If you're a gifted sales person, then use that talent to sell yourself in your sales resume.
A sales resume must focus on results, clarifying dramatically how you helped your former employer increase profit. The first thing you need to do on your sales resume is to write a profile that shows your sales skills and what value these skills would have for this employer. Make sure that you include on this sales resume the primary reasons why you should be invited to an interview.
Point out your specific expertise and your knowledge of the employer's industry. Here in the sales resume you portray someone with ambition, determination, enthusiasm and high energy. These, after all, are the key ingredients of a successful sales person.
Be Specific With Your Sales Successes
In the part of your sales resume where you talk about your work experience you have to document sales successes. As you list each former employer and the position you held there you briefly list your responsibilities such as supervision, budgeting, outside sales territory and so forth. Also include a list, perhaps bulleted, of quantified sales achievements. Explain the process you used to succeed and how you overcame the obstacles. Be factual about the success - saved $1million dollars for the firm, brought in 120 new customers.
- Before you start to write your sales resume focus on the following questions and note your answers. These are the things you should be including in your sales resume.
- How did your former employers benefits from your sales acumen?
- How did your sales performance compare with your work peers?
- How much, specifically, did you sell (revenue figure or percentage of total sales or increase year over year)
- How well did you perform in comparison with your quota or goals?
- Did you win any awards or bonuses for your sales efforts?
- What specific accounts can you note as successes - either as new customers you brought into the firm or current customers you were able to save or upsell?
- Were you instrumental in any new ideas, products or sales procedures?
- Were you involved in product development or a new product launch?
- Were there any obstacles to sales success that you were able to overcome - perhaps a difficult territory or major customer that had been firmly entrenched with a competitor?
- Did you help others in their sales success through training or coaching?
- Was your customer service or attention to follow through of current customers gain you any testimonials, sales increases or referrals?
- Have you published any sales material or made any presentations at conferences or seminars?
- Have you served on any sales or industry related boards or held any industry-related positions?
One thing that is important to keep in mind as you include your past achievements in your sales resume that you not divulge anything confidential, or anything a potential employer might have reason to believe could be confidential. If there is any question about that you should have referral notes or backup information. As part of your sales resume you could say, for example, that the details are found in last quarter's financial report, or attach a copy of your published acclaim for the documented achievement.