How To Write a Sales Account Executive Resume
As a sales account executive, your resume must demonstrate your ability to build and maintain client relationships while driving revenue growth. Showcase your background exceeding sales targets and collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams. Feature your knowledge of consultative and strategic selling techniques to drive new revenue opportunities. In this guide, we’ll show you how to craft a sales account executive resume highlighting your accomplishments, focusing on the most compelling aspects of your career in sales.
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
Hiring managers don’t have enough capacity to read every resume on their desks thoroughly. Providing key qualifications early on in your profile is a great way to grab their attention. Ensure your background isn’t lost by showcasing relevant skills and experience at the top of your resume. Begin by stating your job title, years of experience, and a few skills to establish your reputation as a sales leader in your industry.
For example, suppose you played a crucial role in expanding sales territory. Mention how you identified and penetrated untapped market verticals, subsequently increasing revenue. If you have a strong history of generating new business opportunities, discuss your ability to establish strategic partnerships with key industry players.
Senior-Level Profile Example:
Sales account executive with over 10 years of professional experience, specializing in account management, business development, and consultative sales. Proven track record of building multi-million-dollar customer pipelines and driving growth for enterprise accounts. Adept at collaborating with C-level executives and cross-functional teams to develop sales strategies and drive penetration across market verticals.
Entry-Level Profile Example:
Sales professional with entry-level work experience, specializing in customer service, relationship building, retail sales, and client relations. Adept at collaborating with diverse teams to enhance customer experience and drive sales revenue.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
Create an effective professional experience section using an accomplishment-driven approach, highlighting your career achievements instead of job responsibilities. Demonstrate the real impact of your contributions by incorporating quantifiable data, metrics, and monetary figures wherever possible. Show potential employers you can deliver tangible results and create value for your clients, teams, and organizations.
Remember, relationship building is central to a sales account executive role. Emphasize instances where you’ve gone above and beyond to understand client needs, provide personalized solutions, and ensure ongoing satisfaction. Provide tangible examples of you identifying opportunities to expand account growth and drive new business.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example:
Sales Account Executive, Accelerate Software, Philadelphia, PA
June 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
- Lead 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:
Sales Associate, Clothing Outlet Inc., Philadelphia, PA
January 2018 – present
- Provide sales support and fashion advice to customers
- Generate monthly sales revenue ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 by collaborating with customers to identify optimal products
- Coordinate with senior leaders and diverse teams to manage merchandising initiatives for the store
- Exceed weekly customer satisfaction key performance indicators (KPIs) by delivering outstanding service and evaluating client needs
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Hiring managers will primarily look to your experience section to determine your suitability for the role. However, an academic background can bolster your qualifications and make you a more attractive candidate. In addition to your education, include any relevant certifications you’ve obtained as a sales professional.
If you’re a senior sales account executive, a certification like Certified Professional Sales Leader (CPSL) will establish your knowledge of the latest sales leadership strategies. For entry-level professionals, the Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP) designation can prove you have the necessary foundational knowledge to excel in the role.
Education
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] – [Graduation Month and Year]
Example:
Bachelor of Science in Marketing
Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA, September 2015 – May 2019
Certifications
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization] – [Completion Year]
Example:
Salesforce Certification, Salesforce.com, 2014
4. List pertinent key skills
Many employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) software to automate the initial stages of the hiring process. This technology helps determine which applicants stand out as the best candidates. Your skills section is a great place to incorporate ATS-friendly keywords and align your resume with the job you’re applying for. Check out the skills and keywords listed below to get familiar with common terms you may encounter as you write your sales account executive resume:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Account management | Business development |
| Client engagement | Client relations |
| Cold calling | Cross-functional leadership |
| Customer relationship management (CRM) software | Customer success |
| Inbound sales and outbound sales | Lead generation |
| Lead qualification | Market analysis |
| Negotiations | Pipeline development |
| Product knowledge | Prospecting |
| Revenue generation | Sales strategy |
| Strategic selling | Upselling |
5. Highlight your ability to collaborate
Successful sales account executives understand the importance of collaboration in modern business-to-business (B2B) sales. They recognize that closing complex deals isn’t the sole responsibility of the sales department. Show that you value collaborative sales involving product, marketing, and customer success teams.
Employers want to know you can retain customers and facilitate smooth transitions between sales and customer success. For instance, in the professional experience section of your resume, call attention to specific projects where you collaborated with other teams. Briefly describe the context, the teams involved, your role, and the outcomes achieved.
How To Pick the Best Sales Account Executive Resume Template
When choosing a resume template, it’s essential to balance professionalism and personal style. Opt for a template that reflects your industry’s standards, using a clean and easily readable font. A simple format with plenty of white space and clear sections will help recruiters quickly identify your key qualifications. Select a classic color scheme and use subtle design elements that align with your brand or the company you’re applying to.
Sales Account Executive Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Jerry Mander
(215) 849-0398
[email protected]
125 Henderson Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19019
Profile
Sales professional with entry-level work experience, specializing in customer service, relationship building, retail sales, and client relations. Adept at collaborating with diverse teams to enhance customer experience and drive sales revenue.
Key Skills
- Upselling
- Customer Service
- Relationship Building
- Retail Sales
Education
Bachelor of Science in Marketing
St. Joe’s University Philadelphia, PA, September 2017 – May 2021
Professional Experience
Sales Associate, Clothing Outlet Inc., Philadelphia, PA
January 2018 – Present
- Provide sales support and fashion advice to customers
- Generate monthly sales revenue ranging from $10K to $15K by collaborating with customers to identify optimal products
- Coordinate with senior leaders and diverse teams to manage merchandising initiatives for the store
- Exceed weekly customer satisfaction KPIs by delivering outstanding service and evaluating client needs
Sales Associate, Kohl’s Clothing Store, Philadelphia, PA
January 2019 – January 2020
- Delivered exceptional customer service, processed transactions utilizing the company POS system, and sold customers internal store credit cards to drive business
- Achieved the highest monthly sales volume across a 100-person sales center for two months in 2019
- Utilized a personalized sales approach for all customer interactions to develop rapport with clientele
- Sized customers for suits and business attire
Mina Bassley
(267) 210-0293
[email protected]
9101 Apple St, Bryn Mawr, PA 12345
Profile
Sales account executive with three years of professional experience, specializing in maintaining customer accounts, supporting sales cycles, and qualifying leads. Adept at closing new business and interfacing with prospects and potential clients. A strong background in identifying process improvements to enhance the sales process.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Marketing
Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA, September 2015 – May 2019
Key Skills
- Lead Qualification
- Relationship Building
- Prospecting
- Customer Success
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Professional Experience
Sales Account Executive, Marketing CRM Incorporated, Philadelphia, PA
January 2020 – Present
- Collaborate with a team of sales account executives and management teams to review sales processes, identify gaps, and recommend improvements
- Analyze sales data, conduct reporting, and deliver reports to leadership
- Serve as the point of contact for customer issues, which include analyzing client business needs and identifying appropriate solutions
- Oversaw eight client accounts generating $20K to $50K in revenue, interfaced with customers, fielded client issues, and attended meetings with the Head of Sales
Sales Representative, Customer Journeys, Philadelphia, PA
January 2019 – January 2020
- Conducted cold calling and prospecting
- Qualified inbound and outbound sales leads, supported the sales process, and achieved 120% of sales quota for 2019
- Attended meetings with prospects and collaborated with Sales Manager to close new business and recommend products in alignment with client needs
- Created sales reports using Microsoft Excel and delivered findings to the sales team during weekly, monthly, and quarterly meetings
Roger Bernstein
(215) 484-9067
[email protected]
487 42nd St, Apt 312, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Profile
Sales account executive with five years of experience, specializing in client relations, business development, strategic selling, and revenue generation. A strong history of identifying innovative strategies to build customer pipelines and client relationships. Adept at collaborating with field teams to ensure alignment with client and business needs.
Professional Experience
Sales Account Executive, Innovative Solutions, Philadelphia, PA
May 2019 – Present
- Manage 20+ accounts within the Greater Philadelphia territory, generating over $600K in annual revenue
- Analyze client business needs, develop strategies to ensure customer success, and lead efforts to develop sales pipelines and enhance revenue growth
- Partner with the Head of Sales to close inbound and outbound opportunities and exceed revenue targets by 5% to 10% month-over-month
- Utilize internal CRM tools to track sales activity and deliver status updates to the sales team and senior leadership
Account Executive, TechSolutions LLC, Philadelphia, PA
May 2016 – May 2019
- Provided support for 10+ client accounts, generating $30K-$120K in annual revenue
- Monitored sales performance and delivered client invoices
- Identified new potential customers, conducted cold calling, utilized upselling techniques to close new business, and attended client meetings with management
- Fielded customer issues, coordinated with the Sales Manager to identify solutions, and supported corrective action plans to ensure client satisfaction
Education
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Temple University Philadelphia, PA, September 2012 – May 2016
Key Skills
- Pipeline Development
- Relationship Building
- Prospecting
- MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Salesforce
- CRM tools
Certifications
- Salesforce Certification, Udemy, 2016
Frequently Asked Questions: Sales Account Executive Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for sales account executive resumes?+
It can be a challenge to find the right words to explain your previous roles and responsibilities. Action verbs can help you articulate your work history more effectively, conveying a sense of proactivity and accomplishment. They help hiring managers visualize how you contributed to previous employers. Use some of the verbs below in your professional experience section:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Achieved | Analyzed |
| Closed | Collaborated |
| Demonstrated | Developed |
| Established | Exceeded |
| Expanded | Generated |
| Influenced | Managed |
| Negotiated | Presented |
| Prospected | Resolved |
| Secured | Strategized |
| Streamlined | Trained |
How do you align your resume with a sales account executive job description?+
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that while sales occupations are expected to decline over the next decade, over 1.8 million new jobs are opening each year. Although opportunities are readily available, aligning your resume with the job description is essential. Be sure to tailor your document towards each individual company you apply to.
As you write your resume, cross-reference your document with the job listing to ensure you've included everything the company seeks. But avoid just copying and pasting their language into your resume — capturing your unique experience is also important. For example, suppose a company was looking for a sales account executive who can interface effectively with Fortune 500 clients. In this situation, emphasizing your ability to build strategic partnerships with the C-suite could help you stand out.
What is the best sales account executive resume format?+
Both the reverse chronological and combination resume formats can work well for sales account executives. A reverse chronological resume is best for professionals with a strong, linear career progression and consistent work history. Alternatively, a combination resume can benefit those who want to lead with skills or qualifications before their prior work experience. It provides flexibility in tailoring your resume for a specific job by emphasizing the most relevant skills and experiences.
Expert advice: include a cover letter with your resume
Increase your chances of landing an interview by writing a cover letter to accompany your resume. The best strategy for creating a compelling cover letter is to tailor it to the company you’re applying to. Learn how to do this in our comprehensive cover letter guide. Explore our account manager and sales manager cover letter guides for more examples in related fields.
