Brag Books: The Secret Weapon for Salespeople in Job Interviews
The job market is crowded right now. Chances are if you go to LinkedIn and search for an SDR or AE role, you’ll see job postings receiving over 200 applicants within the first day.
As a salesperson, you have a unique set of skills and experiences that set you apart from other job applicants. However, in a crowded job market, it can be difficult to showcase these qualities effectively in a traditional job interview. That’s where a “brag book” comes in.
What is a Brag Book?
Resumes and LinkedIn profiles are great, but they lack depth and don’t go into enough detail. A brag book is a digital portfolio that showcases your work in a much more specific and in-depth manner.
What type of information does it include?
Examples of cold emails that you’ve sent
Recordings of cold calls. These could be censored versions of real cold calls (don’t share sensitive information), or mock cold calls
Cold call frameworks and scripts that you use
How you approach subject lines (provide examples)
Objection handling frameworks (with examples)
Resources that you consume to continue improving
And so much more!
There isn’t a right or wrong way to approach this. The most important part is to help hiring managers better understand what you can bring to the table. One of the big challenges for hiring managers is figuring out who is a talker, and who is a doer. The easiest way to differentiate yourself is to show instead of tell.
Examples of a Brag Book for a Sales Role
Check out this example, created using PitchFolio.
When Should You Send This to the Interviewer?
In general, it’s best to get your brag book in front of the hiring manager as soon as possible. Let’s consider a few scenarios.
Cold Outreach to Hiring Managers
Like any top-performing salesperson, you may be doing cold outreach to hiring managers.
If you’re cold calling a hiring manager and successfully book a meeting with a hiring manager – include the link to your brag book in the calendar invite. You could say something like:
“I’ve included my portfolio here. Inside, you’ll find examples of cold emails I’ve sent, my cold call scripts, objection handling frameworks, and more information on how I approach the role. Talk soon!”
That’s two differentiation points before you’ve even had a first interview.
1. You cold called the hiring manager, demonstrating your skills
2. You’ve gone above and beyond by building a portfolio, demonstrating the rest of your skill set
Applying the Traditional Way
Imagine you applied through a companies website. Two scenarios can happen.
1. Someone from the company reaches out to schedule a call
In this scenario, once you schedule a day/time – send over your brag book. Traditional HR workers and recruiters typically won’t be as impressed with the brag book as a sales leader would, but we suggest you still send it over anyway.
2. You get rejected
Most people would move on if they get a rejection, but you aren’t most people! Instead, try finding the hiring manager on LinkedIn and reach out to them directly and share your brag book. Be proactive!
Oftentimes highly qualified candidates get auto-rejected by the system before anyone even looks at the resume! Make sure that doesn’t happen to you.
Conclusion
Brag books are an easy way to set yourself apart from other candidates. They show that you are motivated, give the hiring manager insight into your skillset, and make sure that you stand out in a sea of crowded applicants!
Get started on your brag book by clicking here!
Any questions? Feel free to email us at hello@pitchfolio.io!