A Sales Compass – A Blog by B2B Sales Connections

Recently a member of our LinkedIn Group posted a video that sparked a discussion about the most important questions asked in an interview are the ones the candidate asks.  Nothing could be more true then when you are applying for a sales position.

So what questions should you ask at the end of your interview?  (more…)

I am often asked, by both employer and employee alike, what is an average salary for a sales position.  Monster appraised all kinds of sales jobs, and recently released their report on the national averages for sales compensation.  You can review their findings on the average salaries for sales jobs here.
 
To find the average salaries in your specific geographic area for all types of positions, including sales, visit Salary.com.
 
Using tools such as these will give you an idea as to what you should be asking for in an interview in regards to salary expectations, or if you are an employer, what you should be offering to potential candidates.
 
Remember, to find the best sales jobs or to attract the best sales talent, you must be competitive in today’s job market.
 
Aim Higher!

Susan A. Enns, B2B Sales Coach from B2B Sales Connections

www.linkedin.com/in/susanenns, www.facebook.com/B2BSalesConnections, or www.twitter.com/SusanEnns

I am often asked how to properly address the cover letter when submitting a resume for a job application.  When a specific name is not specified in the job advertisement, the key is to remain gender neutral. 

Although it may seem unbelievable in this day and age, but I still regularly receive resumes addressed to only “Dear Sir”.  A mistake such as this, one that shows a lack of respect and that the candidate is quick to assume as opposed to verify the details, irks some recruiters enough that they simply delete the application without ever reading the resume. (more…)

A study published by Jobfox, identified Sales Representative/Business Development as the most recession-proof profession.  Profit Magazine reported; “Finding the right sales talent was one of the biggest concerns facing sales organizations today.”   Similar studies conducted annually by Manpower Inc. report that the position of “sales representative” is consistently considered by management as one of the most difficult jobs to fill.    

So if so many sales organizations are always looking to hire, why are so many sales people having difficulties finding their ideal sales positions?  Setting aside reasons like their resumes need improvement, or they need better interviewing skills, one of the biggest reasons is they are not applying to all the available sales positions! (more…)

As a company that hosts a niche B2B Sales Professionals job board we get a lot of resumes. Some are for specific sales jobs we have posted on our website and others are from people who are want to become part of our database for future job opportunities.

Yet many people, who send in a resume just open their email program, add our email address and attach the resume file. No name on the resume file, just “resume”. No contact information, no note saying they are responding to our ad or anything else that tells me they are a legitimate candidate.

In a world of spam, viruses and garbage attacking our “in boxes” every hour of every day you must take a minute to communicate with the person who is doing the recruiting.

No information means junk mail and no chance at a job. If you are applying for a sales job the recruiter is judging you not only on your resume but your introductory email. Face it if you can’t sell yourself in the email, the company recruiter is most likely thinking you will have the same poor approach to selling their products.

AIM HIGHER

Robert J. Weese, B2B Sales Connections

 www.b2bsalesconnections.com, http://www.linkedin.com/in/bobweese,

For more Sales Career Tips and Job Search Links, visit our blog, A Sales Compass, now considered “one of the Top B2B Blogs on the net”.

Download our free White Paper “How To Write An Effective B2B Sales Resume” from the B2B Sales Connections Download Centre.

B2B Sales Connections can make the recruiting and job search process faster and easier than ever before. For more information on what makes our job board services unique, visit Career Connections at www.b2bsalesconnections.com/career.php.

To view our current B2B sales job postings, please visit www.b2bsalesconnections.com/job_postings.php

Here is a great article by Dave Kahle entitled What’s A Professional Sales Person.   In it, he discusses what every sales representative and sales manager should know about professionalism in our chosen career.   A must read for us all!

What do you think makes a professional sales person?  I look forward to your comments.  For those in the Ottawa, Ontario area, we can discuss this more in person at the Sales Professionals of Ottawa Round Table on May 10, 2011.   (more…)

If you are going through a job search, it is almost inevitable that you will be asked “What are your salary expectations?”

There are varying schools of thought on how to answer this question. Most of what you will find on the internet is based on the “he who speaks first loses theory”. When asked, you should not answer at all but instead, wait for the employer to give you a figure first. Career expert Penelope Trunk has some excellent answers on how to answer the salary question without actually answering.

As a sales manager however, when I would ask that question of a candidate, it always drove me crazy when someone wouldn’t answer. (more…)

I have been asked many times as to what I think are the best sales jobs.  My answer is always the same.  “I can’t answer that for you; only you can.”

The best sales jobs depend on you and what you are looking for.  We are all individuals.  What one person considers as important for their career choice is completely different than what someone else considers important.  (more…)

My mentor once told me, “when you are good in sales, you are never unemployed.”  The longer I am in the field, the more I realize how true that is.  Professional sales people are always in demand in the employment marketplace, however if you are looking for the right sales job, you still need to know where to look. (more…)

In her book Resume Magic, Susan Britton Whitcomb reported the results of a survey she conducted of HR managers from some of the Top 100 Companies to Work for in America, inquiring as to their preferred length of resumes.   The results were as follows:

• 12 percent of respondents felt resumes should be “one-page, never longer;”
• 67 percent felt resumes should be “kept to one or two pages;”
• 21 percent responded “as long as needed to convey the applicant’s qualifications.”

(more…)