When looking for a sales job, it’s essential that your resume clearly illustrates a track record of success.
This applies to any specific achievements and awards on your resume: They must be quantifiable and meaningful.
What does this mean? You must go beyond just stating accomplishments and instead describe achievements in terms of results.
What matters in the sales field? Quantifiable metrics. Numbers. Meeting and exceeding goals.
Think about your answers to these following questions, and then package each quantifiable result as a key achievement that can be showcased in your resume:
- How did you perform in comparison with your peers (i.e., ranking among peers for performance)?
- What were important milestones in your specific sales figures (i.e., increased revenue/market share by 10 percent in six months)?
- Number of times you met/exceeded sales expectations (i.e., achieved 110 percent of quota every quarter).
- Have you won specific sales awards?
- Were you rewarded with a new territory because of your performance?
- Did you have significant repeat business or a high number of referrals (i.e., percentage of customers retained, percentage earned through referrals)?
- Have you led contract negotiations resulting in a positive business deal (i.e., contributed directly to a certain number of bids won)?
- Have you negotiated with vendors or suppliers to secure favorable pricing (i.e., amount of money you helped save)?
- Have you written for any industry publications or spoken at events or conferences (i.e., number of publications/articles/conferences)?
- Did you serve on any committees or boards, or participate in special projects (i.e., number of boards, number of times selected for participation)?
Draw attention to your key quantifiable achievements by making an accomplishments section listing them near the top of your resume. List in a chronical order whenever possible.
The more you keep documented the better off you will be if you want to build a brag book.