I have spent over 15 years working in customer service. All of working experience has been in retail sales and support. Over the past 8 yeas I have been working in Technical Support, IT Support and Network Support. All I know these days is how to work with customers to resolve technical problems. Now I want to break into Technical Sales, but without the inside/outside sales experience I am not sure how to grab an employer’s attention. I am confident enough with my customer service skills and am an excellent communicator, but I do lack the “Sales” experience. What can I put on my resume to emphasize my customer service background and make an employer realize that I am a worthy candidate for a sales position?
2006-07-20 05:54:54 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment
#1 - Carefully craft your objective paragraph (first thing on the resume after your name) to target the specific job you want and state frankly how you are going to solve all their problems (why are you the right person?)
#2 - Look towards one of the newer formats where you start with your objective, then state your accomplishments (bullets), then your skills (bullets), THEN your employment and educational history. You can skip the details on your employment listings unless you wish to emphasis specific accomplishments (which should be up above anyhow.
#3 - Follow up your resume with a phone call in a few days if you don't receive a call from them first. Try to hunt out the hiring manager. Be confident. If you can't sell yourself, you can't sell your product.
#4 - When you have your interview, make sure that you tell them why you know you are ready to transition into sales. It may be worth your while to read up on the sales process (yes, there are actual steps to selling from qualification of the buyer to offer solutions in the right way, to closing the sale). Demonstrating you have some idea of what is involved, as well as your eagerness to learn will impress most employers.
Good luck.
2006-07-20 06:03:36 · answer #1 · answered by Lori A 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sales and service are very different. In service you are helping people who want to be helped. It's not always like that in sales. Can you handle rejection well?
It seems to me that if you had what it takes to be a salesmen you would already have your resumes in the mail and not be fiddling around with Yahoo Answers. Salesmen are aggressive, know what they want, and sure of themselves.
If you don't know how to grab an employer's attention, then what makes you think you know how to grab a customer's attention? And even more difficult - close the sale?
2006-07-20 06:06:46 · answer #2 · answered by Doctor Hand 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's a tough one. If the employeer is looking for an experienced sales person then you're pretty much out of luck. I would throw your resume away regardless because you didn't have XX years sales experience. That's the first think I would be looking for besides education.
think going in cold through the want ads are not going to yield much. You can't get an employeer to see you could do the job. You're going to have to get an "in" someone. Friend of a friend kind of thing. You need someone who can vouch for you so you can get that first interview and prove it. Talk to all of your friends and see if their companies are hiring sales. Get them to hand deliver your resume to HR or the hiring manager and say they think you would be a good fit. Otherwise you're really just shooting in the dark. Good luck!
2006-07-20 06:04:46 · answer #3 · answered by skinny0ne 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I truly dont believe there is anything you can write in a cover letter or resume to dramatically draw attention, all things being equal.
The one way you will is to either:
1. if you know someone who works at the company, refer you. or know someone who knows someone.
2. after you send resume and cover letter, send email to follow up a few days later. then a few days after that. people like go getters and you will draw attention
2006-07-20 06:20:40 · answer #4 · answered by LGW 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
insure that when you are doing the resume that you refer to the job duties as past tense....ie prepared, assisted, regulated. etc..etc...Now also to highlight your skills put emphasis on the things that you enjoyed more about that position...ie...built an excellent rapor with customers...tenacious in answering or resolving issues with customers...determined to deliver pliable service to customers....use words that grab attention in the customer field....adamant, tenacious, highly motivated..team player. adaptable...instrumental in creating changes that lead to better customer service.
2006-07-20 06:07:32 · answer #5 · answered by scooter47 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you already have the answer.
Just explain exactly what you just did, and add that though you are lacking in the one area, that you are more than willing to do so. Use your excellant communication skills. That's sure to get his/her attention.
Good luck !!!
2006-07-20 06:04:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What geographic area are you located in?
Are you looking for commission only, or base plus commission?
My experience is that there are always people looking for commission only reps - and particularly in IT.
Try talking to Oracle. They are always aggressively looking for reps.
2006-07-20 06:08:08 · answer #7 · answered by jrlatmit 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋