A compelling sales resume should illustrate notable sales achievements, heavily feature sales numbers, and tell your story using tangible examples from your work history. For example, if you increased revenue by 200% over three years, explain what sales techniques and strategies you used to achieve this level of growth.
Many job seekers make the mistake of providing vague, uninspiring job descriptions instead of centering their resumes around achievements. As you build your resume, consider your impact on your prior organizations and put this information at the forefront of your document. We’ll provide various expert tips to translate your work history into an impactful sales resume.
Most Popular Sales Resumes
Sales - Entry-Level Resume Example
Why this entry-level sales resume is strong:
This resume highlights the candidate's impressive track record of exceeding sales quotas and increasing monthly sales revenue, despite their entry-level status. By quantifying achievements such as generating $250,000 in annual sales and achieving 120% of the quota, the resume demonstrates a strong ability to drive revenue growth. The inclusion of key sales skills, such as consultative selling and Salesforce CRM, reinforces the candidate’s technical competence and readiness to contribute in a sales role.
Sales Professional Resume Example
Why this mid-career sales resume is strong:
This resume showcases the candidate's proven ability to manage high-value client relationships and consistently exceed sales quotas in a specialized field. The achievements are quantified, including a 150% increase in sales revenue and managing accounts generating $3 million annually. The mix of strategic selling and account management demonstrates versatility and competence in business development, making the candidate a strong mid-career sales professional.
Sales Executive Resume Example
Why this senior-level sales resume is strong:
This resume highlights the candidate’s expertise in handling multi-million-dollar accounts and leading a team of account executives. The resume quantifies the candidate’s impact, including managing $20 million in yearly revenue and improving account growth by 25%. The leadership experience, combined with strategic selling skills and cross-functional collaboration, positions this candidate as a strong contender for senior-level roles focused on high-impact sales strategy and client management.
Pharmaceutical Sales Resume Example
Why this pharmaceutical sales resume is strong:
This resume stands out by highlighting the candidate's specialized knowledge in life sciences and consultative selling, which is critical in pharmaceutical sales. The candidate’s ability to exceed sales quotas by 15-20% each quarter and generate $800,000 in annual sales showcases their sales acumen. The strong relationship-building skills with health care providers further emphasize the candidate’s ability to succeed in the complex and competitive pharmaceutical industry.
Auto Sales Resume Example
Why this auto sales resume is strong:
This resume highlights the candidate’s success in auto sales by emphasizing key achievements such as consistently exceeding sales targets by 20% and generating $500,000 in annual sales. The ability to implement a digital marketing strategy that increased online leads by 30% showcases innovation, while the focus on strong customer relationships and trade-in vehicle evaluations demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the auto sales industry.
Head of Sales Resume Example
Why this head of sales resume is strong:
This resume demonstrates the candidate's expertise in strategic sales leadership, with quantifiable achievements such as a 25% increase in annual sales and a 32% improvement in quota attainment. Managing a large sales team and cultivating enterprise client relationships valued at up to $5 million highlights the candidate’s ability to drive significant business growth and foster long-term customer retention. This resume showcases a candidate ready for high-level sales management roles.
Sales Account Executive Resume Example
Sales Manager Resume Example
Account Manager Resume Example
Sales Associate Resume Example
Why this sales associate resume is strong:
This resume emphasizes a results-driven approach to retail sales, with specific accomplishments like exceeding sales targets by 20% each quarter. The candidate’s ability to build customer relationships and increase repeat business reflects strong interpersonal and consultative selling skills. The quantified achievements in product knowledge and inventory management highlight a well-rounded candidate prepared for higher-level sales roles.
Senior Sales Associate Resume Example
Sales Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
How To Write a Sales Resume
1. Create a profile by summarizing your sales qualifications
Hiring managers cannot thoroughly read every resume on their desks. Showcasing skills and experience that align with the position at the top of your resume is an effective strategy to grab their attention. For example, if an organization seeks an account executive who excels in business development, you may want to highlight your experience uncovering new opportunities and building sales pipelines. This approach will give you a significant edge over the competition during the hiring process.
Senior-Level Profile Example
A dynamic sales professional with five years of professional experience specializing in business development, lead qualification, strategic selling, and account management. A proven track record of building and managing high-value relationships with wholesalers within the manufacturing industry.
Entry-Level Profile Example
A sales professional with entry-level experience specializing in lead generation, customer success, client relations, and cold calling. A proven track record of building rapport with sales prospects and upselling products to drive revenue growth. Adept at tracking sales data and creating reports using Salesforce CRM.
2. Outline your sales experience in a compelling list
To build an accomplishment-driven professional experience section, draw attention to your strongest career achievements. Hard numbers and monetary figures are especially important for sales professionals, providing employers with measurable data to evaluate your experience. However, there is a level of strategy involved. For example, if the account values or revenue numbers were low, you may want to focus on showing your quota attainment percentages instead of featuring monetary figures.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Senior Account Manager, Accelerate Software, Miami, FL
February 2017 – present
- Oversee more than 35 enterprise customer accounts generating over $20 million in yearly revenue, build strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 clients, and lead initiatives to drive business development efforts and accelerate account growth
- Lead sales meetings with C-level executives to close new business
- Serve as the point of contact for client accounts and identify value-added services to drive customer success, which has improved account growth by 25% on average
- Run a team of over 10 account executives, provide training and mentorship on sales best practices, and deliver support throughout the sales cycle
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Inside Sales Representative, State Farm Insurance, San Diego, CA
June 2021 – October 2022
- Interfaced with over 100 sales prospects per week, scheduled sales consultations, educated prospects on products and services, and achieved 110% of annual sales quota
- Established rapport with sales prospects, built positive long-term relationships, and provided information to customers on potential benefits of insurance plans and policies
3. Outline your education and sales-related certifications
Acquiring sales certifications greatly increases your odds of landing the interview. Although your work experience will always be the primary factor, obtaining additional certifications shows prospective employers that you’re committed to furthering your expertise. Also, consider how these certifications align with your career goals. For instance, if you’re pursuing a management role, prioritize obtaining a sales management certification.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
Example
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing
- University of San Diego, San Diego, CA September 2017 – June 2021
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Salesforce Certification, Salesforce.com, 2020
- Certified Sales Development Representative, AA-ISP, 2019
4. Make a list of your sales-related skills and proficiencies
Most companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to automate the initial stages of the hiring process. This software works by searching for keywords to determine which applicants stand out as the best candidates for an open position. Incorporating keywords from the job description into your resume will increase your odds of landing an interview. Below is a list of key terms you may encounter while applying for jobs within the sales industry:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Account management | Business development |
| Business-to-business (B2B) sales | Business-to-consumer (B2C) sales |
| Client relations | Cold calling |
| Consultative sales | Cross-selling |
| Customer relationship management (CRM) | Inside sales |
| Lead generation | Lead qualification |
| Product demonstrations | Prospecting |
| Salesforce | Sales presentations |
| Sales strategy | Solution selling |
| Strategic selling | Upselling |
How To Pick the Best Sales Resume Template
It’s generally best to select a simple template that’s straightforward and well-organized template for sales resumes. Although flashy modern templates may appear more aesthetically pleasing, using graphics or excessive color might distract the reader from your content. Hiring managers are concerned with your qualifications first and foremost. Your primary goal should be to deliver this information as efficiently and cleanly as possible.
David Pratt - Senior Sales Recruiter at Merrimack Valley Consulting, LinkedIn
Meet our Expert: David has 13+ years of experience recruiting sales professionals in SaaS, financial planning, and health care, primarily supporting young professionals breaking into technology careers.
1. What are the most in-demand skills for sales roles that should be featured on a candidate’s resume? Please include both hard and soft skills. -
Hard skills to include are prospecting, sales techniques, CRM software, product knowledge, presentation skills, and time management.
Soft skills are communication, empathy, teamwork, relationship building, resilience, finding solutions, and emotional intelligence.
2. What work experience or other accomplishments are hiring managers seeking in a sales candidate?-
Hiring managers want to see you’ve reached competitive sales goals. Share achievements such as exceeding quota, your rank against peers, and awards or president’s club attendance.
3. What else should a sales candidate be prepared to provide hiring managers besides a resume?-
Some companies want a 90-day plan and references, so be ready to provide these.
4. What advice would you give a sales candidate about their job search?-
Be strategic about your search. Target roles that fit your background best and put all your efforts into those. Do not just apply and wait; find other avenues to confirm an interview.
Treat it like the sales process.
Frequently Asked Questions: Sales Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for sales resumes?-
It’s easy to get stuck when writing the professional experience section of a resume. In some instances, only a limited number of verbs can be used to describe your career achievements and work history accurately. Varying your usage of action verbs is important, as your content may appear redundant if you overuse the same words repeatedly. We’ve compiled a list of action verbs to craft your bullet points:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyzed | Built |
| Collaborated | Conducted |
| Cross-sold | Developed |
| Drove | Enhanced |
| Generated | Identified |
| Implemented | Improved |
| Increased | Led |
| Liaised | Managed |
| Partnered | Qualified |
| Spearheaded | Upsold |
How do you align your resume with a sales job description?-
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, sales occupations are expected to experience no change in growth between 2021 and 2031. This amounts to a decrease in over 164,500 jobs over the next decade. The sales industry is highly competitive, especially at the senior level, so carefully align your resume with the job description.
Tailoring your resume to the specifications of the position you’re applying for is the key to generating traction in your job search. As you write your resume, cross-reference your document with the job listing to ensure you have included everything the company seeks. Do not copy and paste their language into your resume. It’s important to capture your unique experience.
What is the best sales resume format?-
A reverse chronological format is the best approach for sales resumes. This ensures that your most recent accomplishments are featured toward the top of your document. A functional resume format fails in this regard, as it prioritizes your skills and qualifications without meaningful context or descriptions. This impacts your ability to showcase your career experience properly and grab the hiring manager's attention.
How long should I make my sales resume?-
A one-page sales resume is the best option for most candidates, as it ensures clarity and brevity. If you have significant achievements or over 10 years of experience, extending to two pages is fine—but only if the content is tailored and directly supports your application. Focus on impactful accomplishments and key skills that relate to the job.
Include your most recent 10 to 15 years of work experience. Older roles should only appear if they provide unique insights or align closely with the job requirements. Keeping your resume concise and relevant will maximize its impact.
If a company requires you to submit a cover letter for a job opening, tailor your content to that company carefully. Take the time to research the organization beforehand. Ask yourself why you’re interested in working there, and detail your reasons in the middle paragraph.
This will show prospective employers that you’re an attentive candidate genuinely interested in joining their team. For more information, view our sales cover letter guide.
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