Car Salesman Resume Examples and Templates for 2023

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Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

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Job opportunities for sales and related occupations, including car sales representatives, are expected to decline by around 2% through 2029. This decline is equivalent to the loss of around 303,400 positions, due largely to the increasing prevalence of e-commerce over traditional brick-and-mortar selling.

Therefore, it’s more important than ever to focus on your resume if you want to stand out in a competitive job market. A well-written resume that focuses on the skills outlined in the job description is the most powerful way to make a great impression on hiring managers and maximize your chances of an interview. Below, you can find downloadable templates for car salesman resumes, whatever your experience level, as well as tips to help you write a better resume and tailor it to a specific job opening.

Downloadable Resume Examples

Entry-level
Car-Salesman_2-3-Years.pdf

Example #1 Entry-level

Mid-Career
Car-Salesman_5-10-Years.pdf

Example #2 Mid-Career

Senior-level
Car-Salesman_10-Years.pdf

Example #3 Senior-level

Car Salesman Resume Examples

Years of Experience
  • Entry-level Entry-level
  • Mid-Career Mid-Career
  • Senior-level 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

Common Key Skills and Action Verbs for Car Salesman Resumes

Hiring managers often use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to assess resumes by scanning them for certain keywords. This method allows them to find the most qualified and skilled person for the role relatively quickly, so it’s important to know the key skills and action verbs that employers typically want to see in a car salesman’s resume. Incorporating as many of the following keywords into your application as possible increases your likelihood of catching the hiring manager’s attention and receiving an interview invitation.

Key Skills & Proficiencies
Active listening Communication
Customer service Establishing rapport
Knowledge of automobile models Leadership
Merchandising Negotiation
Organization Persuasion
Record keeping Relationship management
Sales skills Teamwork
Action Verbs
Achieve Assess
Collaborate Exceed
Excel Explain
Generate Grow
Interact Lead
Leveraged Negotiate
Persuade Promote
Recommend Resolve
Sell

Tips for Writing a Better Car Salesman Resume

Showcase your sales skills

One of the most crucial skills for a successful career as a car salesman is the ability to present vehicles to customers persuasively and achieve competitive sales figures. When hiring managers evaluate car salesman job applications, they’ll be looking for evidence of strong sales skills. Therefore, try to highlight instances where you’ve demonstrated a strong sales technique, whether you have experience selling cars or another product. Including statistics showing your results allows the hiring manager to get a better feel for your skill level.

Example #1

Good


Presented a wide range of automobiles positively and engagingly and highlighted key selling points, consistently ranking in the top 5% for overall sales.

Bad


Showed customers a wide range of cars and achieved excellent sales figures.

Example #2

Good


Leveraged active listening skills to select the most appropriate car models for each customer’s needs, successfully converting 85% of walk-in inquiries to actual sales.

Bad


Listened to customers’ needs and suggested suitable cars to convert as many inquiries to sales as possible.

Highlight your soft skills on your resume

While hiring managers want to employ people with a competitive mindset and strong sales track record, soft skills matter too. Soft skills such as rapport-building, teamwork, and communication are essential for serving customers professionally and achieving team targets. Try to include an example of your soft skills for each previous job on your resume. If you can back it up with a quantifiable result, it will be even more compelling to potential employers.

Example #1

Good


Greeted customers warmly and used strong interpersonal skills to swiftly establish a rapport, receiving 99.5% positive feedback for customer service and professionalism.

Bad


Welcomed customers to the showroom and built rapport as quickly as possible.

Example #2

Good


Leveraged strong teamwork skills to work collaboratively with colleagues toward group sales targets, collectively exceeding 85% of performance metric goals in 2020.

Bad


Worked with teammates to achieve group sales targets.

How to Align Your Resume With the Job Description

One of the most effective ways to stand out from the crowd when you’re competing against a lot of other candidates is to analyze the job description and then adapt your resume to reflect it. Hiring managers start the recruitment process with their ideal employee already in mind, so the job description can give you excellent insight into their selection criteria.

It’s a good idea to prioritize skills mentioned first or repeatedly in the ad on your resume, but you should also try to demonstrate as many of the skills and competencies as you can. Instead of providing a general list of your responsibilities, explain exactly how you’ve demonstrated each competency and quantify it with an impressive performance stat, if possible. Before submitting an application, compare your resume to the job description to check that you’ve covered everything.

Example Car Salesman Job Description


Are you looking for an exciting role in a collaborative and customer-focused atmosphere? If so, Nissan of Bradenton wants to hear from you. We are seeking an energetic and ambitious car salesperson with a talent for establishing rapport and meeting challenging sales targets. In return, we offer one of the most competitive bonus system in the automotive sales industry and an award-winning staff well-being program. 

Responsibilities:

  • Welcome walk-in and scheduled customers to the dealership and use strong interpersonal skills to build rapport
  • Communicate the features and benefits of a wide range of Nissan vehicles to customers clearly and persuasively
  • Demonstrate active listening skills to recommend suitable models for each customer’s requirements
  • Use effective sales tactics to meet ambitious individual targets
  • Collaborate with colleagues to achieve group sales goals for particular models and services
  • Prioritize continuous professional development to maintain a detailed knowledge of Nissan automobiles

Qualifications:

  • High school diploma or GED
  • 2-3 years of sales experience; an automotive sales background is preferred, but applicants from other sales backgrounds will be considered
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
  • Teamwork
  • Strong sales technique, and a proven track record for hitting challenging targets
  • Knowledge of automobile models a plus

By analyzing the job description, you can tell the employer is looking for the following competencies:

  • Teamwork
  • Customer service
  • Communication
  • Persuasion
  • Active listening skills
  • Sales
  • Knowledge of automobiles
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Rapport building

Once you’ve established what the hiring manager wants to see in your application, you can tailor your resume to match the job description as closely as possible. Below is an example of a resume adapted to the job ad:

Car Salesman Work Experience Example


Automotive Sales Consultant, West Palm Beach Kia, West Palm Beach, FL

July 2015 – August 2019

  • Leveraged outstanding interpersonal skills to greet customers and establish rapid rapport, maintaining a consistent 5-star customer service rating throughout employment
  • Conducted initial assessments and used active listening skills to select the most suitable options for each individual, leading to an 89% sales conversion rate
  • Worked independently and collaborated with teammates, using effective sales tactics to exceed personal and group targets by 45% in 2018
  • Actively sought continuous education and professional development opportunities to maintain an expert understanding of automobiles, receiving praise five times in performance reviews for product knowledge