Jul 18, 2024
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12 min read
Creating a winning sales resume doesn’t have to be a challenge. Follow our expert tips and explore 60 sales resume examples to spark your inspiration.
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When applying for an Advertising Sales role, emphasize your ability to create compelling ad strategies and campaigns. Highlight any previous experience in media sales or familiarity with digital marketing tools. Mention relevant certifications like 'Digital Advertising Fundamentals'. Showcase examples of increased ad revenue or client base growth. Use the 'skill-action-result' approach to illustrate how you've successfully pitched and closed deals.
When applying for an Auto Sales role, focus on your expertise in vehicle knowledge and customer relationship management. Highlight any certifications like 'Automotive Sales Professional'. Showcase your success in meeting or exceeding sales targets. Provide examples of how your upselling skills led to higher profit margins, using the 'skill-action-result' approach.
For an Automobile Sales role, emphasize your comprehensive understanding of automobiles and customer needs. Mention any experience with dealership software or CRM tools. Highlight certifications like 'Automotive Sales Excellence'. Provide examples of how you’ve tailored financing options to close sales, following a 'skill-action-result' format.
In an Automotive Sales role, underline your familiarity with vehicle types and features. Highlight your ability to build long-term client relationships. Mention any relevant training or certifications. Showcase examples of how your negotiation skills have led to successful sales, using the 'skill-action-result' approach.
When applying for a B2B Sales role, stress your ability to build and maintain business client relationships. Highlight experience in account management or industry-specific sales. Mention relevant courses like 'Business Sales Strategies'. Use examples of how you’ve developed key partnerships and increased sales volume, following a 'skill-action-result' format.
In a Bank Sales role, emphasize your expertise in financial products and customer service. Highlight any experience in cross-selling banking services. Mention certifications like 'Financial Sales Specialist'. Showcase examples of how you've increased product adoption rates, using a 'skill-action-result' approach.
For a Banking Sales role, focus on your knowledge of financial services and customer relationship management. Mention any certifications in banking. Highlight your ability to meet sales targets for bank products. Use examples showing how your consultative sales approach has benefited clients, following a 'skill-action-result' format.
When applying for a Business Sales role, stress your ability to develop business solutions for clients. Highlight any experience in business development or consulting. Mention courses like 'Business Communication' or 'Strategic Sales Management'. Provide examples of improved business outcomes due to your sales efforts, using a 'skill-action-result' format.
In a Call Center Sales role, emphasize your proficiency in outbound and inbound sales. Highlight any relevant experience in telemarketing or CRM tools. Mention certifications like 'Call Center Sales Professional'. Showcase examples of exceeding call quotas and improving customer satisfaction, using a 'skill-action-result' approach.
When applying for a Car Sales role, focus on your automotive knowledge and customer engagement. Highlight any experience with inventory management or dealership software. Mention relevant certifications. Showcase examples of your successful upselling and closing techniques, using a 'skill-action-result' approach.
You know how to close deals… but can you sell yourself on paper? Well, that’s a different kind of challenge. A strong sales record and standout skills are great, but if your resume doesn’t deliver the right pitch, you could be leaving big opportunities on the table.
Sales success takes confidence, product knowledge, and a natural ability to build and sustain client relationships. If you’re already ticking those boxes, you’re in a great spot. The hard part? Packaging it all into a resume that actually converts. Luckily, that’s where this guide comes in.
We’ve got smart advice plus 60 standout sales resume examples. We’ll be talking about the unmistakable value of hard-hitting metrics, how to go on the charm offensive, the core skills you need, and how to tailor your resume to each new opportunity.
Ready to get started? Let’s turn that resume into your best pitch yet.
Key takeaways
First up, let’s talk strategy. Think of your resume like your personal sales pitch—it needs to be sharp, persuasive, and impossible to ignore.
Many candidates simply list their skills, education and experience, and hope for the best. That’s a bad move. Chances are, you won’t get the results you’re looking for. Instead, you need to sell yourself as the solution your next employer needs. Think about them first and foremost.
Here’s how to use this guide to create a sales resume that seals the deal.
Guide checklist
Meeting sales targets is the baseline. However, if you want to excel in the world of sales, you’re going to need more. By all means, share your wins, but don’t rely on them alone.
An interview-winning resume will show your ability to meet and exceed targets, your knack for building relationships, and your understanding of the sales cycle. It’s a tall order (but you certainly have what it takes!).
Here are the main areas you should focus on:
Sales is all about the bottom line. You know that, and so does the hiring manager. When positioning your sales resume, you’ll want to include your biggest sales achievements.
Tangible metrics offer evidence of your selling skills. So, don’t sleep on them. Instead, be sure to provide statistics and numbers that show off your talents.
Here’s an example:
“Boosted lead conversion by 35% through targeted outreach and strategic A/B testing, directly contributing to a 20% increase in overall sales revenue.”
Do you have a way with words? Now’s the time to let that talent shine. Sales is all about making connections and using persuasive language. Let this be at the very core of your sales resume.
When writing your sales resume, use strong words and phrases that show off your creativity.
Let’s take a look at some examples:
Closing deals is at the heart of what you do. If you’ve got a proven track record of success, shout about it on your sales resume. Let the recruiter know you have what it takes.
Not sure where to start? When adding work experience to your resume, include tangible results that'll wow the hiring manager. The more specific you are here, the better.
Here’s how that could look:
“Executed targeted outreach and follow-up strategies that increased qualified leads by 25% and boosted closed deals by 15%.”
The best salespeople don’t act on gut instincts. Instead, they use CRM tools and the data provided to make the right decisions. If you already do this, you’re ahead of the game.
PRO TIP
Name-drop the CRM tools you use in your everyday work.
Here are some of the most popular options that you may want to include:
You can use all of these focuses in your sales resume, or simply pick the ones that align best with your career goals. Let’s move on to the all-important question of formatting.
Choosing the resume format for your sales resume is a big deal. You need to make sure the structure fits your career story—positioning it in just the right way.
Here are the options:
If you’ve had a linear sales career, using a reverse-chronological format is the answer. It tells your career story in a clear way that recruiters expect.
Of course, not all careers follow a straight path. If you’ve switched roles, worked for yourself, or have recently joined the workforce, you might find a functional format works better. This structure emphasizes your skills rather than just your experience.
Yes! While many recruiters expect to see reverse-chronological formats, that doesn’t mean it’s the only option.
If you want to highlight your skills over your experience, a functional format is the answer.
Ideally, your resume should be one or two pages long. You don’t want to overwhelm the recruiter by giving them too much information.
You should save your resume as a PDF rather than a Word document.
Why? It’s simple. PDFs keep the same formatting regardless of how they’re opened and can’t be edited after you send them.
We don’t recommend using graphs or excessive imagery on your sales resume.
You don’t have to be a design whiz to make your resume attractive.
Our drag-and-drop resume builder makes the whole thing easy. Choose the design that suits you and get started now.
Acing the format is just part of the puzzle. In our upcoming sections, we’ll cover how to nail the content, too.
Your resume header is where the recruiter can find your contact details. You need to make this clear and easily accessible for them.
Let’s take a peek at what to feature:
Your resume summary is like a sales pitch—it tells the recruiter what value you hold. Everything, from the wording you use to the content, has to have a real impact.
Since this is often the first thing the recruiter will read, make it count. Avoid simply filling space with “fluff” that doesn’t say much. Go for hard-hitting statements instead.
PRO TIP
Include a healthy dose of resume action words in this section. These words show that you’re a cut above the rest and are likely to grab the recruiter’s attention fast.
Start with your Unique Selling Proposition. What makes you different from other salespeople? How do you exceed your employer's expectations?
Here are some examples you might consider:
If you’re not sure where to start, go back to the job advert and see what you can find there. Chances are, the recruiter will spell out exactly what they’re looking for.
Highlighting the candidate's biggest achievements, the above summary is sure to catch a recruiter’s eye. By narrowing it down to specific industries, the statement shows that the applicant has industry experience that'll get them far.
You’ll need a bunch of work experience on your resume to succeed. But throwing everything at the page isn’t the way to go. No, you need a strategy if you want to align with the vacancy.
Let’s kick things off with how far back to go on your resume. The answer is no more than 10–15 years in total. If you’ve been working for longer than that, only include your most recent roles.
The layout of this section is simple. Just start with the basics: the job title, company name, location, and how long you held the position.
When you’ve done that, the next step is adding bullet points that show off your achievements. Don’t be afraid to include some metrics that add evidence to the claims you make.
Here’s how that may look:
Your work experience section should show solid progression. That means each new sales role should be more impressive than the last.
To craft a winning work experience section, you’ll need a core message. Something that plays to your professional strengths. What do you want to share with the recruiter? Choosing a focus will help you to pique their interest and leave them wanting more.
Here are three options.
If your sales history speaks for itself, let it take center stage. Focus on solid metrics that show the recruiter you have what it takes to smash your targets.
What digital tools do you use? If you’re a total whiz using sales software, the recruiter will want to know all about it. Name-drop the most impressive programs in this section.
Making relationships is at the heart of sales. If you can connect with clients or customers, you’re already ahead of the competition. If this is your strong suit, emphasize it now.
You don’t need to have years of experience under your belt to make it in sales. If you’ve got the gift of gab and product knowledge, you’ll go far.
But how do you create a stellar sales resume with no work experience?
Follow our tips below to help you navigate this issue:
Recruiters appreciate honesty. Make sure you’re applying for entry-level sales positions, and tell the truth about the experience you do or don’t have in the industry.
You don’t need tons of experience to work in sales. There are plenty of entry-level roles you can consider.
Look for entry-level roles that suit your skill level. Start at the bottom and work your way up.
Yes! The good news is there are plenty of transferable skills you may already have.
Examples include people skills, communication, organization, conflict resolution, and negotiation.
Next up, you’ll need to know what skills to put on your resume. Chances are, you have a bunch of sales-centric talents you want to shout about. However, you need to be selective.
Start by looking at the job announcement to see which phrase the recruiter has used. This is a sneaky way to find out exactly what skills you’ll need to land the job.
Avoid using synonyms!
If the job advert says you need “negotiation skills,” don’t list “persuasion” or “deal closing” in your skills section. Instead, use the exact same phrase as the recruiter.
Include a selection of in-demand hard and soft skills on your sales resume. Getting the balance right is a surefire way to prove you’re a well-rounded candidate.
Here’s an example:
Hard skills tend to be sales-specific or technical. These are the talents you’ve learned either during your education or, perhaps more likely, when you’re on the job.
Don’t make the mistake of presuming the recruiter knows about the skills you have. Lay out all of your hard skills, even the ones that seem like a given.
Check out some of our examples below:
Sales often hinge on your soft skills. Everything from how you communicate with clients to your people skills matter when you’re closing a deal. Slide in some choice soft skills.
Here’s a quick example:
Spoiler: Formal education isn’t a must in sales. However, having some education on your resume is a wise move and shows you value career progression.
To help you get started, let’s break down the different types of education you may include:
Having a college degree isn't a prerequisite for most sales jobs. But—as the old saying goes—if you have it, flaunt it. This could be extra valuable if it’s in a sales-related field, such as marketing, communications, or business studies.
You may also consider detailing:
If you don’t have a degree, let the recruiter know you’ve completed high school. Again, outline the institute you attended and any notable grades or modules.
Professional development is always going to be a winner. Sales certifications—such as Salesforce Sales Operations, HubSpot Sales Software Certification, or LinkedIn Sales Navigator Certification—show that you’re committed to sharpening up those key skills.
Check out an example of how your education section may look:
Sales is about identifying a product’s standout features and showing them to the right audience. Your resume works the same way, except you’re the product. Include some extra sections to highlight your best features to potential employers.
How would you like to work at an international business? Speaking more than one language could be the key. Add a language section to your resume to show off your skills.
No one wants to hire a one-dimensional professional. That’s why having hobbies on your resume matters. Show the recruiter you have more to give. List hobbies and interests that show you’re a real people-person.
Doing volunteer work shows you care about the community and you know how to work well with others. These skills could be invaluable in sales. Craft a section that tells your story.
Avoid cramming your resume with too much information!
If you want to make your resume stand out, keep it clean, clear, and skimmable. The quicker the recruiter can get the information they need, the better your chances of success.
Your sales resume isn’t just a summary of your experience—it’s your opening pitch. With a clear structure, results-driven content, and tailored messaging, you can present yourself as the solution every sales team is looking for.
Highlight your achievements, speak in metrics, and show how your skills translate into results. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling toward leadership, the right resume will help you get in the door—and close the deal. Use this guide to fine-tune your strategy, Our drag-and-drop resume builder makes the entire thing a cinch. Why not give it a whirl?
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