How To Write a Car Salesman Resume
To write an effective car salesman resume, you must sell yourself to hiring managers by emphasizing your career achievements, automotive knowledge, and sales expertise. Just as you consider the potential wants and needs of a customer looking for a car, think about the potential business needs of an employer. In this guide, we’ll help you craft an accomplishment-driven resume that encapsulates the strongest aspects of your experience.
1. Write a compelling profile summarizing your qualifications
Let your confidence and salesmanship shine a bit in your profile. Include specific sales wins, such as the salesman of the year award you won or whether you regularly exceeded sales quotas. You can round out your profile by mentioning some of the key skills you’ve developed or pointing to your strengths as a salesperson — especially when they align with key skills mentioned in the job posting. Keep the reader focused on your ability to build customer relationships, exceed quotas, and maximize dealership revenue.
Senior-Level Profile Example
A car salesperson with over 13 years of experience selling high-end vehicles, specializing in upselling, consultative sales, communication, and client relations. A proven track record of exceeding annual sales quotas by 20% to 30% year-over-year. Adept at providing coaching and mentorship to develop high-performance sales teams.
Entry-Level Profile Example
An automotive sales associate with three years of experience selling various vehicles for premiere brands, including Ford, Toyota, Prius, Audi, and Bentley. Adept at establishing rapport with sales prospects, identifying customer needs, and recommending ideal products to exceed sales quotas.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
Build an accomplishment-driven professional experience section emphasizing your most compelling car salesman achievements. Pair active verbs with actual numbers to show the type of results you can bring to an organization. Pepper your bullet points with hard numbers and metrics like revenue, sales figures, quota attainment, and customer service numbers.
Feature your automotive knowledge by detailing specific brands and vehicles you sold.
Demonstrate how you used consultative selling techniques to identify the ideal product for individual customer needs.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Senior Sales Consultant
Oakland Hyundai-Nissan, Oakland, CA | December 2016 – present
- Evaluate customer needs throughout all phases of the sales process, achieve a 95% customer satisfaction rate, and generate $400,000 to $500,000 in annual sales revenue year-over-year
- Accompany customers on test drives, collecting identification and insurance information beforehand
- Educate customers regarding features, maintenance needs, standard equipment, and special feature packages to exceed sales quotas by 120% to 140% month-over-month
- Negotiate deals and follow up with customers after sales, boosting repeat customer rate by 10%
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Automotive Sales Associate
Miller Auto Group, Martinsburg, WV | July 2019 – present
- Generate over $250,000 in annual sales for a car dealership, educate prospects on features and benefits of various models to customers, and suggest appropriate vehicles based on customer needs
- Leverage consultative sales techniques and car knowledge to achieve a 40% close rate
- Build rapport and maintain strong client relationships to achieve a 70% repeat customer rate
- Conduct research on new developments and market trends within the auto industry to expand product knowledge and provide subject matter expertise to potential customers
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Many dealerships don’t require a degree in sales or marketing. Still, if you have credentials that might help you stand out from other accomplished salespeople, they can strengthen your car salesperson resume. Include industry-relevant certifications such as an Automotive Sales Professional Certification or an Automotive Service Excellence certification. If you completed rigorous sales training via programs with past employers, you might also list that in the education section of your resume.
Education
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] – [Graduation Month and Year]
Example:
Associate’s Degree in Sales and Marketing
Bay Area Community College, Palo Alto, CA – June 2008
Certifications
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example:
Sales Management Certification, National Automobile Dealers Association, 2018
4. List relevant key skills and proficiencies
Most organizations rely on some form of applicant tracking system (ATS) to identify qualified candidates for job openings. If your resume lacks a certain number of keywords from the job description, your application may be rejected before it reaches the hiring manager. Mitigate this risk by incorporating skills demonstrating your automobile knowledge, sales techniques, and interpersonal skills. Below, you’ll find a list of potential keywords you may encounter while applying for auto sales representative positions:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Automotive sales | Client relations |
| Cold calling | Communication |
| Consultative selling | Customer education |
| Customer relationship management (CRM) | Customer retention |
| Customer service | Electrical vehicles |
| Leadership | Lead generation |
| Merchandising | Prospecting |
| Persuasion | Product demonstration |
| Relationship building | Sales management |
| Sales negotiation | Strategic selling |
How To Pick the Best Car Salesman Resume Template
Templates make it easy to create a wow-worthy professional resume. You don’t need to understand design or even know how to format a document — simply pick a template that best showcases your experience and skills and start plugging in your info. Avoid templates with fancy fonts or complex designs, though, as these can be distracting and look unprofessional. Instead, choose a template that’s easy to scan and lets you provide important facts concisely.
Car Salesman Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- Entry-level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-level
Bula Wakefield
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
321 First Road, Martinsburg, WV 97531
Profile
An Automotive Sales Associate with three years of experience selling a diverse range of vehicles for premiere brands, including Ford, Toyota, Prius, Audi, and Bentley. Adept at establishing rapport with sales prospects, identifying customer needs, and recommending ideal products to exceed sales quotas.
Professional Experience
Automotive Sales Associate, Miller Auto Group, Martinsburg, WV
July 2019 – Present
- Generate over $250K in annual sales for a car dealership, educate prospects on features and benefits of various models to customers, and suggest appropriate vehicles based on customer needs
- Leverage consultative sales techniques and car knowledge to achieve a 40% close rate
- Build rapport and maintain strong client relationships to achieve a 70% repeat customer rate
- Conduct research on new developments and market trends within the auto industry to expand product knowledge and provide subject matter expertise to potential customers
Car Salesperson, Ambrose Car Dealership, Martinsburg, WV
September 2018 – July 2019
- Achieved 120%-130% of monthly sales quotas, educated customers on car models and brands, and identified appropriate automotive products individual needs
- Supported lead generation activities to gather customer email and telephone data, conducted cold calling, and followed-up on customers following sales consultations
Key Skills
- Automotive Sales
- Consultative Selling Techniques
- Relationship Building
- Customer Service
- Product Demonstrations
Education
High School Diploma
MARTINSBURG HIGH SCHOOL, Martinsburg, WV, September 2015 – June 2019
Andy Anderson
(111) 111-1111
[email protected]
111 First Avenue, Tacoma, WA 11111
Profile
A customer-focused Car Salesman with nine years of experience, specializing in automotive sales, consultative selling, client relations, and sales strategy. A proven track record of building rapport with sales prospects and delivering high quality product demonstrations to exceed annual sales quotas.
Professional Experience
Car Salesman, Tacoma Toyota, Tacoma, WA
November 2016 – Present
- Build relationships with new and repeat customers, expand the dealership’s customer base by 30%, and generate over $400K in annual sales
- Educate customers on financing options, vehicles features, and benefits, coordinate deals with the dealership’s financing team, and accompany buyers on 24 test drives per month
- Utilize upselling techniques to improve sales on warranty deals by 5%
- Achieve Salesperson of the Year Award in 2018
Car Salesman, Seattle Ford, Seattle, WA
July 2012 – October 2016
- Achieved over 140% of annual quota in 2015, interfaced with sales prospects, conducted contract negotiations, and generated over $400K in annual sales revenue
- Conducted cold calling to support lead generation activities, resulting in a 20% increase in sales
- Performed follow-ups with customers and achieve a 60% customer retention rate
Education
High School Diploma
TACOMA HIGH SCHOOL, Tacoma, WA, September 2008 – June 2012
Key Skills
- Automotive Sales
- Consultative Selling
- Customer Service
- Communication
- Client Relations
Certifications
- Sales Management Certification, National Automobile Dealers Association, 2018
Raymond Reynolds
(123) 123-1234
[email protected]
123 Alphabet Street, Oakland, CA 12345
Profile
A Car Salesperson with 13+ years of experience selling high-end vehicles, specializing in upselling, consultative sales, communication, and client relations. A proven track record of exceeding annual sales quotas by 20%-30% YOY. Adept at providing coaching and mentorship to develop high performance sales teams.
Professional Experience
Senior Sales Consultant, Oakland Hyundai-Nissan, Oakland, CA
December 2016 – Present
- Evaluate customer needs throughout all phases of the sales process, achieve a 95% customer satisfaction rate, and generate $400K-$500K in annual sales revenue YOY
- Accompany customers on test drives, collecting identification and insurance information beforehand
- Educate customers regarding features, maintenance needs, standard equipment, and special feature packages to exceed sales quotas by 120%-140% month over month
- Negotiate deals and follow up with customers after sales, boosting repeat customer rate by 10%
Car Salesman, San Francisco Ford, San Francisco, CA
July 2008 – November 2016
- Delivered education to potential sales prospects, greeted walk-in customers and appointment arrivals at the door, and exceeded monthly sales quotas by 15%-20%
- Interviewed customers and recommended sedans, trucks, and SUVs based on customer needs
- Upsold warranties and maintenance packages, outperforming average team sales by 15%
Education
Associate’s Degree in Sales and Marketing
BAY AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Palo Alto, CA, September 2004 – June 2008
Key Skills
- Customer Service
- Automotive Sales
- Contract Negotiations
- Consultative Selling
- Upselling
Certifications
- Auto Sales Association Certified Car Sales Professional, 2017
Frequently Asked Questions: Car Salesman Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for car salesman resumes?+
Salespeople are the lifeblood of a dealership, so your resume must present you as a qualified and experienced candidate ready to act to drive sales and revenue figures. You can help convey this message by including plenty of action verbs, especially at the beginning of sentences, paragraphs, and bullet points. Use the most descriptive words as possible. We’ve created a list of some strong options to help inspire you:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Achieve | Build |
| Communicate | Conduct |
| Cultivate | Deliver |
| Demonstrate | Educate |
| Exceed | Generate |
| Identify | Improve |
| Increase | Lead |
| Maintain | Manage |
| Negotiate | Perform |
| Promote | Qualify |
How do you align your resume with a car salesman job description?+
Begin by analyzing the job posting to identify key skills and experience the hiring dealership seeks. You don’t have to rewrite your entire resume for every application, but consider tailoring your profile to address how you meet the requirements for the job. Edit key bullet points in your experience section to include keywords and phrases used in the job posting. While the pandemic took a sizable bite out of the automotive retail trade sector, employment numbers are near pre-pandemic levels, so it’s definitely a good time to put in the work on your resume.
What is the best car salesman resume format?+
The reserve-chronological resume format is a good choice for most car salesperson candidates. This approach places your most recent experience at the forefront of your resume and demonstrates your career progression compellingly. It’s generally best to avoid functional resume formats, even at the entry level, as skill-based resumes don’t allow you to craft detailed bullet points. You’d be much better off highlighting transferable skills and experience from your previous jobs, such as communication, customer service, and retail.
Expert advice: include a cover letter with your resume
A cover letter provides another place you can sell yourself. Tailor each cover letter to the specific job posting to stand out. If you’re unsure how to write a resume cover letter, get some ideas from our sales cover letter examples.
