2. UNIQUE ACTION VERBS: ADDING MORE DISTINCTNESS TO YOUR CONTENT

As resume writers, we gravitate to verbs we’re familiar with (and maybe too comfortable with?), such as support, manage, oversee, direct, etc. Yet, if we want clients to appreciate our writing skills even more, we must get outside our comfort zones. A start to writing more robust copy is by using less-common action verbs to add fresh, eye-catching words to the page.

To get an idea of what we mean, check out these examples:

• Cradled relationships with 3 vital clients after a hostile company takeover in late 2019. Navigated and mediated many heated conversations with a C-level executive at a Fortune 1000 client. Saved a third – upwards of $7.91M – of the client portfolio.
• Leaned in to identify and better resolve customer issues during a recent market shift. Grew per-account sales by 13% instead of the -8% loss initially forecasted.
• Triggered a corporate cultural shift that eliminated bloated overhead and clumsy systems. Assembled SOPs that grew camaraderie and trust amongst the 5 departments with a combined 358 employees.

Since this is a module about writing sales resumes, here are a few action verbs that fit well with those roles:

• Fortified the company's sales team by identifying and eliminating skills gaps amongst...
• Mitigated strained client relationships during a recent product changeover, saving approx. $13.1M from...
• Amplified and diversified the $32.8M client portfolio...

Do you want a list of unique action verbs? Be sure to check out the download below.

3. KEYWORD SYNONYMS TO BOOST ATS ROI

In today's competitive job market, optimizing resumes for applicant tracking systems (ATS) is crucial for getting noticed by potential employers. One effective strategy to improve ATS visibility is to strategically use synonyms. There are many good reasons for expanding your knowledge and use of synonyms.

The first reason for using synonyms in resumes is to DEEPEN the keyword-richness of your content. You're taking this added step because ATS is still very keyword-driven. And since not every employer uses the same wordage to describe the same or similar job roles, by using synonyms, you're broadening the content. Hence, it matches more job openings/employers. Synonyms can positively benefit how ATS "matches and ranks (scores)" your client's resumes.

The second reason for using synonyms in resumes is to avoid keyword stuffing. Keyword stuffing is a term that was heavily used during the early days of the Internet. This is how it worked. Website owners boosted their rankings in search engines by repeatedly including the same keyword or phrase throughout their online content. A great strategy that worked initially. However, search engines aggressively penalized websites that used (and abused) the practice.

Well, the practice of keyword stuffing has found its way into resumes as well. There are no search engines involved in the hiring process — yet. So, why worry about keyword stuffing in resumes? We propose that ATS is increasingly becoming more intelligent and in tune with gaming tactics. Like the early days of the Internet and search engine giants (Google), keyword stuffing in resumes may find itself in the same fate as the once-gamed websites.

As ATS becomes more aware, so does hiring staff. They are getting wiser to unsavory tactics being used by individuals throughout the hiring process. For example, HR staff have been rumored to penalize or look negatively at candidates when their resumes match open jobs and descriptions too closely — primarily when that occurs from artificial means.

The third reason for using synonyms in resumes is to keep the content from looking generic and ineffective because that...

• ... reflects shallow writing skills
• ... makes the content very repetitive
• ... weakens the resume's ability to attract an optimal number of employers

Keyword synonyms are just as it sounds: using word variations to describe the same tasks. 

Here's a basic example of what we're proposing that you do:

Instead of including “staff” too often in content, mix things up by using other similar words, such as colleagues, team, personnel, or with something broader, such as department.

Easy enough, right?

Here are a few examples to get you started thinking about synonyms:

• Budget = financial estimations = income/expenditures
• Purchase = procurement = acquisition of goods/services
• Property management = asset oversight = real estate administration
• Project manager = team leader = implementation strategist

Again, since this is a module about writing sales resumes, here are a few synonym alternatives for those roles:

• Customer = buyer, client, purchaser, consumer, subscriber
• Sales = revenue, top-line or bottom-line growth, selling strategies, new contracts
• Team = staff, department, customer-facing reps, outside sales group
• Marketing = product or service promotions, pipe-line pursuit activities, public positioning

4. HOW SALES RESUMES DIFFER TO THOSE IN OTHER CAREER FIELDS

Sales resumes are generally easier to write because sales roles are often easier to understand. These are uncomplicated positions defined by standardized tasks, such as acquiring new clients, increasing sales, meeting quotas, etc. In addition to including tasks, sales resumes are also generally very achievement-heavy. This is where things become very streamlined because sentences that focus on achievements seem to write themselves.

Individual success in sales speaks volumes about the quality of the JOB CANDIDATE.

As you interview sales clients and write those resumes, place most of your attention on achievements. So, what areas of sales achievements show you focus your attention? Sales achievements span many influential and profitable areas, including:

• Per-Account Sales Growth (client increases their spend with the sales rep)
• Market Share Growth (taking clients away from competitors)
• New Multi-Year Contracts (standard with major cloud-based service providers)
• Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) (known measurement for subscription services)
• Upselling & Cross-Selling Opportunities (credit card company that sells life insurance)
• Margin Improvements (most common in manufacturing where per-part profits can be narrow)
• Awards & Incentives Received (President’s Club, bonuses, vacations)

Despite sales resumes being one of the easier career fields to write for, there are some distinct differences and broad details about the varying sales roles.

First, support-level sales roles focus on one or more of these clients:

• Business-to-consumer (B2C); consists of a shorter sales cycle – generally a few days to weeks. These roles typically focus on the number of daily phone calls, sales presentations, and days to close the sale. 
• Business-to-business (B2B); consists of a longer sales cycle – generally a few weeks to a few months. These roles focus on building the sales pipeline with a continued record of selling success. Employers look for sales candidates with industry experience because that implies an established network of contacts. B2B sales roles also mean the sales staff will likely promote a full line of products and services. 
• Business-to-government (B2G); anyone selling to the government will tell you that sales cycle is crazy long – generally one year or more. There will be times when you write resumes for B2G sales professionals who HAVE NEVER SOLD A THING in their B2G sales positions. That's why, with these resumes, you'll cover what’s in the sales pipeline more than closed sales.

Despite the varying job titles, or whether sales is focused on consumers, businesses, or aliens on another planet, core selling strategies remain much the same. They build relationships, introduce solutions, and sell those products and services to consumers, businesses, or government clients.

Second, sales terminology and jargon don't waiver much. For example, there are general sales terms, such as pipeline, prospect, lead, quota, upselling, and cross-selling. There are different sales techniques, which are often referred to as solution, consultative, and value selling. KPIs don't vary much across the various sales roles either. There are conversion rates, deal sizes, customer lifetime value (CLV), and churn rates.

As with any career field, there's a hierarchy of sales positions, starting from those entry roles and progressing to management and executive roles.

Entry-level sales titles are consistently recognized as Sales Reps or Sales Associates.

Mid-level sales titles are typically Account Executives and Sales Managers - or some variation, such as "Senior Account Executive" or "Outside Sales Manager." These roles can be individual contributor roles because they manage their book of business. Sometimes, folks with these titles have staff development components weaved into them, so in addition to managing their book of business, they are responsible for coaching and mentoring others to build their books of business.

Higher-up sales titles include those who steer and drive larger sales teams, such as Sales Directors, Regional Sales Managers, and VP of Sales. Those at this level collaborate with company executives to ensure overall sales strategies, operations, and performance align with evolving revenue goals.

5. DOWNLOADS - Focused on Sales Careers

• Intake Questions For Sales Professionals - great questions to ask during an intake with sales clients!
• List of Sales Keywords
• List of Unique Action Verbs (NOTE: Part of this module's assignment is to pepper 3-5 UNIQUE action verbs into your finished resume.)