Every salesperson can sell a product/service; it is expected of us to do so. But through that journey of being the best salesperson in the organization, we tend to forget that the best product that we are selling is ourselves.
In this blog, I am going to walk you through the essence of what makes a good Sales CV.
Disclaimer: This blog is for Sales talent and what makes a good Sales CV. It does not apply to all CVs. For expert advice for writing CVs overall, read our ultimate guide to writing a great CV!
Product Knowledge
They say mystery keeps the curiosity alive. It does! But not in the case of your CV. You should always showcase your product specialization so that your CV will be at the top of the list of a simple product search by the recruiter. I cannot stress enough how many candidates have missed out on an opportunity simply because the CV did not contain the product keyword.
The next time you are writing your CV, why not create a separate “Product” section for each role.
Example:
Product: ERP (Accounting, Payroll, Risk Management, Procurement, Logistics), SaaS – Payroll Management, SaaS – Performance Management, SaaS – Digital Marketing Solution
Sales Target
Each organization has their own specific sales target whether it is measured in revenue, deals, conversions, retainment or others. What separates a great salesperson from an average salesperson is their ability to achieve their sales target and this is also reflective based on whether it’s a team target or individual target. The next time you’re writing your CV, why not try out this formula to further highlight your performance against target.
Example:
2019: RM500,000 – Achieved individual target of RM750,000 (150% against target)
2018: RM350,000 – Achieved individual target of RM500,000 (143% against target)
Achievements
My Mom usually tells me to walk this Earth proudly but remain humble. In this part of your CV, I would suggest you not listen to her. Highlight all your key achievements! Be it bringing in the biggest SaaS deal for your organization, converting an account to a key account valued at X amount or bagging a double promotion in the last year, now is the time to flex!
Example:
“Won biggest deal worth RM20 million in 2019.”
“Retained and converted a key account worth RM30 million in 2018”
“Achieves 100% of YoY target throughout entire sales career”
At the end of the day, information is key and the more descriptive your CV is, the better your chances of getting recognized. Explain your role and responsibilities as clearly as you can. This is not the time to one-up Shakespeare with purple prose, but a little creativity can go a long way. Some of the things you might want to emphasize are:
- Your role as a hunter or farmer
- Your contribution in bringing in new accounts or servicing existing accounts
- Your responsibility as a team lead or individual contributor
- Market coverage – Malaysia, SEA, APAC
- The level of the Stakeholders you managed
- Industry coverage – Industry type (FSI, O&G, Manufacturing), Business type (MNCs, SMEs, Public or Government)
If you’re looking for a new Sales job in Malaysia, reach out to Clement Wong on cwong@welovesalt.com
