Top 5 General Tips for Writing your Sales CV

January is a time when many think about looking for a new role and many of you will be now working on updating your CV. We see hundreds of CV’s and have the benefit of seeing firsthand what employers like and dislike about resume’s. To help you see the best results from the applications you make, here are our top 5 tips when it comes to putting together your CV:

1. Take time to write an accurate and informative personal statement. This is your elevator pitch, it will set the scene, determine the readers first impression and crucially, it will directly influence the amount of further time that the reviewer will invest in exploring your profile. Peronalise this statement but always work with fact. Don’t fall into the trap of describing yourself with non-tangible, debatable traits. It has to be relevant to who you are, what you are applying to and in line with what the reader has advertised and wants to see.
2. Demonstrate commercial delivery through achievements. Its not enough to list out a set of duties and job titles. Each role on your CV should be furnished with achievements. Think problem (or target, challenge), solution and outcome when describing your achievements. Detailing them in this way gives the reader insight to your track record, process knowledge and success. 5 achievements for each role usually suffices.
3. Give context. Don’t assume that the reader will have heard of the business you work for, understand the market it works in, or be able to grasp where your role sits within the organization without some detail. Under each role, list a couple of sentences setting the scene for the reader. What does your business do? Where did your role sit within it? What is the aim of your role? Paint a concise picture.
4. Use examples. Describe in each role where you have won business, what accounts you managed, what verticals or geographies you worked within. Examples give credibility and a degree of evidence to your claims and experience.
5. Show numbers. You have to substantiate and demonstrate your successes and achievements with numbers. This can be £’s, or %’s but work with the principle that every sentence of achievement should have a number attached to it.

If you need help in putting together your CV we would be very happy to help. Call the office on 01252 416 490, we would be delighted to help you with your cv and career opportunities.