How to spot a great sales CV

In the current hiring landscape, top sales professionals can be hard to come by. As competition grows, it is crucial that you are able to recognise top talent as soon as you see it, so can act fast and secure the very best for your business. 

In this article, we'll be highlighting the aspects of a great sales CV that you should be considering when hiring top sales professionals.

What to look for in a great sales CV

When first assessing a CV, use the below checklist to identify whether or not the CV you’re looking at fits well for a sales position.
  • A clear and presentable format
  • Key achievements throughout their career
  • Similarities within the markets they have previously worked in – compare this to where your business sits
  • Transferable skills – these are key in sales roles
  • Time spent in previous roles
  • Sales training courses completed - how qualified are they for the position?
  • Performance against target results - numbers are a great way to measure success, this is a sign they have impacted change in other organisations

What will a stand-out sales CV include?

A good sales CV should provide a comprehensive overview of a professional’s work history. Make sure that the sales CV you’re considering covers the following key areas.
  1. A short overview of each company they have worked for in the past, and the market that they operate in
  2. A breakdown of their day-to-day role
  3. Examples of contracts they have won, developed or managed
  4. A list of each key achievements in each role
  5. They will have referenced their route to market
Some aspects of a CV may be more important than others, depending on your organisation and what specific attributes you are looking for in a candidate. Consider their previous industry, client base, their history of products, and how long they have worked in previous roles. This will demonstrate their ability to develop a successful career in your organisation, and show you if they are a suitable candidate for your vacancy. 

Red flags to look out for 

While it is important to understand the signs of a good CV, there are also some red flags that employers should look out for that may mean a candidate isn’t suitable for a role. 
Job hopping – If there are a lot of different jobs, that only lasted a short period of time listed on a candidate’s CV it can indicate an inability to fit in a team or have success within a particular market. Consider looking at other factors of the CV that may be more positive. If you are keen to meet the candidate then you can explore this in more detail throughout the interview.
Minimal transferable skills – Transferable skills are important in sales. Not only are they fundamental to success in sales roles, but they can also show that a candidate has learned from their past experiences, and highlight their ability to adapt to new environments within the business. 
Lack of detail – If a candidate is lacking information around their previous roles it might suggest that they didn’t achieve success or they don’t value that experience. It’s worthwhile to ask questions about the roles with less information. 
Basic errors – If there are errors in spelling and grammar it can highlight a candidate’s lack of attention to detail. 

Use the candidate’s experience to build interview questions

It is important throughout the interview process to ensure that you are asking the right questions, tailored to each candidate. Before the interview, you should identify the key requirements for the role and cross-check this against their CV. Considering their previous performance is important, and the interview stage is the time that you can delve deeper into their work history. Don’t be afraid to be direct with your questioning. 
Using a candidate’s CV to help steer an interview can also lead you to ask questions about specific projects they have worked on, what relationships they had built as a result of these, and learn more about the clients they have won throughout their career.
CVs are a great tool to build your interview questions from. Using this method, you can learn more about their past experiences and really build a conversation about their work, and what they can bring to your business.

What's next? 

If you are looking for top sales talent in your sector right now, get in touch with one of our specialist recruitment consultants today. It's also important to know exactly what you should be offering sales talent in order to attract the best. Download our comprehensive guide on salaries and skills in sales for more insights.