Finding the sales job of your dreams may feel like an insurmountable task when you first challenge it. Few fields have competition as fierce or a workforce so large as sales, and the gap between a good sales job and a bad sales job dwarves the gap you might see in other positions. Working sales at a company that’s a poor cultural fit, or under a team leader that thinks shame and fear lead to better outcomes than coaching and compassion, can turn the best and brightest sales agents into shriveled husks lacking all evidence of their former talent. So let’s discuss what you should do to find yourself working the absolute best sales job you can imagine.

Strong resume.

A strong resume isn’t purely a matter of pedigree-that’s to say, where you studied, where you worked, what you know does matter, but a great pedigree’s both optional for a strong resume, and not a guarantee of one. You need to make sure your resume matches the position you’re after, including details that make you rise above the competition when the recruiter finishes checking off ‘mandatory’ boxes and starts looking at the fine print.

You also need to be sure that it stands out from the crowd for its content and not because you make everything pink or indulged in similar tacky tricks-they universally backfire, so don’t fall prey. Put important information where it will stand out, and make sure that if there’s something an employer would want  to know, they don’t have to search long to find it.

Networking.

Getting your dream sales job is quite simply a matter of selling yourself-and that means that all your skills as a sales person can help you get the job. It’s an industry that’s rather inherently meritocratic that way. Networking’s as powerful in selling yourself as it is in selling products and services, so leverage your connections and forge new ones as best you can. Reach out on LinkedIn, start conversations on Quora, visit the best conventions you can afford to get to. The better your connections, the better the chance that someone at your dream company thinks of you when a position comes up, or recognizes your name in the pile of applicants and tags you for extra attention.

Recruitment agencies.

Finding your dream sales job can be difficult, and sometimes the best way to find it is to try working lots of different places. Putting yourself with an agency can lead to great results, as the best agencies specialize in matching personnel to businesses in a way that satisfies both. When you land in your perfect fit, it’s a simple matter to make the transition from temp worker to full time employee-after all, perfect fits are mutual, and a company you match that well will likely want you on board. 

Be flexible.

Perhaps the most important aspect of finding your dream sales job. Being willing to take risks, to try things you wouldn’t have considered before, to pick up skills and build on networking opportunities you’re not sure will matter. If you’re flexible, not only will more opportunities present themselves, but the better you’ll match those opportunities. Developing an agile mind and a general professional flexibility makes finding your dream sales job easy-because there are more potential ‘dream jobs’ out there for a flexible individual. The secret lay in learning what you can bend on and what you can’t, and optimizing your pursuit of a position around those distinctions.

Final Thoughts

Finding a dream job in any field demands hard work and a bit of luck, and that goes double for the harsh competition inherent to any sales job. Strong fundamentals and a positive mindset go further than any number of tricks, however, so keep focused on developing your skills and making yourself open to opportunities, and you’ll nab your dream sales job in no time.