His application, so the story goes, consisted of a resume and two other items. One was a sheet of white paper that bore just the phrase, "Outstanding in his field." The other was a color glossy photo of the applicant, dressed to the nines, standing in a cornfield.
As the story has it, the applicant got the job.
Whether or not this actually happened, it does make an important point: Creativity and originality can make a big difference in the job search.
Most of us, I'm afraid, won't be able to be creative in the way our would-be adman was, for we're working in a field where that kind of creativity is not usually called for. But in sales, there are ways to be creative in attracting and keeping customers, and offering evidence of those in your supporting materials and resume will improve your chances of landing a good job.
A well-organized portfolio of materials you created, for example, will help employers understand the nature of your talents and strengths. You should arrange it in reverse chronological order, and, if you produced materials for multiple clients, by client if you can.
Your cover letter is another place where you can display creativity - within reason, of course. Use vivid language to describe your strengths and accomplishments. Even more important, demonstrate that you know something about the company and job you're applying to by doing some legwork and researching the company. Online tools like company websites and social media make this task much easier than it once was.
Be sure to provide examples of how your creativity led to sales results in your resume itself as well - it's the main vehicle that will get you that all-important first interview.
Except at the interview itself, you don't have to dress to the nines in order to demonstrate that you are a standout. Let your resume and supporting materials do the demonstrating for you.
Standout jobs in sales can be found on Salesheads.com.
By Sandy Smith
Sandy Smith is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his career in public relations and corporate communications. His work has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia CityPaper, PGN, and a number of Web sites. Philly-area residents may also recognize him as "MarketStEl" of discussion-board fame. He has been a part of the great reserve army of freelance writers since January 2009 and is actively seeking opportunities wherever they may lie.
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!