How to Write a Resume for a Sales Representative

Want that Sales Job? Craft a Killer Resume!

Getting your dream sales job starts with a fantastic resume. This guide will show you how to write one that gets you interviews. We’ll cover everything from formatting to showing off your wins.

The Sales Resume Game: It's Competitive!

Landing a sales job is tough. Lots of people are applying. Recruiters only spend a few seconds looking at each resume. Yours needs to grab their attention fast! Show them your value—quickly and clearly. Focus on results, using strong action words.

What Makes a Winning Sales Resume?

1. Contact Info: Put your name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn (if you have one) at the top. Keep it simple and professional.
2. Summary/Objective (Optional): A short summary of your best skills and wins, perfect for the job you're applying for. If you're just starting out, an objective statement works. Use numbers! Like, "Increased sales by 15% in Q3."
3. Skills: List both hard and soft skills. Hard skills? Things like knowing Salesforce or HubSpot. Soft skills? Communication, persuasion, etc. A skills matrix (a table) can look really good.
4. Experience: This is the most important part! List your jobs in reverse order (newest first). For each job, use the PAR method: Problem, Action, Result. Always use numbers. Instead of "Increased sales," say "Increased sales by 20% in six months using a new lead generation strategy."
5. Education: Your degree, major, university, and graduation date. List any relevant certifications too.
6. Awards (Optional): Any sales awards? Show them off!

Keywords: What Recruiters Look For

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) scan resumes for keywords. Use these words from job descriptions:

• Sales Representative
• Account Manager
• Business Development
• Lead Generation
• Sales Management
• Sales Strategy
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Salesforce
• HubSpot
• Negotiation
• Closing Deals
• Cold Calling
• Prospecting
• Client Acquisition
• Account Retention
• Sales Forecasting
• Quota Achievement
• Presentation Skills
• Communication Skills
• Relationship Building

Make it Personal: Tailor Your Resume

Don't just send the same resume everywhere. Each one should be perfect for the job. Read the job description carefully. What are they looking for? Rewrite your resume to highlight those things. Use those keywords! Change your summary to match the company and job.

Show, Don't Tell: Use Numbers!

Recruiters love numbers. Instead of "Improved customer satisfaction," try "Improved customer satisfaction scores by 15%." See the difference? It's all about the proof!

Strong Verbs: Make Your Resume Pop!

Use strong action verbs to make your resume more powerful:

• Generated
• Increased
• Exceeded
• Developed
• Managed
• Negotiated
• Closed
• Consistently exceeded sales quotas
• Successfully launched new products
• Built and maintained strong client relationships

Formatting: Keep it Clean and Simple

Use a simple font like Arial or Calibri. Make it easy to read. Use bullet points. Keep it short—one page is ideal, maybe two for very experienced people.

Proofread Carefully!

Check for typos and grammar errors. Have a friend look it over, too. A clean resume shows you're professional and detail-oriented.

Resume Templates and Help

There are tons of online resources for resume templates and help. Use them! Find a template you like and make it your own.

Beyond the Resume: Job Hunting Tips

A great resume is just one part of the job hunt. Network! Go to industry events. Use job boards. And practice your interview answers! Be ready to talk about your skills and wins.

Conclusion: Get Ready to Shine!

Writing a great sales resume takes work. But by following these tips, you'll increase your chances of getting that interview and landing your dream job! Good luck!