The Ideal CV Template for Sales jobs

CVs are written to accomplish one goal: to sell yourself to the company you'd like to work for. If you're trying to obtain a job in the sales industry, then the number one thing you need to demonstrate to the company is that you know how to sell a product, whether it be yourself or their product.

Although any CV or resume is written with that goal, it's particularly important to accomplish selling yourself if you want to get your foot in the door for sales jobs. Even though you may use a variety of tactics to sell a product, a good salesperson will be able to sell something in words, which is exactly what your CV should do for you.

Sales CVs need to be demonstrative of results, and not just a list of past job duties and responsibilities as seen on a chronological resume. When writing a CV geared towards sales jobs, place a lot of emphasis on past achievements in sales. Since companies selling products are concerned with profit, they're going to need to see that you can sell and make them money.

Write An Objective and Summary

To begin, start with a strong introduction. Always include an objective and a short summary. This should summarize strengths and accomplishments of your sales career in couple of sentences, and also tell what you're hoping to achieve in the future. Use action verbs to demonstrate your ability to make things happen.

Include Your Employment History

Next, list all of your previous employment history, beginning with the most recent. Include a header for each employer which includes the employer's name, dates you worked there, position held, and the company's location. Next, summarize your specific duties and responsibilities, again, making them action oriented and also including numbers that show your ability. Instead of saying, "Sold insurance products", try, "Sold personal and commercial lines of insurance to customers in over 40 states, increasing the agency's profits by 40% in just the first six months of my employment."

You can do this in a few short paragraphs that summarize your duties, and insure you convey that you're a results driven worker who can produce, and give proof of this with your sales numbers.

Also include any rewards you received for your sales or performance. If you were promoted, make sure this is one of the things you highlight.

Training, Certification, and Education

Always include a section that outlines your education, any special training you've received, and any certifications you hold. If you've attended sales conferences or classes for example, list these.

Volunteer Work and Other Activities

If you have volunteer experience or some other experience that shows your selling ability, include this. For example, if you worked with an organization and individually raised more money than anyone else that year, this would show your sales strength.

For more help, check online for sales CV templates, or consider buying software that has great CV templates that will help you accurately convey your sales ability.