As a general sales manager, one significant resume challenge you may encounter is effectively showcasing your leadership skills alongside your sales achievements. Our guide provides targeted strategies to help you strike the perfect balance, ensuring your resume highlights your dual expertise in driving sales and leading high-performing teams.
- Utilize real-life examples to refine your general sales manager resume;
- Effectively write the experience section of your general sales manager resume, even if you have minimal or no professional experience;
- Incorporate the industry's top 10 essential skills throughout your resume;
- Include your education and certifications to highlight your specific expertise.
If the general sales manager resume isn't the right one for you, take a look at other related guides we have:
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- Software Sales Resume Example
- Visual Merchandising Manager Resume Example
- Sales Team Leader Resume Example
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- Senior Sales Manager Resume Example
Is there a correct way to format your general 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 general 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 general 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 general 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 general 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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If you happen to have some basic certificates, don't invest too much of your general sales manager resume real estate in them. Instead, list them within the skills section or as part of your relevant experience. This way you'd ensure you meet all job requirements while dedicating your certificates to only the most in-demand certification across the industry.
Essential sections that should make up your general sales manager resume include:
- The header - with your contact details (e.g. email and telephone number), link to your portfolio, and headline
- The summary (or objective) - to spotlight the peaks of your professional career, so far
- The experience section - with up to six bullets per role to detail specific outcomes
- The skills list - to provide a healthy mix between your personal and professional talents
- The education and certification - showing your most relevant degrees and certificates to the general sales manager role
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Proven track record of achieving sales targets and driving revenue growth.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage, motivate, and mentor a sales team successfully.
- Strategic thinking and the ability to develop innovative sales strategies and plans.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for building relationships with clients, stakeholders, and team members.
- Experience with data analysis and the use of CRM tools to inform decisions and track sales performance.
The experience section or the essence of your professional general sales manager resume
Recruiters always have and always will appreciate well-written general sales manager resume experience sections.
The experience section is perhaps the most crucial element of your professional presentation, as it needs to answer job requirements while showcasing your technical expertise and personality.
Create your best resume experience section yet by:
- Selecting only relevant experience items to the role you're applying for;
- Always ensure you've listed a metric to quantify your success alongside each experience item;
- Create a narrative that showcases your general sales manager career succession: this goes to show the time and effort you've invested in the field to build your experience from the ground up;
- Within each experience bullet, consider a problem you've solved, the skills you've used, and the bigger impact this has made in the organization.
Take a look at how other real-life professionals have curated their experience with the general sales manager samples below:
- Led a dynamic sales team of 30+ members, increasing overall sales revenues by 40% over a 4-year period through strategic planning and introduction of new sales initiatives.
- Implemented a CRM system that improved customer relationship management and increased repeat business by 25% within the first year of installation.
- Negotiated large-scale contracts with key accounts, which expanded the business portfolio and secured an average of 15% growth in annual revenue
- Oversaw regional sales activities ensuring a 35% market penetration increase by tailoring approaches for diverse market segments across the Midwest.
- Developed and led training programs for new sales representatives, resulting in a 50% faster ramp-up period for new team members.
- Spearheaded a successful shift to digital sales channels, boosting online sales figures by 30% within two years.
- Drove an aggressive expansion strategy that resulted in the establishment of 10 new territory sales offices, contributing to a revenue increase of $5M annually.
- Cultivated a high-performance sales culture by leveraging data-driven strategies, which enhanced the team's productivity by 20%.
- Initiated and managed cross-functional teams to launch a new product line that captured a 15% market share within the first year of release.
- Orchestrated a sales restructure that improved operational efficiency by 35%, aligning the sales process with organizational goals.
- Directed a customer-centric sales approach which increased customer loyalty scores by 40%, as measured through NPS.
- Collaborated with Marketing to develop a lead-generation campaign that yielded a 20% increase in qualified leads.
- Increased average deal size by 22% through the implementation of strategic up-selling and cross-selling techniques.
- Facilitated a partnership with a major technology firm that boosted annual sales growth by 18%, effectively outpacing industry competitors.
- Initiated a comprehensive sales analytics program that enhanced forecasting accuracy and optimized inventory levels by 30%.
- Launched an innovative AI-driven sales tool that improved lead conversion rates by 24%, significantly reducing the sales cycle duration.
- Masterminded a strategic pivot to remote selling amidst global changes, maintaining a 100% team retention rate and securing a consistent 10% QoQ growth.
- Pioneered a sustainability-focused sales strategy, which attracted new eco-conscious clients, contributing to a 14% revenue surge in the first year.
- Transformed underperforming territories into top revenue-generating areas with a 50% increase in sales by revamping team structure and incentivizing high achievements.
- Conducted in-depth market analysis to identify untapped opportunities, leading to the capture of a lucrative niche market contributing to 20% of the region's sales.
- Devised and implemented a sales mentorship program boosting staff expertise, which decreased employee turnover by 15%.
- Played a pivotal role in company expansion by identifying and successfully entering 3 new international markets, which increased global market share by 12%.
- Leveraged big data to refine sales tactics, which optimized the sales funnel and resulted in a 28% lift in conversion rates.
- Established a robust sales training program that empowered team members to exceed sales targets by 15% consistently quarter over quarter.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- List the revenue growth achieved under your leadership by specifying percentage increase year-over-year.
- Quantify the number of new clients acquired during your tenure and the resultant increase in market share.
- Include the size of the sales teams you've managed and the impact of your leadership on team performance.
- Specify the sales targets met or exceeded and how consistently you've achieved these goals.
- Highlight the efficiency improvements you've implemented in the sales process, in terms of time or cost savings.
- Detail the dollar value of contracts secured for the business through your negotiation efforts.
- State the percentage by which you increased customer retention or satisfaction during your management.
- Document any awards or recognitions you've received for sales excellence or leadership achievements.
Action verbs for your general sales manager resume
General sales manager resume without experience: a walk-through guide
If you don't happen to have any relevant experience yet, you can substitute this with:
- Short-term gigs and stunts - like month-long internships, that you have done during your university days
- Contract work - be specific about the relevance and outcomes of each role you include
- Resume format that prioritizes your skills - the functional-skill-based format or hybrid format could work
- Research roles - feature those especially prominently if you've participated in a noteworthy project or your role was of utmost importance to the project's success.
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List your educational qualifications and certifications in reverse chronological order.
General sales manager skills and achievements section: must-have hard and soft skills
A key principle for your general sales manager resume is to prominently feature your hard skills, or the technologies you excel in, within the skills section. Aim to list several hard skills that are in line with the job's requirements.
When it comes to soft skills, like interpersonal communication abilities and talents, they're trickier to quantify.
Claiming to be a good communicator is one thing, but how can you substantiate this claim?
Consider creating a dedicated "Strengths" or "Achievements" section. Here, you can describe how specific soft skills (such as leadership, negotiation, problem-solving) have led to concrete achievements.
Your general sales manager resume should reflect a balanced combination of both hard and soft skills, just as job requirements often do.
Top skills for your general sales manager resume:
CRM Software (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot)
Data Analysis Tools (e.g., Excel, Tableau)
Sales Forecasting Software
Market Research Tools
Lead Management Software
Digital Marketing Tools (e.g., Google Analytics, SEMrush)
Point of Sale Systems
Sales Pipeline Management Tools
Customer Service Software
E-commerce Platforms
Leadership
Communication
Negotiation
Problem Solving
Strategic Thinking
Time Management
Team Building
Adaptability
Conflict Resolution
Motivation
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Listing your relevant degrees or certificates on your general sales manager resume is a win-win situation. Not only does it hint at your technical capabilities in the industry, but an array of soft skills, like perseverance, adaptability, and motivation.
Including your education and certification on your general sales manager resume
The significance of your resume education section is paramount. It can show your diverse talents and experiences that are relevnt to the position.
- Incorporate educational qualifications, mentioning the institution and period.
- If you're on your academic journey, pinpoint your expected completion date.
- Opt for leaving out degrees that don't serve the job's purpose.
- Provide an overview of your educational experiences if it spotlights your milestones.
When recruiting for general sales manager roles, candidates with relevant education and certification definitely stand out amongst competitors.
Showcase your academic background in the best way possible by:
- Listing all degrees and certifications that are part of the candidate qualifications in the general sales manager advert
- Including any extra certificates, if they make sense to your application
- Not going over the top in details - the certificate name, institution, and dates are enough
- If you're in the process of obtaining a degree or certificate that's relevant to the job, include your expected graduation/certification dates
The education and certification sections help back up your application with years of experience in the industry or niche.
Select some of the most cutting-edge or applicable credentials for your next general sales manager application from our list:
The top 5 certifications for your general sales manager resume:
- Certified Sales Executive (CSE) - Sales and Marketing Executives International (SMEI)
- Certified Professional Sales Leader (CPSL) - National Association of Sales Professionals (NASP)
- Certified Sales Leadership Professional (CSLP) - The Sales Management Association
- Strategic Sales Management Certification (SSMC) - The American Management Association (AMA)
- Certified Sales Coach (CSC) - Sales Coaching Institute
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If you happen to have some basic certificates, don't invest too much of your general sales manager resume real estate in them. Instead, list them within the skills section or as part of your relevant experience. This way you'd ensure you meet all job requirements while dedicating your certificates to only the most in-demand certification across the industry.
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Your general sales manager resume top one third: choosing between a resume summary or an objective
The top third of your resume is crucial, as recruiters might focus only on this section rather than reading the entire document. Therefore, it's important to carefully decide whether to include a resume summary or an objective.
- The resume summary encapsulates your most significant experiences, key achievements, and skills in the field. Ideal for candidates with substantial relevant experience, the summary previews what recruiters will find in the rest of your resume.
- The resume objective outlines your professional aspirations. It describes your career goals for the coming years and how you envision your role evolving in the prospective company. The resume objective is suitable if you have less professional experience and wish to emphasize various soft skills such as motivation, vision, and planning.
Explore some of the best examples of resume summaries and objectives from real-life professional resumes in the industry.
Resume summaries for a general sales manager job
- With over 15 years of experience in accelerating sales growth within the pharmaceutical sector, I have developed a comprehensive understanding of market dynamics and customer engagement strategies. My track record includes a 40% increase in regional sales over three years, achieved by implementing data-driven sales plans and leading high-performing teams.
- As a seasoned professional with a decade of success in technology sales management, I bring a wealth of knowledge in SaaS and cloud services. I pride myself on my ability to drive revenue growth, with my most notable accomplishment being the expansion of a startup's market share by 30% in two years.
- Transitioning from a distinguished 12-year career in military logistics to sales management, I am eager to apply my strategic planning and team leadership skills to drive successful sales operations. My expertise in process optimization and steadfast commitment to achieving operational goals will be an asset in a high-stakes sales environment.
- Shifting from a dynamic career in event management, my organizational and relational abilities are poised to excel in the competitive landscape of sales. My success in increasing event revenue by 150% over five years through innovative promotion and meticulous planning demonstrates my capacity for impactful sales strategies.
- As an ambitious professional with a passion for sales, I seek an opportunity to contribute fresh perspectives and boundless energy to achieve aggressive sales targets while learning from industry veterans. My objective is to grow within a dynamic sales team, leveraging my strong interpersonal skills and dedication to surpassing sales objectives.
- Eager to embark on a sales management journey, I am committed to leveraging my extensive background in customer service and bachelor's degree in marketing. Although new to sales, my objective is to hone strategic selling techniques and support the company in surpassing sales goals through innovative methods and unwavering enthusiasm.
Miscellaneous general sales manager resume sections for a more personalized approach
Your general sales manager resume can reflect even more upon your personality and best qualities - that is if you decide on including a couple of additional resume sections to support your application.
Some of the best-accepted industry-wide choices include the:
- Resume projects - getting into the outcomes of your most important work, so far;
- Languages on your resume - detailing your proficiency level;
- Special recognitions - dedicated to your most prominent industry awards;
- Hobbies and interests - defining how you spend your free time.
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.
