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How to Write a Salesperson Resume

Your salesperson 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 presentation skills, prospecting on social selling.
  • 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 Salesperson Resume Summary

The resume summary section for a salesperson is a critical component that captures the attention of potential employers and highlights your key qualifications. Here are some tips for writing an effective salesperson resume summary:

Keep it short

Aim for a two to three-sentence summary, focusing on the most relevant aspects of your sales experience.

Highlight your expertise

Emphasize up to three sales achievements, skills, and areas of expertise. For example, you can mention your track record in meeting or exceeding sales targets and any specialized industry knowledge you have experience in.

Showcase your unique selling proposition

Highlight what sets you apart as a salesperson. This could include exceptional interpersonal skills, a proven ability to build strong client relationships or expertise in specific sales techniques.

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Good salesperson resume example

“Results-driven sales professional with a proven track record of exceeding sales targets in the software industry. Demonstrates exceptional communication and negotiation skills, fostering strong client relationships and consistently closing deals. Expertise in consultative selling and leveraging market trends to drive revenue growth. Committed to delivering exceptional customer experiences and achieving sales excellence.”

The well-written example concisely summarizes the job seeker’s sales experience and highlights their achievements in exceeding sales targets. This job seeker highlights their servicing knowledge of the software industry and focuses on their strong communication and negotiation skills. The summary also mentions their ability to build strong client relationships and commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences.

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Poor salesperson resume example

“Experienced sales professional looking for a job. Good at selling products and meeting targets. Hardworking and motivated.”

The poorly-written example must be more specific and highlight notable achievements or skills. It needs to be more generic and provide a unique selling proposition. The summary does not differentiate the candidate from other sales professionals or capture the attention of potential employers. It must have the necessary impact to make a strong impression or demonstrate the candidate’s value as a salesperson.

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PRO TIP:

Try a resume objective instead if you’re a first-time job seeker, freelancer or career changer. This alternative introduction pitches your transferable sales skills over your lack of matching work history.

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How to Add Your Salesperson Work History

The work history section of your salesperson resume is a key component that showcases your sales experience and demonstrates your success in achieving targets. Here are some guidelines to effectively present your salesperson work history:

Start with the most recent position

Work backward with your most recent sales role. Include the job title, company name and employment dates.

Highlight key responsibilities and achievements

Detail your primary sales responsibilities and specific accomplishments in each role. Emphasize your ability to generate leads, build relationships, close deals and exceed sales targets.

Quantify your achievements

Quantify your sales achievements whenever possible to provide concrete evidence of your contributions. Mention specific revenue figures, the percentage of target achieved or the number of new clients acquired.

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Good salesperson work history sample

Senior Sales Executive | XYZ Corporation | January 2018 – Present

  • Consistently surpassed annual sales targets, achieving an average of 125% of quota over three consecutive years.
  • Developed and implemented a strategic account management plan resulting in a 25% increase in revenue from critical accounts.
  • Successfully negotiated and closed high-value deals with Fortune 500 clients, resulting in a revenue increase of $2 million annually.

This example effectively summarizes the job seeker’s sales experience with bullet points that highlight the candidate’s responsibilities. This job seeker prioritizes examples that showcase their ability to exceed sales targets — the quantified achievements prove their success in generating revenue and closing significant deals. Overall, the example effectively demonstrates the candidate’s sales capabilities and accomplishments.

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Poor salesperson work history sample

Sales Representative | ABC Company | 2015-2017

  • Responsible for sales activities.
  • Met sales targets.

The poorly-written example must be more specific and provide meaningful details about the candidate’s role and accomplishments. The bullet points are too general and do not highlight specific achievements or responsibilities. With specific information, potential employers can assess the candidate’s sales performance and understand their contributions in previous roles.

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How to Write a Salesperson Education Section

The education section of your salesperson resume provides valuable information about your academic background and any relevant training or certifications. Here’s how to effectively present your education in a salesperson resume:

1List your highest level of education

Start with your highest completed degree or qualification, such as a bachelor’s degree or relevant certifications. Include the name of the institution, the degree or certification earned, and the dates of attendance or completion.

Education and relevant coursework formatting example:

Bachelor of Business Administration in Sales and Marketing | XYZ University | 2016-2020

2Highlight relevant coursework or training programs

If you have completed coursework or training programs directly related to sales or have provided you with skills relevant to the salesperson role, mention them. This could include courses in sales techniques, communication skills, negotiation strategies or marketing principles.

Relevant coursework formatting example:

  • Relevant coursework: Sales Techniques, Marketing Strategies, Consumer Behavior, Negotiation Skills.

3Include relevant certifications

If you hold any certifications valuable to the salesperson role, such as sales certifications, customer relationship management (CRM) certifications,or industry-specific certifications, be sure to include them. Certifications demonstrate your commitment to professional development and enhance your credibility as a sales professional.

Certifications formatting example:

Professional Selling Certification | Sales Association of America | 2018

  • Comprehensive training program covering effective sales methodologies, prospecting techniques, and building client relationships.

CRM Certification (Customer Relationship Management) | CRM Institute | 2017

  • In-depth training in CRM software, customer engagement strategies, and leveraging CRM systems for sales optimization.

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15 Skills For Your Salesperson Resume

The skills section of your salesperson resume is essential in demonstrating your capabilities and qualifications for the role. Here’s a breakdown of five soft skills, five hard skills and five technical skills specific to salesperson responsibilities:

soft skills

Soft skills

  • Communication
  • Persuasion
  • Relationship Building
  • Adaptability
  • Problem-Solving
hard skills

Hard skills

  • Product Knowledge
  • Sales Techniques
  • CRM Software
  • Negotiation
  • Territory Management
technical-skills

Technical skills

  • Presentation Skills
  • Prospecting
  • Social Selling
  • Data Analysis
  • Proposal Writing
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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 salesperson you are targeting.

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20 Salesperson 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
  • Build
  • Close
  • Collaborate
  • Communicate
  • Cultivate
  • Demonstrate
  • Develop
  • Establish
  • Generate
  • Identify
  • Influence
  • Listen
  • Maintain
  • Negotiate
  • Persuade
  • Present
  • Prospect
  • Recommend
  • Upsell

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Additional Resume Sections

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

  • Certification: Include a separate section to showcase relevant credentials, such as Professional Selling Certification or CRM Certification.
  • 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 communication, persuasion or relationship building.
  • Language Proficiency: Since sales 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.

Salesperson Resume FAQ

How should I format a salesperson resume?

When formatting a salesperson resume, use a clean and professional layout. Include contact information, summary, skills, work experience, education and relevant certifications. Use bullet points to highlight key achievements and responsibilities. Emphasize your sales track record, target achievements and any notable awards or recognition. Keep it concise and easy to read.

Should I include customer service experience on a salesperson resume?

It can be valuable to include if you have customer service experience relevant to the sales role you're applying for. Highlight transferable skills such as effective communication, problem-solving and building rapport with customers. Tailor your customer service experience to showcase how it can benefit your sales performance, such as delivering exceptional customer experiences and resolving customer concerns.

How can I make my salesperson resume stand out?

To make your salesperson resume stand out:

  • Tailor it to the specific sales job you're applying for.
  • Highlight your sales achievements, such as meeting or exceeding targets, closing significant deals or winning new clients.
  • Showcase your sales skills, such as negotiation, relationship building and customer acquisition.
  • Include quantifiable results and use action verbs to describe your accomplishments.
  • Customize your resume to demonstrate how your experience aligns with the job requirements.

Should I include a summary or objective statement in my salesperson resume?

Including a summary or objective statement in your salesperson resume can be beneficial. A summary quickly pitches your desirable features: sales experience, skills, and achievements. This information allows hiring managers to quickly assess your qualifications. An objective statement focuses on your career goals and the specific sales role you're seeking. Choose the option that best aligns with your career stage and the job you're applying for.