SALES JOBS, SALES CAREER, CAREER RESEARCH & CAREER SEARCH

First Impressions

Your resume is the key to differentiating yourself from other applicants and since you never get a second chance to make a first impression it’s worth taking some time to get it right.

It is an important tool in your arsenal to land your fist professional sales job and the chance to sing your own praises and make potential employers sit up and take notice. A well written resume is the first step into moving you closer to the interview process.

The format you choose for your resume will depend upon the type of sales job you are applying for and your degree of experience, however there is no “right” or “perfect” resume format. It is important to remember that the primary purpose of a resume is to get you a job interview and not a job as your performance at the interview will determine that.

What often determines whether a resume is read is whether it is well organised and concise. You want to capture your reader’s attention with the format and avoid small sized fonts which are difficult to read.

Guidelines

The ideal length for a resume from a sales recruiter’s point of view is three (3) pages however there is no definitive number. A Graduate or person Re-Entering The Workforce may only require one or two pages whereas a Career Changers with an extensive work history would require additional pages to cover pertinent information.

• The most important information should be stated on the first page and using headings & sub-headings where applicable to assist the reader in locating specific information with ease, such as your Skills, Experience and Personal Attributes.
• Use typefaces such as ‘Arial’ and ‘Times New Roman’ which are simple and clear.
• Keep the language formal and make each sentence short and crisp.
• Avoid using any jargon, acronyms and abbreviations that may potentially confuse the reader
• Run your final document through the Australian (English) version of your spell & grammar checking tool
• If sending your resume by mail, place it in a standard size envelope and avoid any gimmicks to attract attention as they often have the opposite effect

Formats

Once you've identified your Skills, Experience and Personal Attributes, your resume should be arranged to highlight your strongest points. The most popular way to do this is by either a ‘Chronological’ or ‘Functional’ format.

Functional

The functional resume rearranges employment history into sections that highlight areas of skill and accomplishment. This format should be used if you have not had a lot of experience in the role you are applying for.

You should focus on your skills, abilities and knowledge obtained in school and don’t forget to include any volunteer or charity work.

Chronological

The chronological resume is organized by job titles with the most recent position listed first. This format should be used if you have had some experience in the role you are applying for and you should focus on that.

Draw attention to how you applied your skills, abilities, and knowledge during each work experience. Remember, educational experience should always go after work experience.