Resume Help - Sales Representative Jobs

Today’s résumé critique is actually from a client who said he had his résumé done by a résumé writer.  When I asked if the writer was certified, he couldn’t tell me for sure, so I don’t know if this was the case; but it goes to show that it is important to research the background of your résumé writer carefully.

Find out if they have been formally trained and certified. Check their LinkedIn profile to see if they have positive recommendations.

Meet Jermaine. He is a very talented sales representative in the Pharmaceutical industry who wants to branch out into the Medical Device arena. To do this, he needs a polished résumé that stands out from the crowd and is packed with great content. In addition, his résumé must have visual appeal and make him look like the superstar that he is.

Jermaine’s résumé is missing some key elements. If he is trying to transition to Medical Device sales, he needs to position himself with a strong headline. He has a branding statement, but it is buried below some adjectives that are listed under core competencies, which really don’t belong there.

Innovative, ambitious, disciplined, etc. are adjectives that should be incorporated into a powerful summary statement, which is completely missing from his résumé. In their place, his core competencies should include specific things like Consultative Sales, Team Management, etc.

Next, Jermaine lists his sales achievements. He has won some fabulous awards and recognitions, but this bulleted list is too long and after the 4th or 5th bullet, the reader naturally wants to skip to the next section.  Jermaine should create a Career Highlights section and list his most impressive accomplishments. 

For example:

As Regional Sales Representative, Jones Pharmaceuticals

• Ranked #2 in sales out of 3,000 sales representatives, 2006
• Awarded Top Division Representative in Q1, Q2, and Q3, 2005

As District Sales Representative, Royal Crown

• Awarded Sales Representative of the Year, 1999
• Voted Rookie of the Year, 1997

This style is an opportunity for Jermaine to highlight his achievements without overwhelming the reader. Within each specific job, Jermaine should describe the role in detail using a paragraph format and then provide a short bulleted list of his achievements using the SAR method. (Situation, Action, Results).If he lists any of the same achievements in his career highlight section, it is important not to use the identical wording.  Nobody wants to read the same exact thing twice.

For additional information about this résumé critique, click on the images below to view my comments. If you are interested in having your résumé critiqued, please email debra@careersdonewrite.com for more information. If we use your résumé for our weekly critique blog which comes out every Monday, we will conceal your true identity and redact any confidential information.