If you are in sales, it goes without saying that prospective employers will have very high expectations about your ability to sell yourself as a top candidate — after all, building rapport and communicating value is your wheelhouse.

We’ve put together some sage advice to help you be ‘less vanilla’ and stand out as the best candidate when applying for a sales position.

1 – Focus on soft skills and attributes

Even if you have minimal sales experience, you will have examples up your sleeve to demonstrate transferable soft skills that are highly sought after in the sales industry, such as:

• Relationship building
• Stakeholder management
• Strong interpersonal communication
• Objection handling
• Problem-solving

In an industry that is often perceived as cut-throat competitive, a growth mindset can be a secret weapon.

• Candidates with a growth mindset:
• See their colleagues as mentors rather than competition
• Have a genuine thirst for personal development and improvement
• Embrace ‘failures’ as learning opportunities
• Are not disheartened by initial rejection

2 – Ensure you have a killer CV and cover letter

Treat your CV and cover letter as the start of your personal sales campaign for the company you are applying to.

• Always tweak your CV and cover letter for every role you apply for.
• Keep your CV short and sweet (with a maximum of 2 pages). 
• Your cover letter should convey your suitability and enthusiasm for the role you are applying for.
• Incorporate keywords and synonyms from the job listing and sales-specific terminology to pass any ATS hurdles.
• Zoom in on 1-2 professional experiences directly related to the role.
• Explicitly address key selection criteria.
• Don’t let a careless typo stop you from making the shortlist! Always take the time to proofread.
• Make sure you update your LinkedIn profile to complement your CV.

3 – Network to your advantage

Networking is an important skill in sales, so it makes sense to demonstrate this proactive initiative in your job search.

• Trawl through your LinkedIn contacts to see if you already know someone in the organisation you are applying to. Additional information about the company and having a warm lead could give you the edge over other candidates.
• Aim to develop a strong relationship with a specialist sales recruitment agency such as Salexo. You never know—we may be able to let you know about opportunities before they are advertised.

4 – Walk your talk in the interview

Consider your interview as a pitch audition. This is your chance to showcase your interpersonal and verbal communication skills, which will be a reliable indicator of your performance in a sales role.

• Be prepared to deliver a concise, energetic ‘elevator pitch’ about who you are, what you have achieved, and your future goals.
• Demonstrate that you are a true people person – make eye contact, smile, and steer the interview into a genuine conversation.
• Do your research and show that you deeply understand and believe in the product or services you will sell.

Salexo can help you shine bright as a top-performing sales candidate. Register with us today to take the first step in landing your dream sales role.