6 Things You Should Include in a Sales CV/ Resume

Oakstone International has reviewed hundreds of thousands of sales CVs/ resumes over the last 27 years, and seen some great and not-so-great examples. The competition in sales can sometimes be challenging, which is why you need to take every step possible to increase your chances of standing out from the crowd. In order to increase your chances of landing yourself an excellent SaaS sales role, we have compiled a list of 6 things you should include that people often miss out on.

1. Include your sales accomplishments

2. Be specific about numbers and achievements

3. Tailor your CV to the role

4. Order your CV strategically

5. Include Promotions

6. Include your individual network

1. Include your sales accomplishments

Sales success is all about numbers and targets. It is essential to highlight your ability and success in terms of % to quotas, rankings and awards to quantify your achievements. Employers want to see specific numbers so they can instantly see whether you can fit into their growth plans. Some examples of statements you should include are:

- ‘Achieved X% of quota in 2019

- YoY business growth of X%

- ‘Awarded best performing salesperson 2018’

Failure to include numbers could jeopardise your chances of being considered for an excellent sales role, especially if your competition includes theirs. Find out more here.

2. Be specific about numbers and achievements

Being specific about accomplishments has more impact than rounded numbers and shows hiring managers that every % of your achievements matters to you. Include as much information as you can about specific numbers, as it will uniquely place you above your competition.

Show what your targets were and how much you achieved them every year. The more detail you give to prospective employers, the more interested they will be in your profile. Details also provide talking points for interviews and pre-interview qualifying.

3. Tailor your CV to the role

You can have more than one CV, so create varied ones depending on what roles you are applying for. Highlight your skills and experience in each role to tailor your CV.  Including account management skills on a CV when you are applying for a cold-calling role may cloud your CV for hiring managers. Hiring managers want to see clear skills and experiences for the role they are hiring for, enabling them to make quick, snapshot judgements to streamline their recruitment journey before interviewing.

4. Order your CV strategically

Hiring managers do not have a lot of time to read through every detail of your CV, so structure your CV strategically with the most interesting parts first to keep interest high. It is also best practice to not make your CV too long. Hiring managers do not want to be overwhelmed with information that is not relevant. By ordering and condensing your CV strategically, prevents the reader losing interest, making it possible for hiring managers to determine whether you’re a good fit for the role. Always have your achievements first, as these will draw the reader in to encourage them to read the rest of your experience.

5. Include promotions

Employers like to see rewards and promotions as they show you have gone above and beyond in your previous positions. Ensure you mention these in your CV and the role you were promoted to with the new responsibilities. Mention what you needed to do to earn these promotions and whether there were other people who applied to the position. You can also include the titles of those you worked closely with to show you made strong internal connections.

6. Include your individual network

Following on from including the title of colleagues you’ve worked closely with; it doesn’t hurt to title drop external connections either. If you have created a strong relationship with the CEO or VP at a company, mention it. Show that you can create and nurture professional relationships to benefit the company that employs you. If you managed to do business with these individuals – even better! Having a great network is attractive to companies as they always see the benefits of you bringing that network with you. It also shows you’re interested in expanding your network outside the company you work for, which is always attractive to employers.

Whatever you decide to include in your CV, make it reflect you and your capabilities, and never lie.