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Trying to land an interview? Check out more winning resume examples for inspiration.
Volen Vulkov
8 minute read
Updated on 2021-03-26
When applying with your sales manager resume, there’s one catch. Employers never heard of you.
Somehow they need to become confident that you get the job done better than the rest of the applicants.
Sounds tough? Exactly. But with the strategic approach to resume writing, it’s absolutely possible.
The following guide will show you:
- How to prepare every section of your resume and win over recruiters 9 out of 10 tims
- How to create a sales manager resume that get through multiple HR checks
- The best way to frame your experience and skills for maximum traction with recruiters
- How to use a resume and get a job that you want, not the job that was left
Looking for Related Resumes?
- Sales Resume
- Sales Representative Resume
- Sales Director Resume
- VP of Sales Resume
- Pharmaceutical Sales Resume
- Inside Sales Resume
How to Choose the Best Sales Manager Resume Template
Sales professionals dress well because it affects how prospects perceive them. Practice applying the same principles to your resume too.
Make it ATS friendly, and picking up the right template helps here.
The right sales manager resume template wouldn't just look good, it'll beATS friendly too!
When you select a Sales Manager resume template, try to:
1. Match the template colors to the organization that you're applying to
2. Keep plenty of whitespace, use legible fonts
3. Ensure that it is reverse chronological
4. Send it in a PDF format
About the color - doing this might make the recruiter appreciate your thoughtfulness.
To make sure your resume’s formatting stays the same wherever it’s opened, send it in PDF.
How to Write a Resume for a Sales Manager
Now that you’ve chosen a template, it’s time to move on to the content of your resume.
Many how-to articles you’ll read online only show generic resume writing tips. While some of them may be applicable to your job, it will take a while to translate them to your role as sales manager.
What qualifications should you focus on?
How many jobs should you include in the work history?
What skills do employers look for in sales managers?
We’ll answer these questions and give you a step by step break down of what goes intoeach section of your resume
Top 5 Sections to Include in Your Sales Manager Resume
Regardless of how many years you’ve been at this role, or how many products you’ve sold, these are the main sections recruiters expect to see on your resume:
- Resume Summary or Objective
- Work History
- Skills
- Education
- Certifications
It doesn’t matter if you’re writing an auto sales manager resume, a catering sales manager resume, or an inside sales manager resume. The sections listed above should be present on your application.
Sales Manager Resume Objective/Summary: Two Sentences That Turn Recruiters Into Your Advocates
Summary
Motivated and Hardworking Sales Professional and a trusted advisor who successfully closes deals. Looking for my next opportunity.
WRONG
Summary
Advertising professional who sold $150K in SaaS products using an innovative launch campaign and strong leadership skills. Seeking a sales manager position where I can further apply my skills in motivating and training a team, while increasing the company’s bottom line.
RIGHT
Summary
Dedicated international sales manager with four years of experience in property sales. Proven record of handling million dollar accounts. Experienced in training and motivating a team to increase sales while retaining customers. Credentials include a degree in marketing with coursework in business and psychology.
WRONG
Summary
International sales manager with 4 years experience in managing property 12 sales professionals with 4,600 accounts managing a pipeline of $1.2Billion across EMEA region generating $800,000 each month.
RIGHT
Learn more about building a perfect Summary section in ourResume Summary: How-To Guide with 30+ Examples You Need To See Right Now
Sales Manager Resume Experience: Where The Real Sale Is Happening
Experience
Regional Sales ManagerInstacartCompany Description
Reported sales team results to executive management on a monthly basis
Researched new marketing strategies to increase short and long term revenue
WRONG
Experience
Regional Sales ManagerInstacartCompany Description
Built a sustainable buyer network worth $6.3 million from Massachusetts to South Carolina with my team’s combined needs-analysis, presentation, and closing skills
Trained and recruited 12-man sales team for the new mobile-banking product line
RIGHT
Experience
Hotel Sales ManagerWilliamsburg Hotel
Build top accounts through engaging relationships
Contact, travel and prospecting for new business
Deliver presentations to clients in North America and Canada
maintained friendly relations with clubs and restaurants
WRONG
Experience
Hotel Sales ManagerWilliamsburg Hotel
Built new Account based sales strategy that generated $40M in new business
Mentored 6 Sales Executives on Account Based Sales and build sales collaterals to support the process
Worked closely with CSO to replicate account based sales to 10 other locations
Aggressive acquisition plans lead to 70% market share across 7 major towns
RIGHT
Experience
Retail Sales ManagerWalmart
Responsible for Sales Team management
Achieved 100% of Sales targets
Drove maximum performance through leadership
Responsible for hiring talented associates
WRONG
Experience
Retail Sales ManagerWalmart
Implemented leadership driven modelling behavior for 12 Sales Associates that resulted in 25% improvement over customer servicing and 17% increased sales
YoY sales improvement for during 2016-2019 was 13%, netting a total of $15.7M
Conducted local events, job fairs, etc and attracted talented associates to the unit
Automated redundant sales operations to drive more work efficiency. Worked closely with Global Sales Manager on this project
RIGHT
Check out ourHow to Cover Work Experience On Your Resume guide for more tips on building a job-winning experience section.
Sales Manager Skills Section: Which Ones Will Put You Ahead
10 Sales Manager skills for your resume
- Leadership
- Sales planning
- Delegation
- Creating processes and campaigns
- Building relationships
- Training
- Recruiting
- Time management
- Coaching and mentoring
- Meeting sales goals
- Sales planning
For more detailed advice on winning recruiters over with your skills, readHow to Create A Resume Skills Section To Impress Recruiters (+10 Examples You Need to See)
International Sales Manager Resume Tips and Examples
- Emphasize regional and global experience. Any job responsibility of a regional manager comes with a “regional” or “international” prefix: regional distributor business, regional sales and marketing, international marketplace, and so on.Make sure you showcase and emphasize your results while working across several regions and territories as recruiters won’t do that for you!
- Technical sales experience might be a huge bonus. Many international products these days are digital in nature: SaaS services, cloud vendors, or digital consulting. Your experience selling complex technical products, combined with regional experience, might be a winning combination. Make sure to frame your technical experience from a sales angle, e.g. how you were able to use your expertise to sell a product or facilitate business outcome.
International Sales Manager resumes share many similarities with VP of Sales resumes, so make sure to check out our detailedVP of Sales resume guide for more actionable advice.
Automotive Sales Manager Resume Tips and Examples
- Showcase successful experience with new marketing strategies and channels. The car selling landscape is quickly changing. Doing 100 cold calls a day is not that as effective as it was and customers are not coming to your dealership doorstep as often as they used to. Demonstrate how you were able to use modern marketing techniques and channels to attract customers and you’ll get extra edge over more traditional auto sales resumes.
- Prioritise niched experience. If you have experience working with luxury cars or regional dealerships and applying for a similar position, the experience may serve as your unique identifier. You may even usecustom layout to build up an “Accomplishments” section and present successful results as your achievements, e.g. “Overpassed quota by 130% in luxury ... market.”
You can find up-to-date detailed advice on landing a job in the automotive industry in ourCar Salesman Resume guide.
Executive Sales Manager Resume Tips and Examples
- Showcase leadership within a complex sales ecosystem. A great way to do that is put your soft skills in a context. For example, don’t simply write “Creative Problem Solving” on your resume. Describe the exact scenario where this skill was used to make an impact: Formed a matrixed team of engineers, customer success managers, and BI analysts to launch a new product that resulted in 350% target sales overpass”
- Prioritise your strategic wins over technical wins. Fulfilling a quota is good. But establishing dominance in new regions within the first six months is 100 times better. You have many wins over your long career, so carefully choose those you want recruiters to see first.
For more specific advice on building a successful executive sales resume check out our detailedSales Director resume guide.
Retail Sales Manager Resume Tips and Examples
- Experience of working in retail chains is your unique identifier. Make sure your resume showcases retail sales experience by studying target job requirements and using resume keywords when describing your work experience.
- Use the top third of your resume to mention retail management results. Utilize first sections of your resume such as Summary, Header, and Accomplishments to quickly differentiate yourself from candidates with more generic experience.
Check out ourRetail Sales Associate resume guide for more specific resume advice in your niche.
Key Takeaways: Sales Manager Resume
Don’t let your previous accomplishments go to waste with a resume that doesn’t do you justice. Just think of this like another client presentation that you’re going to ace.
Just so you don’t forget though, here are the most important points to remember when writing your sales manager resume.
- Choose a professional looking template
- Write a compelling sales manager resume objective or sales manager resume summary that shows your achievements on the skills mentioned in the job ad
- Create an achievement focused work history that shows your leadership, planning, and sales skills expected with your employment level, whether you’re a sales manager, regional sales manager, or national sales manager
- List down skills and certifications that prove you have the technical know-how for the job
Looking to build your own Sales Manager resume?
Enhancv is a simple tool for building eye-catching resumes that stand out and get results.
Variety of custom sections
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Content suggestions
