you can go out and actually sell.

   Somebody who has been through sales training, even in another areas of sales, demonstrates the ability to be trained and be successful. If this is you, then make sure your resume has it there so I'll know.

   But if you're new to sales and haven't gone through sales training, then you'd focus more on your ability and desire to go into sales and do well. Yet remember, any schooling--public, college, or in-house specialized--is training. So if you've ever gone to school and did well, then your showing me your ability to be trained and succeed.

Tips & Warnings

• In sales, end-results matter most, so be sure your resume is result-oriented

• Sales hiring managers love to see numbers on resumes

• Sales requires individuals with tremendous motivation, honesty, and confidence

• Don't toot your horn too much

• Confidence is good; arrogance is not!