Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
  • CV question
  • highclimber
    Free Member

    Hi guys, I know your collective knowledge is much more reliable than anyone else I know so…

    I am preparing my CV for a job in sales. I have previous experience in sales and I am trying to relfect this in my previous job profile. My question is…Which is more professional:


    …Generating sales of our products through approaching and presenting to prospective clients.

    or

    …Generating sales of the company’s products through approaching and presenting to prospective clients.

    or something completely different.

    thanks in advance.

    brakes
    Free Member

    I’d say “the company’s” products shows some detachment from your current employer.
    also, from a consistency perspective, if you were to talk about previous, non current, employers then you wouldn’t say “our” you would say “the company’s”

    e.g. the following seems wrong:

    Jobbie Engineering Ltd 2007-2008
    I sold the company’s products…
    Bob’s Manufacturing plc 2009-current
    I sold our products…

    Squidlord
    Free Member

    What brakes said. Or you could just have

    Generating sales of our products through approaching and presenting to prospective clients

    highclimber
    Free Member

    Hi mate, thanks for that, I think I should mention that I am currently unemployed so I don’t have a current employer so is it not good to show detachment from them?

    highclimber
    Free Member

    Hi Squid, you’re probably right, I could do away with that part of the sentence but I suppose I am asking the question in a more general sense.

    highclimber
    Free Member

    I think I should mention that I am currently unemployed

    I think I may have just answered my own question here…?

    allthepies
    Free Member

    As per squidlord, perfectly possible to express your performance without the need to include what is effectively the obvious 🙂

    highclimber
    Free Member

    As per squidlord, perfectly possible to express your performance without the need to include what is effectively the obvious

    thanks, I realise now that I have wasted a thread!

    GJP
    Free Member

    Something completely different maybe? As neither approach says what you achieved in terms of results that impacted the bottom line. This seems key for a Sales job.

    What was your contribution? Your impact on revenue, yield, new customers, growth, beating your targets, customer satisfaction, deal closure rates etc etc.

    just a thought as I am never quite sure how to get the balance right between stating what you were responsible and accountable for versus your achievements

    john_drummer
    Free Member

    you could also mention that you are available “immediately”, some employers seem to like that

    highclimber
    Free Member

    As neither approach says what you achieved in terms of results that impacted the bottom line.

    all that information is going in the ‘skills’ section.

    boriselbrus
    Free Member

    Neither. Avoid woolly statements like that. You worked in sales, so obviously you were responsible for generating sales with the company’s customers. Stick to things you can quantify. E.g. During my time I increased the customer base by 18% and increased total sales by 26%.

    I read so many CV’s that are as near as dammit identical – full of clichés and general statements. Make it specific, make it quantifiable, spell and grammar check it to death and whatever you do, write a specific cover letter for each job saying what it is about that company which makes you want to work for them.

    highclimber
    Free Member

    Avoid woolly statements like that.
    … Stick to things you can quantify. E.g. During my time I increased the customer base by 18% and increased total sales by 26%.

    I read so many CV’s … full of clichés and general statements. Make it specific, make it quantifiable…

    Thanks for that, but my understanding was that my ‘Employment History’ should contain a basic job description and I can mention what I brought to the company, in the ‘Skills and achievements’ section?

    boriselbrus
    Free Member

    There’s no real rule on that, just make it simple and easy to read. I personally don’t bother with a skills and achievements section unless it’s non work related stuff such as “Magistrate” or “Samaritan volunteer”. Some recruiters will want this though, and you have no way of knowing!

    When ploughing through over 100 cv’s and I get to the personal profile and read “A highly motivated team player” I just switch off, be a bit different and you will catch the recruiters eye. A personal interest section is only good if you have something useful to say like “Cycle Coach” or “Scout Leader”. If all you have to say is “I enjoy cycling and socialising with friends and family” then it’s probably best not to bother!

    If you want to send me your cv, I’m happy to give it the once over if you like?

    Boris

    highclimber
    Free Member

    thanks Boris, i might take you up on that offer as I don’t like giving it to someone I know as they are more likely to sugar coat things.

    JohnClimber
    Free Member

    Boris

    Any chance I can send you mine over as well please for your expert eye to look over?

    highclimber
    Free Member

    is it necessary to include exact sales performance figures as I am uncertain of revenue generated through my acquisions due to the way the business was ran.

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