Looking for a job in sales? Are you working on your resume? The words you choose to include in your resume can impact how sales recruiters perceive you as a candidate. We all want to sound professional and experienced, but sometimes this causes us to use cliché words and phrases that add little value to your resume. Some of these buzzwords have little meaning and can actually muddy what you are trying to communicate. It’s more important to use concrete language that is easy to understand.
All sales recruiters agree, there are certain buzzwords and terms they could do without seeing on resumes. Here are some of the buzzwords you can ditch permanently from your sales resume:
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Passionate
Yes, it’s important to have a passion for sales, but it’s more important to show it. How? Use stats to show how your passion is reflected in your performance. For example, “I exceeded sales quota by __% for the past __ quarters.” This information is much more valuable to employers when reading your resume.
Innovative
Being innovative or creative is something that sales companies look for, but this term is grossly overused on resumes. Rather than simply stating that you are innovative, provide examples of things you have done. Use words such as “designed,” “developed,” and “created” to speak about the things you have done for previous employers.
Strong Communicator
Communication skills continue to be a highly sought-after skill, especially in sales. Rather than listing this skill, show it. Show how you are a great written communicator in your resume and cover letter. Speak about how you communicate. For example, you can discuss how you listen to your customers and the various ways you communicate to build relationships and achieve sales objectives.
Results Driven
Rather than say this, let the numbers do the talking. Provide analytics, stats, and data to show how you are results driven. The numbers will do a much better job at telling the story.
Leader
Anyone can say they are a leader, but it’s your actions that will dictate your effectiveness. Explain how you took the lead in situations. Talk about the steps you are taking to develop your leadership skills. Outline how previous employers provided you with additional responsibilities.
The words you use matter. Avoid using the same phrases you commonly see on other resumes. Find a different way to say things. This will help your resume stand out from the pack.
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