3 Resume Tips that will get You Noticed for a Sales Role
When it comes to finding a sales job, whether you’re a new grad or experienced executive, it can be tough to decide what to add to your resume. At Crawford Thomas Recruiting, one of our specialties is placing sales professionals. Being in the HR and recruiting industry for several years, I have a deep understanding of which resumes will stand out to our clients.
Show the numbers!
- Numbers like quotas, goals met, revenue, number of clients, deal sizes, length of sales cycle, etc. Make sure these numbers make sense to someone outside of your current company.
- By having this objective information on your resume, you provide evidence of your success and show that you are goal oriented. Most sales positions have specific metrics you need to hit, so you should be able to easily obtain this information.
For example:
- Made 100+ cold calls per day to prospect/hunt new clients
- Managed 150 accounts with $1M annual quota
- Achieved 180% of Quota for Q2 2018
- Increased my number of accounts 15%
- Awarded top revenue achiever in 2017
Highlight your network!
- At the end of the day, selling is about networking and building relationships. If you have a network in the industry you’re targeting, highlight that! If not, show how you built your current network.
- Keep your LinkedIn up to date and use a professional headshot. Hiring managers will do their research and find your profile.
- If you don’t have 500+ connections, give yourself a daily goal of 25 connection requests and focus on the industry you’re targeting.
Keep it Simple!
- While it might be tempting to put graphics or colorful images on your resume to stand out, you’re not applying for a design job, so stick to highlighting your achievements.
- Know your audience and adjust accordingly. Take the time to read the job description and use keywords listed. For example, if the posting lists “hunter” three times, you should make sure that is also a recurring word on your resume.
- Don’t fluff your experience. Provide a general, brief overview of your job duties and then let the numbers speak for themselves!
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