Writing a Resume for Industrial Sales
Many resumes are simply laundry lists of current and previous employers, dates of employment, and summary of duties and responsibilities. But that should not be the focus of a resume. Resumes should provide a dynamic "first impression" showing the hiring manager your key skills and accomplishments. Think of the resume as your personal prospectus. In summary fashion, let it represent you in the best way possible for the job you want. Remember, the job of a resume is to get you an interview -- nothing more, nothing less.
Should I have One Resume or Multiple Versions?
You should have one resume that you CUSTOMIZE to fit the particular job or company you are prospecting. Take stock of your key accomplishments over the course of your career. List the certifications, skills, and "big wins." Once you know what the job you are applying for requires, insert those skills, wins and accomplishments that are most relevant into your resume.
Understanding the Mind-Set of Hiring Managers and Recruiters
Hiring managers typically receive hundreds or even thousands of resumes for a position. Their mind set is often more to eliminate or reject resumes than to search for reasons to move forward with a candidate. A well-crafted resume will keep you in the running for that industrial sales job. That means that your resume must appear relevant to the hiring manager or Human Resources recruiter. Having the right key words and skills in the resume creates relevancy. Resumes that have them move to the next level -- the rest are usually discarded. So, if you know a company is looking for someone to sell blue widgets to the Pentagon and you have relevant experience, you should include that information somewhere near the top of your resume to make sure you get noticed.
What are the Best Ways to Customize a Resume?
Place a table at the top of your resume in place of the outdated "Objective" line. Call the table "KEY SKILLS" and populate it with 4 -- 6 skills and accomplishments that are relevant to the job you are seeking. That way those skills are highly visible to the hiring manager or recruiter and you will generate more interest.
Industial Supplies - Industrial Sales>
Every Hi-Line representative manages a territory, similar to a route sales position, where quality industrial supplies are delivered directly to the customer's bins.
If you enjoy the industrial community, working with people, and being your own boss, then contact Hi-Line at industrialsales@hi-line.com for a rewarding career in industrial sales.