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How to Write a Salesman Resume

Your salesman resume’s format is as important as how you write your resume. This sample resume demonstrates the best resume layout hacks to follow: 1-inch margins, bullet points and clear resume headings for each of the following sections.

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  • Professional header and contact info

    • Include your name, contact information and a professional email address.
  • Compelling summary statement

    • A brief resume summary or objective highlighting two or three sales-relevant skills, experience or accomplishments.
  • Highlight your skills

    • Create a dedicated section to showcase hard and soft skills specific to sales work, like relationship building, cold calling, negotiation or closing deals.
  • Emphasize your work history

    • List your work experience in reverse-chronological order. Include job titles, company names, dates of employment and key responsibilities and achievements for each role in a bullet list.
  • Supporting education section

    • Detail your educational background, mentioning any relevant degrees, diplomas or certifications obtained.
  • Additional sections

    • You can add resume sections for licenses, certifications, industry memberships or unions, awards, volunteer experience or spoken languages.

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How to Write a Salesman Resume Summary

The resume summary is concise, highlighting your essential qualifications, experience and achievements as a salesman. Follow these guidelines to write an impactful salesman resume summary:

Highlight your experience

Describe how many years you’ve worked in sales, mentioning your expertise in specific industries or markets.

Showcase your achievements

Mention notable accomplishments such as exceeding sales targets, securing significant contracts, or winning awards.

Emphasize critical skills

Highlight relevant skills such as prospecting, relationship building, negotiation, closing deals and customer retention.

Tailor it to the job

Customize your summary to align with the requirements of the specific sales position you are applying for.

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Good salesman resume example

“Dynamic and results-oriented sales professional with 8+ years of experience in the automotive industry. Demonstrated track record of surpassing sales targets, building robust client relationships, and closing high-value deals. Skilled in prospecting, consultative selling, and fostering customer loyalty. Proven ability to drive revenue growth through strategic sales techniques and effective negotiation.”

This example effectively summarizes the candidate’s experience, highlighting their specific industry expertise, sales achievements and critical skills. It showcases the candidate’s track record of exceeding sales targets, establishing strong client relationships, and leveraging consultative selling techniques. Using specific sales-related terms and metrics provides a clear and impactful summary.

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Poor salesman resume example

“Motivated sales professional with experience in multiple industries. Strong communication and negotiation skills. Seeking a challenging sales role.”

This example lacks specific details and fails to highlight the candidate’s accomplishments or industry expertise. It provides generic information about skills and does not differentiate the candidate from other applicants. The summary needs more depth, captures the reader’s attention, or showcases the candidate’s unique selling points.

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PRO TIP:

The resume summary works best if you have over three years of experience. Try the resume objective if you’re a first-time job seeker, freelancer or career changer. This alternative introduction pitches your transferable skills and downplays your lack of directly-relevant experience.

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How to Add Your Salesman Work History

The work history section of your salesman resume provides an opportunity to showcase your sales experience, achievements and contributions to previous roles. Follow these guidelines to write this section effectively.

Focus on relevant experience

List your previous sales positions chronologically, starting with the most recent. Include job titles, company names and dates of employment.

Highlight achievements

For each position, concisely describe your responsibilities and focus on quantifiable achievements. Use metrics, such as sales revenue generated, new accounts acquired or customer retention rates improved, to demonstrate your impact.

Emphasize transferable skills

Highlight the critical skills developed in each role that apply to the position you are applying for. These may include relationship building, cold calling, negotiation, closing deals or client management.

Show career progression

If you have advanced in your sales career or taken on increasing levels of responsibility, showcase your promotions or the expansion of your role within a company.

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Good salesman work history sample

Sales Executive | ABC Company, City/State | 2017 – Present

  • Exceeded annual sales targets by an average of 25% each year, contributing to a revenue increase of 40% over three years.
  • Developed and maintained strong relationships with key clients, resulting in a 30% increase in repeat business.
  • Led a successful sales team, providing training, guidance and support to drive individual and group performance.

This example provides specific achievements and demonstrates the candidate’s success in exceeding sales targets, building client relationships, and leading a team. It quantifies results and showcases the candidate’s contributions to the company’s growth.

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Poor salesman work history sample

Sales Representative | XYZ Corporation | 2015 – 2019

  • Responsible for sales activities and achieving targets.
  • Developed relationships with customers and provided customer service.
  • Assisted in the preparation of sales reports.

This example lacks specific details and quantifiable achievements. It needs to demonstrate the candidate’s impact or contributions in the role, making it difficult for employers to assess the candidate’s abilities or sales performance.

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How to Write a Salesman Education Section

The education section of your salesman resume provides an opportunity to showcase your relevant educational background, training programs, or certifications that add value to your sales expertise. Follow these guidelines to write this section effectively:

1Include your highest level of education

List your highest level, such as a high school diploma, bachelor’s degree or any other relevant certifications or training programs.

Education formatting example

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) ABC University, Cityville, USA 2015 – 2019

2List relevant educational institutions

Include the names of educational institutions you attended, their locations and dates of attendance. Focus on schools or programs with a strong reputation for business, sales or related fields.

Relevant coursework formatting example

  • Sales Strategies, Consumer Behavior, Business Negotiation
  • Certification: Professional Sales Certification (PSC)
  • Sales Training Program XYZ Sales Institute, Cityville, USA 2020

3Highlight relevant coursework or certifications

If you have taken specific courses or obtained certifications related to sales techniques, negotiation skills, or customer relationship management, highlight them in this section. Mention any coursework or certifications that demonstrate your knowledge and skills in the sales field.

Certification formatting example

Advanced Sales Techniques

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PRO TIP:

Tailor your education section with relevant education and training that directly align with the skills and requirements of the factory worker position you are applying for.

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15 Skills For Your Salesman Resume

The skills section of your salesman resume is an essential component that showcases your relevant capabilities and competencies. Here is a list of five soft skills, five hard skills and five technical skills specific to salesman responsibilities:

soft skills

Soft skills

  • Communication
  • Relationship Building
  • Adaptability
  • Negotiation
  • Time Management
hard skills

Hard skills

  • Prospecting
  • Product Knowledge
  • Closing
  • Sales Forecasting
  • CRM Software
technical-skills

Technical skills

  • Sales Analytics
  • Presentation Skills
  • Sales Funnel Management
  • Social Selling
  • Market Research
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PRO TIP:

When writing your salesman resume, incorporate a balanced mix of skills that align with the specific requirements of the sales role you are targeting.

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20 Salesman Action Verbs

When writing your salesman resume, incorporate powerful action verbs to convey your achievements and responsibilities effectively. Here is an alphabetized list of 20 power words in the present tense that can make your experience and skills stand out.

  • Achieve
  • Adapt
  • Build
  • Close
  • Collaborate
  • Communicate
  • Convince
  • Cultivate
  • Demonstrate
  • Drive
  • Establish
  • Exceed
  • Generate
  • Influence
  • Manage
  • Negotiate
  • Persuade
  • Present
  • Prospect
  • Win

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Additional Resume Sections

Consider adding the following sections to your salesman resume based on your specific circumstances and to enhance your qualifications:

  • Certification: Include a separate section to showcase relevant credentials, such as Advanced Sales Techniques, Certified Sales Development Representative or Certified Inside Sales Professional.
  • Professional Development: Use a professional development section featuring workshops, seminars or sales programs to replace or supplement your education section.
  • Awards and Achievements: If you have received recognition or awards for your performance, productivity, or safety record, include a section to showcase these accomplishments.
  • Volunteer Experience: Replace your work history section with a volunteer section if you have less than three years of experience. Use this space to demonstrate relevant skills or attributes, such as sales techniques, negotiation skills or customer relationship management.
  • Language Proficiency: Since sales jobs can include a diverse range of employees, advertise your fluency in other languages as a workplace boon!
  • Memberships: Let hiring managers know about your membership to industry-specific organizations or unions.

Use a Cover Letter to Express Yourself

A resume is a concise overview of your skills and experience — a cover letter expands on this foundation. Add a cover letter to share one or two examples of how you excelled in similar roles or how your skills match a company’s needs. Use this sample as a guide or visit our helpful resources to boost your application.

Salesman Resume FAQ

How should I format my salesman resume?

Use a clean and professional format with clear headings, bullet points and consistent formatting. Include sections for your summary, work history, skills and education. Use a legible font and organize information in reverse-chronological order. Tailor the resume to the specific job by highlighting relevant skills and achievements.

How can I highlight my customer service skills on a salesman resume?

Emphasize your customer service skills by including them in your skills section and incorporating relevant examples in your work history. Highlight your ability to build relationships, provide exceptional service, and meet customer needs. Showcase instances where your customer service skills increased sales or customer satisfaction.

How do I showcase my sales achievements on my resume?

Quantify your sales achievements by including specific numbers, percentages, or revenue figures in your work history. Highlight instances where you exceeded sales targets, secured major accounts or achieved significant revenue growth. Use action verbs and descriptive language to demonstrate your sales accomplishments and the impact you made in previous roles.

Should I include certifications or sales-related training on my salesman resume?

Absolutely! Including relevant certifications and sales-related training programs can enhance your resume. Highlight certifications such as SalesForce Certified, Certified Sales Professional (CSP) or industry-specific sales training. This demonstrates your commitment to professional development and validates your sales expertise, making you a more competitive candidate.