One resume challenge you might face as an area sales manager is effectively showcasing your ability to lead a team while also driving sales in a wide geographical region. Our guide can help you overcome this by providing expert tips on how to highlight leadership skills and territory management accomplishments with precise, impactful language.
- Format your area sales manager resume to ensure that it balances professionalism with creativity, and follows the best practices.
- Match the area sales manager job requirements by including industry keywords on your resume.
- Use various resume sections to showcase your skills and achievements to answer why you're the best candidate for the area sales manager role.
Take inspiration from leading area sales manager resume examples to learn how to tailor your experience.
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Is there a correct way to format your area sales manager resume?
This is a tricky question. While skimming over your resume, recruiters will be looking at your experience and the message your profile conveys. That's why your resume format needs to be clear and concise, serving to supplement and organize your experience. Professional best practices point that the best area sales manager resumes:
- Follow the reverse chronological order, where the most recent experience items are presented first . This is to keep your expertise succinct and to show recruiters your career growth over the years;
- Have a clearly defined header that includes all relevant contact information and a portfolio or a LinkedIn link. In some countries, it is acceptable to include a professional photo , so that your application is more memorable;
- Feature the most important area sales manager resume sections towards the top, e.g. summary, skills, and experience. That way, recruiters can immediately find information that is relevant to the role;
- Take up no more than two pages - and two pages are the exception for more experienced professionals. Keep your expertise to the point and use your area sales manager resume real estate wisely .
- Selecting modern, yet simple fonts, e.g. Rubik, Lato, etc., would help your application stand out;
- Many candidates stick with the tried-and-tested Arial or Times New Roman, but you'd want your area sales manager resume to be a bit more unique;
- The ATS can read all serif and sans-serif fonts, so you should avoid fancy, formal script (or cursive) fonts.
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List your educational qualifications and certifications in reverse chronological order.
The five (plus) definite sections your resume for a area sales manager job should include are:
- Header with your headline, contact details, and/or a preview of your work
- Summary (or objective) to pinpoint how your success aligns with the role
- Experience with bullets of your most relevant achievements in the field
- Skills to integrate vital job requirements (both technical and personal)
- Your further dedication to the field, showcased via relevant higher education and/or certifications
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Proven track record of meeting and exceeding sales targets
- Strong leadership skills and previous experience managing sales teams
- Experience developing and implementing effective sales strategies
- Deep understanding of the industry and market trends
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills with the ability to build relationships with key clients
Five dos for building your area sales manager resume experience section
The best strategic approach to your area sales manager resume experience section is to support your particular responsibilities with actions and achievements.
For example, you could list:
- Up to six responsibilities in your day-to-day work, supported by why they're important for your role, department, or organization;
- Experience items that have helped you sustain and enhance your technical knowledge within the field, or, perhaps, have helped you grow as a professional;
- Any metrics that pinpoint your success within your past roles;
- How you've solved specific problems in your day-to-day work;
- Strategies and solutions you've implemented for growth - and how that growth was measured.
The area sales manager resume experience is your best shot at making a good first impression on recruiters. That's why we've included some real-world professional examples to get you thinking about how you present your experience:
- Led a team of 20 sales representatives to exceed sales targets by 35% in the 2020 fiscal year through strategic planning and hands-on coaching.
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive training program that increased the sales team's product knowledge and efficiency by 50%.
- Established and nurtured relationships with key clients, expanding the market share in the Northeast region by 25% within two years.
- Increased annual revenue by 22% through effective territory management and leveraging data analytics to target high-opportunity areas.
- Collaborated with marketing to co-develop targeted campaigns that resulted in a 45% increase in lead generation and a 30% increase in conversion rate.
- Spearheaded the adoption of a new CRM system, enhancing sales process efficiency by 38%.
- Responsible for managing and growing a $30 million sales territory, consistently achieving top 5% performance in the national rankings.
- Initiated a cross-functional sales strategy with the customer service department, which improved customer retention rates by 27%.
- Negotiated and closed deals with three of the top-tier accounts in the industry, adding an estimated $5 million in annual sales.
- Identified and penetrated new market segments, increasing market share by 18% in a highly competitive Southern sales region.
- Coordinated with R&D and product development teams to relay customer feedback, leading to the launch of two new product lines.
- Led successful negotiations for a key contract with a major industry player, resulting in a 20% increase in annual sales volume.
- Outperformed sales objectives by establishing an outstanding sales strategy that capitalized on industry trends and market dynamics.
- Trained and developed a high-performing sales team that contributed to a 40% growth in sales in the Pacific Northwest region.
- Managed product launch initiatives that achieved a 95% adoption rate within the first six months post-release.
- Directed a comprehensive rebranding initiative that positioned the company for entry into a new market, resulting in a 20% increase in brand recognition.
- Oversaw a successful sales force expansion project, recruiting and hiring 30 new sales team members and assimilating them into the company culture.
- Implemented advanced sales analytics tools that provided deeper insights into customer behaviors and preferences, driving a 15% uplift in cross-sales.
- Orchestrated a strategic shift to a consultative sales approach, resulting in a 32% improvement in long-term customer partnerships.
- Executed a successful pilot program for a digital sales platform, which was later adopted across the company, improving operational efficiency by 25%.
- Pioneered a new incentive program focused on sustainable sales practices that increased customer satisfaction scores by 20%.
- Transitioned the sales team from traditional methods to a solution-based selling technique, lifting average deal size by 30%.
- Implemented a strategic key account management program that led to the retention of all top-tier clients during a major industry downturn.
- Collaborated with product teams to customize solutions for major clients, resulting in a 40% improvement in client satisfaction ratings.
- Navigated a highly regulated sales environment to exceed sales goals by 20%, securing $15 million in new business contracts.
- Initiated a digital transformation in the sales process, reducing the sales cycle time by 22% while maintaining high customer satisfaction levels.
- Developed and executed a sales enablement strategy that armed the sales force with cutting-edge tools and best practices.
- Revamped the regional sales strategy to focus on high-growth industries, outpacing the market growth rate by 15% annually.
- Implemented a distributor optimization plan that expanded the company's reach and increased distributor sales by an average of 33%.
- Launched a competitive analysis initiative that kept the company ahead of industry trends and contributed to a 10% year-over-year sales increase.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Include the percentage by which you exceeded your sales targets to showcase your ability to drive revenue.
- Detail the exact dollar amount of sales you've generated to demonstrate your direct contribution to the company's bottom line.
- Mention the number of new clients you secured to display your effectiveness in business expansion.
- Specify the size of the teams you've managed, indicating your leadership and team management skills.
- List any cost-saving initiatives you implemented with quantifiable savings to show your financial acumen.
- Identify the market share growth achieved during your tenure to highlight your competitive success.
- State the number of training sessions or workshops you've led to exemplify your commitment to team development.
- Quantify any improvements in customer satisfaction or retention rates to underline your focus on customer service.
Action verbs for your area sales manager resume
What if you don't have any experience?
There are two very common scenarios about candidates with less experience. They are either:
- Fresh out of college in search of a area sales manager role
- Transferring over from a completely different field
Both of these types of candidates still have a shot at landing their first job in the industry.
All they need to do about the experience section of their area sales manager resume is:
- Consider their strengths - would the outcomes of their previous roles or niche skill sets impress recruiters? Feature those towards the top of your resume
- Exclude any and all irrelevant experience items - remember that at the end of the day, you're telling a story that aims to align with the ideal candidate for the area sales manager job
- Win recruiters over with personality - perhaps your ambition, dreams, and diligence would make you the perfect fit for the area sales manager role. Dedicate resume space to detail your personality traits by showcasing how they've helped you succeed in past roles
- Tailor your experience to specific job requirements - ensure your area sales manager resume answers the advert in the best way possible.
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Bold the names of educational institutions and certifying bodies for emphasis.
The heart and soul of your area sales manager resume: hard skills and soft skills
If you read between the lines of the area sales manager role you're applying for, you'll discover that all requirements are linked with candidates' hard skills and soft skills.
What do those skills have to do with your application?
Hard or technical skills are the ones that hint at your aptitude with particular technologies. They are easy to quantify via your professional experience or various certifications.
Meanwhile, your soft skills are more difficult to assess as they are personality traits, you've gained thanks to working in different environments/teams/organizations.
Your area sales manager resume skills section is the perfect opportunity to shine a light on both types of skills by:
- Dedicating a technical skills section to list up to six technologies you're apt at.
- Focusing a strengths section on your achievements, thanks to using particular people skills or technologies.
- Including a healthy balance of hard and soft skills in the skills section to answer key job requirements.
- Creating a language skills section with your proficiency level - to hint at an abundance of soft skills you've obtained, thanks to your dedication to learning a particular language.
Within the next section of this guide, stay tuned for some of the most trending hard skills and soft skills across the industry.
Top skills for your area sales manager resume:
Sales planning and strategy development
Market research and analysis
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Data analysis and sales forecasting
Financial acumen and budgeting
Product knowledge and demonstration
Negotiation and contract management
Marketing and promotional campaigns
Sales reporting and performance metrics
Regulatory compliance and industry standards
Leadership and team management
Communication and interpersonal skills
Problem-solving and critical thinking
Time management and organization
Adaptability and flexibility
Motivation and goal orientation
Emotional intelligence
Decision-making
Resilience and stress management
Networking and relationship building
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List all your relevant higher education degrees within your resume in reverse chronological order (starting with the latest). There are cases when your PhD in a particular field could help you stand apart from other candidates.
Education section and most popular area sales manager certifications for your resume
Your resume education section is crucial. It can indicate a range of skills and experiences pertinent to the position.
- Mention only post-secondary qualifications, noting the institution and duration.
- If you're still studying, highlight your anticipated graduation date.
- Omit qualifications not pertinent to the role or sector.
- If it provides a chance to emphasize your accomplishments, describe your educational background, especially in a research-intensive setting.
Recruiters value area sales manager candidates who have invested their personal time into their professional growth. That's why you should include both your relevant education and certification . Not only will this help you stand out amongst candidates, but showcase your dedication to the field. On your area sales manager resume, ensure you've:
- Curated degrees and certificates that are relevant to the role
- Shown the institution you've obtained them from - for credibility
- Include the start and end dates (or if your education/certification is pending) to potentially fill in your experience gaps
- If applicable, include a couple of job advert keywords (skills or technologies) as part of the certification or degree description
If you decide to list miscellaneous certificates (that are irrelevant to the role), do so closer to the bottom of your resume. In that way, they'd come across as part of your personal interests, instead of experience. The team at Enhancv has created for you a list of the most popular area sales manager certificates - to help you update your resume quicker:
The top 5 certifications for your area sales manager resume:
- Certified Sales Professional (CSP) - Manufacturers’ Representatives Educational Research Foundation (MRERF)
- Certified Professional Salesperson (SCPS) - Sales and Marketing Executives International (SMEI)
- Strategic Sales Management Certification (SSMC) - The Association for Strategic Planning (ASP)
- Senior Certified Professional (SCP) - Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Certified Sales Leadership Professional (CSLP) - The Sales Management Association (SMA)
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The more time and effort you've put into obtaining the relevant certificate, the closer to the top it should be listed. This is especially important for more senior roles and if the company you're applying for is more forward-facing.
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Best practices to your area sales manager resume summary or objective
To start, how do you know if you should include a resume summary or a resume objective ?
- Resume summaries are ideal for area sales manager professionals with more experience, who'd like to give a quick glimpse of their biggest career achievements in the top one-third of their resumes.
- On the other hand, resume objectives serve as a road map for recruiters. Candidates use the objective to show how their experience aligns with the area sales manager role they're applying for while showcasing the North Star of their career (or where they want to be as a professional in the next couple of years).
The resume summary or resume objective could be the perfect fit for your area sales manager resume. The function of both is to highlight your professionalism succinctly. So, keep your writing specific: include no more than four sentences and target your application to the role. Here's how these specific resume sections help the area sales manager candidates stand out.
Resume summaries for a area sales manager job
- With over a decade of dynamic experience in pharmaceutical sales management, I have a proven track record of exceeding sales targets and leading teams in high-pressure environments. My expertise in building customer relationships, coupled with advanced knowledge of market analysis and CRM software, propelled my region to 150% of its annual sales goal last year.
- Having honed my skillset over 8 years in medical device sales, I have consistently achieved top-tier performance by embracing strategic planning and actionable insights. My leadership resulted in growing market share by 20% through effective team mentoring and partnership development with key healthcare professionals.
- Transitioning from a successful 10-year career in the competitive tech startup industry, I bring a wealth of skills in strategic business development and product evangelism. My eagerness to pivot into sales management is matched by a history of surpassing KPIs and a passion for fostering strong B2B relationships.
- As a former retail business owner of 5 years, I'm adept at customer service, inventory management, and implementing sales strategies. Now entering the sales management sector, I offer unique perspectives on driving sales growth and team motivation, grounded in direct, client-facing business operations and commerce analytics.
- Eager to leverage my fresh perspective and enthusiasm in forging a career in sales management, I am committed to learning the nuances of creating and nurturing a high-performing sales team. My objective is to apply my passion for sales excellence and my strong interpersonal skills to achieving outstanding results.
- My goal is to cultivate my innate knack for communication and negotiation by initiating a career in area sales management. With my ability to adapt quickly and learn new industries, I am excited to contribute fresh ideas, boundless energy, and a customer-centric approach to driving sales success.
Other relevant sections for your area sales manager resume
Apart from the standard area sales manager resume sections listed in this guide, you have the opportunity to get creative with building your profile. Select additional resume sections that you deem align with the role, department, or company culture. Good choices for your area sales manager resume include:
- Language skills - always ensure that you have qualified each language you speak according to relevant frameworks;
- Hobbies - you could share more about your favorite books, how you spend your time, etc. ;
- Volunteering - to highlight the causes you care about;
- Awards - for your most prominent area sales manager professional accolades and achievements.
Make sure that these sections don't take too much away from your experience, but instead build up your area sales manager professional profile.
Key takeaways
At the end of our guide, we'd like to remind you to:
- Invest in a simple, modern resume design that is ATS friendly and keeps your experience organized and legible;
- Avoid just listing your responsibilities in your experience section, but rather focus on quantifiable achievements;
- Always select resume sections that are relevant to the role and can answer job requirements. Sometimes your volunteering experience could bring more value than irrelevant work experience;
- Balance your technical background with your personality traits across various sections of your resume to hint at how much time employers would have to invest in training you and if your profile would be a good cultural fit to the organization;
- Include your academic background (in the form of your relevant higher education degrees and certifications) to show recruiters that you have the technical basics of the industry covered.
