ACHIEVEMENTS

Useless Accomplishments That Should Not Go On A Resume

Your resume should contain accomplishments designed to attract the attention of a VP of Sales. Keep in mind that the accomplishments should not be what YOU think is important, but what the VP thinks is important. Having said that, let’s review the most useless, boring, and mundane accomplishments that are posted on many resumes.  Please forgive my sarcasm, but this sarcasm is shared by hundreds of RSMs and VPs as they sift through piles and piles of resumes.  Some of these responses are actual quotes from hiring managers:

1.)  Awarded as the “Top Role Play Performer” during product sales training

Did you make sure to thank the Academy, your parents, and all the people that have helped to make this day possible?

2.)  Valedictorian of Sales Training Class

Of course there were only two people in that class.

3.)  Chosen to give presentation at National Sales Meeting

Because everyone else in the sales force refused to do it

4.)  10,000 + LinkedIn Followers

“She must spend all day on the internet.  Does she ever sell anything?”

5.) Runner-up ‘Rookie of the Year’

“Don’t send me the Runner-up- send me the winner.

“If you don’t win the damned thing then you ARE a Runner up!”

“How far down in the Rookie Class is he?”

6.) Presidents Club Finalist

Were you a finalist or the winner?  Oh, you weren’t the winner? Oh, you WERE the winner? I  am confused. (Most people put this on the resume so that a software can capture the title “President’s Club”)

7.)  Chosen to have dinner with CEO of a company

Gee, what was on the menu?  Your chances of an interview hang in the balance!

8.)  Mentor to New Hires

So you spent one day riding with new rep Bobby or Suzy primarily because you live in the next county even though you did 75% of quota last year and are ranked in bottom half of the sales force.  But you DID ride with them and      answered a few questions and now you are a “Mentor.”  All kidding aside -this is the second most overused “accomplishment” seen on most resumes.  IT MEANS NOTHING!

9.) Winner of ‘Such and Such” sales contest

Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn.  Anybody, at any time, can win a      contest.  VPs do not care about contest wins

10)”Quota Buster Award”

The all-time filler award when you don’t have any other awards to put on a  resume. Folks- you are EXPECTED to make or beat your quota. Rather than putting this ridiculous award on your resume, why not list how much over quota you are?  That would be far more impressive

11)  Chosen to represent Company at Society of Interventional Radiology Conference in September 2013

Well, the company had to send somebody, and the last thing they wanted to do was to take their top producers out of the field and send them to this conference.  So they sent you instead.

Or as a manager put it. “I was at that Conference and they had their whole sales force there!”

12)   Member of President’s Advisory Council

The most overused and overhyped accomplishment in the history of resumes. For every 100 resumes I get, 95 will have this blathering line on the resume as if it means something.  Every pharmaceutical rep has this on the resume.  Every candidate who cannot cite any meaningful accomplishments throws this on the resume as a filler.  Just this morning I received a resume from a guy who has been with his company since May (three months) and is on the President’s Advisory Board.  I am sure that the President welcomes advice from this seasoned veteran rep!

Even if you are indeed a well deserving member of the Advisory Board, or a Mentor, or you attended The Academy of Such and Such Conference, you need to ask yourself- “is this a game changer?”  “Is this going to get me an interview?”  This is why you need to get together with a recruitment specialist to make sure that you have significant accomplishments on your resume and not just fillers that do not mean anything.