Resume question - sales figures

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Farang

Lifer
Jul 7, 2003
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Are sales figures considered proprietary?

In my business the number of deals you close is not a great way of quantifying success--i.e. some people's deals are typically worth $1000 each, while mine are worth over $6000. I have made about $250,000 for my company in the year I've been there, and have been including that on my resume since I don't have a lot of experience.

I'm not so much worried about repercussions as I am about potential employers seeing my including this info as a red flag. I have included the amount I made, but not the number of deals--so that they can't know how much is made per deal.
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,502
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I'd say if you didn't sign a confidentiality agreement with your old company, you can share sales figures (provided you aren't applying to a competitor).

To be safe, it might be better to just not quantify sales at all on the resume, but give them if asked.
 

Farang

Lifer
Jul 7, 2003
10,913
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I'd say if you didn't sign a confidentiality agreement with your old company, you can share sales figures (provided you aren't applying to a competitor).

To be safe, it might be better to just not quantify sales at all on the resume, but give them if asked.

I'm probably in violation since I did sign an NDA, but I never got a copy of it so I can't be sure. But I'm not spamming my resume so I'm not too concerned about being found out.

I think it is important to include the numbers, because I'm underqualified for most things I'm applying to. I think when people see your first sales job, and that you lasted one year, that typically means failure. When in my case it is the opposite--I am the top performing new hire for the past 2 years.

edit: idea--maybe I can quantify it in terms of 'i generated x times more in revenue than my annual salary', I could phrase that better but you get the point
 
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YoungGun21

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
2,546
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I don't see a problem reporting just your sales. You aren't the entire company.

But then again I'm not a lawyer.

But then again I know a lot about making a good resume. And you definitely want to find a way to put that on your resume.
 

Mike Gayner

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2007
6,175
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I would think it would be absolutely commercially sensitive and almost definitely a breach of confidence.
 

Murloc

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2008
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say that you were the top performing new hire then, and hope that your old company is ready to confirm it (or at least to not deny it).
But disclosing numbers like this might scare someone.
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,502
136
I'm probably in violation since I did sign an NDA, but I never got a copy of it so I can't be sure. But I'm not spamming my resume so I'm not too concerned about being found out.

I think it is important to include the numbers, because I'm underqualified for most things I'm applying to. I think when people see your first sales job, and that you lasted one year, that typically means failure. When in my case it is the opposite--I am the top performing new hire for the past 2 years.

edit: idea--maybe I can quantify it in terms of 'i generated x times more in revenue than my annual salary', I could phrase that better but you get the point

That sounds better. I don't know if saying that much would violate your NDA, but it's not giving away exact figures so you should be okay.
 

Mike Gayner

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2007
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That sounds better. I don't know if saying that much would violate your NDA, but it's not giving away exact figures so you should be okay.

I disagree because that is giving a third party information about gross profit. NDA or not this is a breach of confidence between the OP and his former employer. The information is clearly commercially significant.

Really I don't think there's anything to gain by giving exact figures anyway. It's not that meaningful in any case in my view.
 

Farang

Lifer
Jul 7, 2003
10,913
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I disagree because that is giving a third party information about gross profit. NDA or not this is a breach of confidence between the OP and his former employer. The information is clearly commercially significant.

Really I don't think there's anything to gain by giving exact figures anyway. It's not that meaningful in any case in my view.

In terms of years experience, or qualifications, I'm not much. My biggest selling point is that I made them a quarter million in my first year. If I didn't do that, I was a 1-and-done and look like a failure.

Current employer, FWIW.
 
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