Why is My Sales Resume Not Getting Me Interviews?

You have some pretty impressive sales experience under your belt. You are ready to take the next step and land a 6-figure job. Maybe even head into management. Your resume and cover letter are on point.

So why aren’t you getting any interviews??

Read on to discover how to sell yourself as well as you sell your company’s product or service.

Research Your Prospect

The Job Description

Researching the company you want to work for will be important when it’s time to interview.

Before the interview, you need to carefully read through the job description provided by the company. You will find a wealth of information to help you sell yourself, and determine if you’d be a good fit, by reading between the lines.?

Let’s take a look at this example:

The Sales Manager is an individual who is?highly sociable,?draws energy from working with people, and is?optimisticand?outgoing.?

Are you any of those things? Or are you the complete opposite? As a salesperson, it’s easy to assume you are highly sociable, but that doesn’t mean you draw energy from working with people. I have a friend who is the life of the party but takes a week to recuperate as being sociable DRAINS their energy.?

The first sentence alone will tell you if you should keep reading or if it’s time to move on to the next prospect.?

They are an?excellent leader?within the organization, able to?build and support a cohesive sales team?of Real Estate Agents and Teams who are united in their commitment to the company standards. They have a?strong sense of urgency, but?not at the expense of quality.

What about these qualities? Are you aligned with any of them? Do you find yourself to be a strong leader that can build teams? Or do you prefer to work with a well-established team that you drive to greater heights??

In the first paragraph of the entire job description, we can already discern the kind of person the company is looking for. You can use that information to determine if will be a good candidate for the position. And we have some ideas of what you’ll need to show on your resume, such as being able to deliver high-quality results with an expedited turnaround.?

Long story short, read the entire job description. Don’t just skip to the responsibilities or qualifications section.

Know Your Product

You are the Product

It should go without saying, but you need to know who you are and how you sell in order to show that on your resume.

You can find a lot of sales personality tests online to help you home in on yours. Check out?this test ?that helps you identify if you’re a hunter or farmer.?

For a not-so-entertainment-based test, take a look at the?OMG Express Screen , but you’ll have to pay for this one if you want results versus a sneak peek.

However you go about it, make sure you are well in tune to the type of salesperson you are so you can show why your style makes you the one they want to hire.

Believe in Your Product

Believe in Yourself

Believing in yourself, your abilities, and your success is key to closing the deal. You must believe in what you have to offer.?

You are not like every other salesperson out there. You have unique methods, and your sales metrics look better than your competition.?

You’ll need to show that on your resume. Use quantification as much as possible. Tell your future employer how much you saved the company and how. Let them know about the difficult customer you became close to and sold them 3x what they originally sought.?

Sell yourself on paper so they’ll be asking you when you can start!

Personalize Your Message

A Different Resume for Every Job

It doesn’t have to be COMPLETELY different for each position, but tailor your resume to each job you’re considering.

One company might want to see you as more of a team player. Another might be looking for a lone-wolf salesperson that thrives on competition. You’re interested in both.?

Your first resume will lean into showing how you work great in teams. Your second resume will focus more on your individual achievements and how you outperformed your peers.?

Sometimes, it’s only a matter of moving around your bullet points. Other times, it’s taking some out that aren’t relevant and adding in one that is.?

The hiring staff will know if you’re sending out a generic resume you’re spamming out.?

Change it up a little to align yourself with the position.

Find a Strategy and Adjust as Necessary

Find a Repeatable Process

What are you doing to land the job? Do you submit your resume, then disappear? What is your process for landing the next job??

Much like selling your company’s product or service, you’ve found a strategy that works for just about every prospect and only make minor adjustments when it’s necessary.

Treat job hunting and applying the same.?

Plan a strategy. It might look like this:

1.?????Tweak your existing resume to align with the position.

2.?????Apply on the company’s direct website versus Indeed or other job search engines.?

3.?????Interact with them on LinkedIn by liking posts, following their page, or connecting with employees.

4.?????Reach out in 7 days for a follow-up and appreciation note if you haven’t heard from them yet.

Some adjustments you may need to make could include applying to a specific e-mail given in the job description instead of on their website. Or you’ve heard from them, have the interview scheduled, and want to send a thank you, look forward to meeting you type email.?

Find what works best for you and make it repeatable.?

Build Relationships

It’s Who You Know

One of the most important parts of being a salesperson is your ability to foster and nurture relationships with your prospect. In the age of social media, it’s easier than ever to reach out.

Start on LinkedIn. Follow the company’s page. Maybe post a positive article about the company you want to work for on your profile and tag them. Look through their employees and see if you have any degree of relation. If yes, then reach out to connect.?

Pro-Tip: Include a little note when reaching out for a connection that explains who you are and why you’d like to connect.

Do you still need some help selling yourself? Resume Assassin is here to help!

Reach out today!?www.resumeassassin.com ?or?[email protected]

Connect on LinkedIn:?www.dhirubhai.net/in/mary-southern

Schedule a 15 Minute Call:?https://calendly.com/resumeassassin/meet