How To Write a Sales Consultant Resume
Succeeding as a sales consultant is all about driving brand revenue and attracting and retaining clients, and your resume should focus on these key aspects. Learn how to write a resume that highlights your ability to identify and qualify leads, close deals, and provide a superior customer service experience with this guide.
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
The first 30 seconds of any sales call are crucial, and your resume profile is the same. This short paragraph consists of a few sentences that summarize your skills and experience, and it’s your first chance to show a hiring manager your persuasive skills.
Focus on your best qualities as a candidate, and don’t be afraid to throw in a standout accomplishment or two if you can quantify it. Metrics such as surpassing sales goals, customer satisfaction ratings, and client upsell rates are all valuable insights.
Profile Example #1
Sales Consultant with 3+ years of retail experience. Foster strong revenue growth and repeat business by providing top-quality service experiences. Highly attuned to the unique needs and requests of each customer. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Profile Example #2
Sales Professional with 5+ years of experience. Consistently generate 100%+ of revenue and profit goals in competitive markets. Skilled at partnering with other departments on new process solutions for improved quality and efficiency. Highly organized, balancing and prioritizing various tasks in a fast-paced environment. Adapt readily to new work challenges and industry conditions.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
Your past successes give hiring managers an idea of how well you’ll do in a new position, so focus your professional experience section on your accomplishments. Job duties are fine to include. But devote more space to aspects such as your ranking on the sales team, how much you surpassed sales goals, or how much your closed deals amounted to.
If you received any awards or recognitions, such as the “Sales Innovator” award or “Top Closer,” include these as well.
Professional Experience Example #1
Retail Sales Consultant, RPW Apparel Inc., Seattle, WA | September 2019 to Present
- Member of a 12-person sales team ranked #4 out of 14 store locations in region
- Direct visitors to their desired clothing and accessories and answer various product questions
- Clarify customer needs and offer personalized product suggestions
- Earned a near-perfect service score (98%) on customer surveys in 2020 and 2021
Professional Experience Example #2
Sales Consultant, QLK Corporation, Nashville, TN | September 2019 to Present
- Introduced best practices that streamlined new client intake procedures, driving a 12% efficiency gain. Won “Sales Innovator” award in May 2021 for contribution
- Negotiated and secured lucrative contracts with five major new clients
- Played key role in successful launch of nine products, allowing company to penetrate three new high-potential markets
- Increased client retention by nearly 20% in six months
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Depending on the organization, a hiring manager might require a base level of education to qualify for a sales consultant position. While a degree related to marketing or sales can give you an advantage, include your education even if it doesn’t seem relevant.
Certifications should be featured prominently on your resume, as these industry credentials show that you’re invested in your career and want to continue to grow as a sales consultant. Some of the top certifications for this profession include Certified Sales Development Representative and Certified Professional Sales Person.
Education
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Month and Year]
Example:
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL | May 2019
Certifications
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization] | [Completion Year]
Example:
Certified Inside Sales Professional, American Association of Inside Sales Professionals | 2020
4. List pertinent key skills
Your professional accomplishments matter, but so do the skills that helped you achieve them. On your resume, include a list of key skills relevant to the position that could set you apart from other candidates. This is also an excellent opportunity to tailor your resume to each job you’re applying for by just switching out a few skills.
Consider this example. You have “client relationship management software” on your skills list, but the hiring manager is looking for someone proficient in HubSpot in particular. Swapping that item out or adding “such as HubSpot” to the end helps you get in more keywords for applicant tracking systems (ATS) and shows the hiring manager you have the skills they need.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Client relationship management software | Closing |
| Cross-selling | Customer service skills |
| Data analysis | Lead generation |
| Market research | Negotiation |
| Pipeline management | Presenting |
| Product knowledge | Proficient with technology |
| Prospecting | Qualifying leads |
| Sales strategy development | Targeting specific markets and demographics |
| Upselling | Verbal and written communication |
How To Pick the Best Sales Consultant Resume Template
Make creating your resume faster and easier with a sales consultant resume template. A good template will put your skills and certifications in a prominent position and still have plenty of room to show you have an extensive, relevant work history.
Be wary of templates that are too flashy or use fancy scripts or colors. While a flourish is fine, your resume should position you as a professional in your field. Plain and simple resumes are also easier to read when you’re a hiring manager faced with a stack of 100 resumes.
Sales Consultant Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- #1
- #2
- #3
Cameron Malfara
123 Windermere Rd., Seattle, WA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Sales Consultant with 3+ years of retail experience. Foster strong revenue growth and repeat business by providing top-quality service experiences. Highly attuned to the unique needs and requests of each customer. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Career Highlights
Retail Sales Consultant, RPW Apparel Inc., Seattle, WA | September 2019 to Present
- Member of a 12-person sales team ranked #4 out of 14 store locations in region
- Direct visitors to their desired clothing and accessories and answer various product questions
- Clarify customer needs and offer personalized product suggestions
- Earned a near-perfect service score (98%) on customer surveys in 2020 and 2021
Education
Graduate
Roosevelt High School, Seattle, WA
Language
- Fluency in Spanish
Key Skills
- Client Satisfaction & Retention
- Consultative Sales Methods
- Customer Service & Relations
- Revenue & Profit Growth
- Team Collaboration
Jessica Lang
123 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Sales Professional with 5+ years of experience. Consistently generate 100%+ of revenue and profit goals in competitive markets. Skilled at partnering with other departments on new process solutions for improved quality and efficiency. Highly organized, balancing and prioritizing various tasks in a fast-paced environment. Adapt readily to new work challenges and industry conditions.
Career Highlights
Sales Consultant, QLK Corporation, Nashville, TN | September 2019 to Present
- Introduced best practices that streamlined new client intake procedures, driving a 12% efficiency gain. Won “Sales Innovator” award in May 2021 for contribution
- Negotiated and secured lucrative contracts with five major new clients
- Played key role in successful launch of nine products, allowing company to penetrate three new high-potential markets
- Increased client retention by nearly 20% in six months
Sales Associate, WPS Inc., Nashville, TN | July 2017 to August 2019
- Helped drive a rapid turnaround for a large territory, reversing a 7% decline trend and restoring positive customer relations
- Exceeded quota by 26% ($200K) in 2018
Education
Associate Degree – Economics
Nashville State Community College, Nashville, TN
Key Skills
- Account & Territory Management
- Client Satisfaction & Retention
- Consultative Sales Methods
- Contract Negotiation
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Customer Service & Relations
- New Client Prospecting
- New Market Penetration
- New Product Launch & Promotion
- Partnerships Development
- Process Improvement
- Productivity & Efficiency Gains
- Revenue & Profit Growth
- Team Collaboration
Aliya Jackson
123 Pine Brook Dr, Miami, FL 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Sales Associate with 7+ years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Strategist adept at finding new ways to drive growth in competitive markets. Skilled at putting complex technology topics in clear terms for diverse client audiences. Equally effective in a leadership or hands-on role. Achievements include surpassing activations goals by 20%+ on average for four years.
Career Highlights
OZR Mobile Inc., Miami, FL | July 2015 to Present
Senior Sales Consultant (August 2017 to Present)
- Advanced to manage a larger and more competitive sales territory
- Address and resolve escalated customer questions and complaints
- Currently ranked #3 on a 45-person sales team
- Surpassed activations goal by 18% in 2018, 20% in 2019, and 22% in 2020 and 2021
- Recently appointed to a leadership role training and coaching new sales hires
Sales Consultant (July 2015 to August 2017)
- Gained strong foundation in client relations
- Demonstrated new and improved product features to customers
- Consistently generated 100%+ of sales goals
Education
Bachelor’s Degree – Business Administration
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Key Skills
- Account & Territory Management
- Client Satisfaction & Retention
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Consultative Sales Methods
- Customer Service & Relations
- New Client Prospecting
- Product Demonstration
- Revenue & Profit Growth
- Strategic Business Development
- Team Collaboration
Frequently Asked Questions: Sales Consultant Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for sales consultant resumes?+
The words you use can set the tone for the deal with a client, and this is also true of your resume. Using impactful, engaging action verbs is one way to get a hiring manager’s attention and increase your chances of an interview.
But it can also be difficult to choose unique words for every bullet and sentence, especially if you have a longer resume. Get some fresh ideas from the list we’ve created below:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Achieved | Adapted |
| Advised | Analyzed |
| Closed | Collaborated |
| Developed | Diversified |
| Drove | Educated |
| Expanded | Generated |
| Managed | Maximized |
| Negotiated | Presented |
| Prospected | Researched |
| Resolved | Streamlined |
How do you align your resume with a job description?+
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting a decline in open sales-related positions through 2032, and that could mean a tougher job market for sales consultants. Make the most of every opportunity by taking the time to tailor your resume to the job description.
If a hiring manager is looking for a candidate who is strong in cold outreach, provide stats in your work history about your ability to warm up these leads. And if closing deals is an important part of the job, focus on your negotiating skills. Don’t forget to use as many keywords and skills from the job description in your resume as possible.
What is the best sales consultant resume format?+
The right resume format is the one that positions you as the best candidate, and the combination resume is a good choice to do just that. A combination format takes the best of the reverse chronological and functional styles to give equal space and emphasis to skills and work experience.
Customize a combination resume template by putting whatever is your strongest section — industry skills or work experience — on the top half of your resume. This ensures the hiring manager sees your best qualities, even if they don’t read the entire document.
Expert advice: include a cover letter with your resume
Once you’ve tailored your resume to the job and given it the final proofread, it’s time to do the cover letter. Your letter should discuss why you’re a good fit for the position, explain how your values align with the company’s mission, or provide context on the career achievements you highlighted in your resume. Our sales cover letter examples and templates can help you get started.
