The thought of writing a resume can be overwhelming, especially if you haven’t done it in a while. It is difficult to know where to start, what to include and what to leave out. Here are some tips to help Software Sales Professionals not only tackle the task but write a winning resume.
Components of a professional resume
1. Contact information:
Make it easy to contact you either by phone, mail or e-mail. Don’t make the recruiter track you down. Note: make sure your voicemail message is professional. You don’t want a recruiter to get the wrong impression from a silly message on the recording.
Do not include personal information, such as marital status, here or anywhere else on your resume.
2. Objective/Title:
Some experts believe that including an objective may limit your chances of obtaining an interview; if your objective doesn’t match the recruiter’s needs at the time, you may miss out on a golden opportunity.
On the flip side, a career objective is useful in communicating that you are proactively managing your career. You know what you want, why not say it?
We suggest taking a broad approach: Instead of writing a sentence like “Seeking a career opportunity as a Marketing Executive.,” try a simple title after your contact info, simply “Marketing Executive.”
3. Summary statement:
First, include your title and years of experience. Second, list special skills. Third, talk about your character traits or work style. Remember that this is a summary; it should only be 2-3 sentences long.
Example:
“Software Sales Professionals with over 10 years’ experience with two Fortune 500 companies. Technical skills include P & L, budgeting, forecasting and variance reporting. Proven track record for exceeding quotas and building or repairing sales teams.”
4. Professional experience:
List each position held in reverse chronological order, going back at least ten years. If you held multiple positions within the same company, be sure to list all of them – you want the recruiter to see how you’ve progressed. Concentrate on the description of the position – that’s the meat&potatoes.
The body of the position description has two parts:
1. A description of your responsibilities and
2. Your accomplishments
Top 12 accomplishments that most interest employers
- Increased revenues
- Saved money
- Increased efficiencies
- Cut overhead
- Increased sales
- Improved workplace safety
- Purchasing accomplishments
- New products/new lines
- Improved record keeping process
- Increased productivity
- Successful advertising campaign
- Effective budgeting
Other resume components include:Education, Professional training, Affiliations/Appointments Licenses, Technical skills and Languages.
Approach these items from the viewpoint of the recruiter or employer: How will these skills benefit the company?