INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Store, Retail, & Product Sales positions are at a -1% growth rate, which is little to no change. With that said, there are currently 4,092,900 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to decrease by -26,800 to 4,066,100 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Store, Retail, & Product Sales jobs was $27,320 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $10.18 per hour, and the highest 10% more than $27.70 per hour.
Our conclusion? The Store, Retail, & Product Sales job market is facing competition due to decreasing demand.
Top retail sales consultant sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Things to remember when writing your retail sales consultant experience section
Retail sales consultant experience section checklist:
- Keep it short: use no more than 4-6 bullet points per position;
- Go for short, easy-to-read sentences to keep recruiters engaged;
- Focus on relevant job experience that will enhance your application;
- Describe your experience using the C-A-R (challenge, action, result) methodology;
- Ditch buzzwords and go for power words instead.
To illustrate it more clearly, we’ve collected some of the best experience section examples from real Retail Sales Consultant resumes. Check them out below!
- Delivered value of Companies products by advising and recommending personalized solutions such as home television provider, Internet usage, and mobility service needs
- Negotiated in selling AT&T's products/services to professional businesses and sustained overall sales benchmarks by collaborating with fellow peers/management
- Engaged with company leaders to stand out, serve and succeed within the local community
- Sustained the AT&T brand with the utmost professionalism and courtesy
- Exceeded monthly sales targets by 20% on average, resulting in increased revenue
- Managed client needs and inquiries through a consultative approach, resulting in high customer satisfaction and retention rates
- Developed and maintained a client database, resulting in increased prospecting opportunities and sales
- Implemented a daily outbound call strategy, resulting in a 30% increase in gallery footfall and sales
- Conducted home consultations, resulting in additional sales opportunities and increased customer engagement
- Collaborated with gallery curators and artists to provide product knowledge and training to staff, resulting in improved sales performance
- Provided exceptional customer service by responding promptly to client inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring a positive customer experience throughout the sales process
- Consistently exceeded sales targets by 15% on average, resulting in increased revenue
- Provided exceptional customer service by greeting customers, assisting with product selection, and resolving issues promptly
- Built strong customer relationships and maintained a client database for future sales opportunities
- Participated in product training sessions and provided feedback to management on product performance
- Assisted in visual merchandising and ensuring the store was organized and well-stocked, resulting in improved customer experience
- Exceeded monthly sales targets by 20% through consultatively managing client needs and transferring passion for the product.
- Increased footfall by 25% through proactively making daily calls to promote the gallery and generate prospective business.
- Managed over 150 clients through daily client list calls and account management over the phone and email.
- Received Employee of the Month award twice in recognition of outstanding sales performance and client service.
- Developed and delivered product training sessions for new sales staff, resulting in a 30% increase in sales productivity.
- Achieved 120% of monthly sales target by upselling to clients and building strong relationships.
- Ranked in the top 5 sales associates out of 20 for three consecutive quarters.
- Assisted in visual merchandising and store display setup, resulting in a 15% increase in foot traffic.
- Trained new sales staff on product knowledge and sales techniques, resulting in a 25% increase in sales productivity.
- Developed and maintained a client database of over 200 clients through regular outreach and follow-up.
- Conducted market research on potential clients and competitors, resulting in the identification of new business opportunities.
- Generated over 100 leads through cold outreach and follow-up calls and emails.
- Assisted in creating sales presentations and proposals for potential clients.
- Developed and maintained a CRM database of over 500 contacts.
- Assisted in planning and executing marketing events and campaigns.
PRO TIP
In writing your Retail Sales Consultant resume, you will no doubt want to list your previous duties - as you should. But steer clear of just listing your duties, instead of your achievements. Make your resume stand out by communicating what you have done, and not merely what the job needed you to do.
Action verbs for your retail sales consultant resume
Recommended reads:
The Best Way to Write Your Retail Sales Consultant Resume’s Skills Section
Retail sales consultant resume: skills section checklist
- Scan the job advert for keywords worth including in your resume;
- List both hard and transferable skills;
- Leave room for discussion: include some of your skills in other sections of your resume;
- Focus on skills that prove your expertise and leave the irrelevant ones behind.
Top skills for your retail sales consultant resume
Salesforce
MS Office
CRM
Forecasting
Cold Calling
Business Development
Customer Service
Project Management
Relationship Building
Time Management
Storytelling
Research / Information Gathering.
Critical Thinking
Problem Solving.
Tech Savvy
Networking
PRO TIP
When describing your experience, don’t go too far from its terminology. Recruiters use ATS systems to filter resumes based on them having certain keywords, so make sure you use at least a few keywords mentioned in the job description.
Retail sales consultant resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your retail sales consultant resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Include a link to your portfolio in your Retail Sales Consultant resume header. Most companies will require that you include one in your resume, and even if they don’t, it’s an excellent opportunity to directly show them your proudest projects.
Writing a strong retail sales consultant resume summary
Retail sales consultant resume summary checklist:
- Mention your position and total years of experience in the field;
- Highlight 1-2 of your top achievements;
- Go for shorter sentences and keep them to the point – don’t include anything that doesn’t support your application;
- Add 2-4 keywords present in the job description.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
You’re not going to get hired simply because of a good summary or objective. However, your recruiter can bump you up in front of similarly experienced candidates who didn’t demonstrate such passion and drive.
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Adding education, courses, and certifications to your retail sales consultant resume
Education section tips and tricks:
- Add info about your highest degree level, incl. year of graduation, place of study, and degree subject;
- Mention some education-related awards you’ve received;
- Share a bit more about your certifications (if they are relevant);
- Entry-level applicants: Tailor your education section by including classes that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Top certifications for your retail sales consultant resume
Retail for Business Analysts and Management Consultants
A practical guide with cases studies how to analyze and improve a retail business during management consulting projects
Salesforce Sales Cloud Consultant Certification Course
Salesforce Sales Cloud Consultants are in demand. Take your Salesforce Career to the Next Level and Become a Consultant.
Master Sales Training for Consumer and Retail Business
Learn Consumer Business Segment & Products, Retail Sales, CRM, Consumer Sales Analytics, Trade offers, Market Support
Retail Sales Techniques that will Explode your store Sales!
Statistics prove continuous sales training increases sales by up to 50%. If you work in retail you MUST do this course.
Salesforce Certification - Sales Cloud Consultant
Learn and get Salesforce sales cloud certified. Covers entire exam guide for Salesforce Sales cloud certification exam.
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PRO TIP
If you hold a certain major and a minor, your majors should be mentioned first.
The best format for your retail sales consultant resume
Choosing the right format for your resume might seem difficult, regardless of whether you’re a newbie or a master. In short, there are three basic resume formats for you to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
The choice you make depends on your level of experience and the company you’re applying for.
The reverse-chronological resume format is great for you if you have at least 10 years of experience, no employment gaps, and are not looking for a career change. Here, you are expected to list all your previous jobs in a reverse-chronological format, starting from your most recent position and going back to the oldest one. It’s perfect for experienced individuals who are looking for a straightforward way to highlight their expertise.
The functional skills-based resume format, on the other hand, is great for recent graduates or professionals with large employment gaps. It focuses on skills and education, rather than experience. This makes it ideal for showing you’re the right fit without putting too much emphasis on your lack of (relevant) experience.
If you’re looking for something a bit more creative, go for the combination resume format. It’s a mix of the reverse-chronological and the functional skills-based formats, which makes it ideal for all types of applicants. What’s more, it’s considered modern and innovative, and isn’t this what you want your application to feel like anyway?
After choosing the right format for your Retail Sales Consultant resume, it’s time to perfect the layout and style.
- Go for traditional 1-inch resume margins;
- Choose a simple resume font, sized 10-12p;
- Make sure that the length of your resume matches your applicant profile: try to fit in a one-page template; two-page templateare suitable only for candidates with over 10 years of experience.
- Save your resume in PDF to avoid issues around formatting and unauthorized editing.
Looking for more ways to make your application stand out? Read this article!
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PRO TIP
If you feel that you don’t have high chances in a particular company, due to lack of relevant experience, then you can still consider using a creative layout. That might help you get noticed and invited for an interview, as most of the other applicants will have boring resume designs.
Other sections to include in your resume
Depending on the type of company, your position, and your general desire to experiment and showcase your creative side, you might want to add some additional sections to your resume. Some examples include:
Creating a memorable retail sales consultant resume
You want your resume to put you in front of other candidates even when the competition is high, right? Right!
One of the easiest ways to do this is by adding a drop or two of creativity. You can choose a colorful and out-of-the-box template, or maybe even put a ‘what my typical days look like’ section at the bottom of your resume
It’s totally up to you. Just make sure to match the level of creativity to the industry, the position, and the company.
What makes a great retail sales consultant resume: key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
