Crafting a CV that seamlessly integrates the diverse facets of sales and marketing experience can be particularly daunting. Our guide offers tailored tips and strategies to ensure that your CV not only captures your unique skillset but also stands out to potential employers.
- Answer job requirements with your sales and marketing CV and experience;
- Curate your academic background and certificates, following industry-leading CV examples;
- Select from +10 niche skills to match the ideal candidate profile
- Write a more succinct experience section that consists of all the right details.
Do you need more specific insights into writing your sales and marketing CV? Our guides focus on unique insights for each individual role:
How to ensure your profile stands out with your sales and marketing CV format
It's sort of a Catch 22. You want your sales and marketing CV to stand out amongst a pile of candidate profiles, yet you don't want it to be too over the top that it's unreadable. Where is the perfect balance between your CV format simple, while using it to shift the focus to what matters most. That is - your expertise. When creating your sales and marketing CV:- list your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your latest roles;
- include a header with your professional contact information and - optionally - your photograph;
- organise vital and relevant CV sections - e.g. your experience, skills, summary/ objective, education - closer to the top;
- use no more than two pages to illustrate your professional expertise;
- format your information using plenty of white space and standard (2.54 cm) margins, with colours to accent key information.
Once you've completed your information, export your sales and marketing CV in PDF, as this format is more likely to stay intact when read by the Applicant Tracker System or the ATS. A few words of advice about the ATS - or the software used to assess your profile:
- Generic fonts, e.g. Arial and Times New Roman, are ATS-compliant, yet many candidates stick with these safe choices. Ensure your CV stands out by using a more modern, and simple, fonts like Lato, Exo 2, Volkhov;
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are ATS-friendly. Avoid the likes of fancy decorative or script typography, as this may render your information to be illegible;
- Both single- and double-column formatted CVs could be assessed by the ATS;
- Integrating simple infographics, icons, and charts across your CV won't hurt your chances during the ATS assessment.
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Be mindful of white space; too much can make the CV look sparse, too little can make it look cluttered. Strive for a balance that makes the document easy on the eyes.
The top sections on a sales and marketing CV
- Contact Information to allow easy communication
- Personal Statement to summarise your goals and skills
- Work Experience to showcase relevant job history
- Key Achievements to highlight your successes
- Education and Qualifications to display your academic background
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Emphasise quantifiable achievements in previous roles, such as percentages by which you increased sales or market share, to demonstrate a proven track record of success.
- Highlight specific sales techniques or marketing strategies you have mastered that are relevant to the position you're targeting, showcasing your technical skills and expertise.
- Include any industry-specific knowledge or experience you have, such as working within the pharmaceutical or tech sectors, to show that you're not only a sales/marketing professional but also an expert in the field.
- Detail your experience with CRM software or digital marketing tools to underline your ability to utilise modern technologies to drive sales and engagements efficiently.
- Mention successful collaborations with teams or projects that spotlight your ability to work cross-functionally, an important skill in sales and marketing to drive holistic business growth.
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Making a good first impression with your sales and marketing CV header
Your typical CV header consists of Your typical CV header consists of contact details and a headline. Make sure to list your professional phone number, email address, and a link to your professional portfolio (or, alternatively, your LinkedIn profile). When writing your CV headline , ensure it's:
- tailored to the job you're applying for;
- highlights your unique value as a professional;
- concise, yet matches relevant job ad keywords.
You can, for examples, list your current job title or a particular skill as part of your headline. Now, if you decide on including your photo in your CV header, ensure it's a professional one, rather than one from your graduation or night out. You may happen to have plenty more questions on how to make best the use of your CV headline. We'll help you with some real-world examples, below.
Examples of good CV headlines for sales and marketing:
- Senior Account Manager | B2B Sales | Strategic Negotiator | CRM Expert | 10+ Years’ Experience
- Digital Marketing Specialist | SEO & PPC Campaigns | Content Strategy | Google Certified | 5 Years’ Experience
- Business Development Executive | International Markets | Lead Generation | MBA | Fluent in French & English | 8 Years
- Brand Manager | Consumer Engagement | Product Launches | Market Analysis | CIM Professional Diploma | 7 Years
- Sales Director | Revenue Growth | Team Leadership | Enterprise Sales | SaaS Expertise | 15+ Years
- Marketing Coordinator | Event Management | Social Media Savvy | Analytical Skills | BSc Marketing | 3 Years
What's the difference between a sales and marketing CV summary and objective
Why should it matter to you?
- Your sales and marketing CV summary is a showcasing your career ambitions and your unique value. Use the objective to answer why your potential employers should hire you based on goals and ambitions. The objective is the ideal choice for candidates who happen to have less professional experience, but still meet some of the job requirements.
Before you select which one will be more relevant to your experience, have a look at some industry-leading CV summaries and objectives.
CV summaries for a sales and marketing job:
- Dynamic Sales Executive with over 8 years of experience in the competitive technology sector, adept in B2B sales strategies and CRM systems. Successfully expanded client base by 150% within two years at TechGenius, demonstrating exceptional ability to meet and exceed sales targets.
- Accomplished Marketing Manager, with a 10-year track record in the pharmaceutical industry, specialising in product launches and market analysis. Key achievement includes spearheading a cross-functional team to drive a 70% increase in product uptake for LifePharm's flagship medicine post-launch.
- Former Financial Analyst with over 5 years of experience in the fintech sector, now seeking to leverage strong background in data analysis and strategic planning in a challenging sales and marketing environment. Strong command of market research tools and a reputation for insightful sales forecasting.
- Experienced Education Professional transitioning into sales and marketing, bringing an extensive 7-year background in public speaking and workshop delivery. Eager to apply transferable skills such as persuasive communication and audience engagement to drive brand awareness and sales performance.
- Keen to develop a career in sales and marketing, I bring fresh enthusiasm and a dedication to learning cutting-edge digital marketing strategies. With a recent degree in Business Administration, my goal is to contribute to the expansion of a dynamic sales team's reach and impact.
- As a recent graduate armed with a background in Communications and a passion for storytelling, I am eager to apply my skills toward creating compelling marketing campaigns that resonate with audiences and drive engagement, aspiring to help brands achieve their strategic sales objectives.
The best formula for your sales and marketing CV experience section
The CV experience section is the space where many candidates go wrong by merely listing their work history and duties. Don't do that. Instead, use the job description to better understand what matters most for the role and integrate these keywords across your CV. Thus, you should focus on:
- showcasing your accomplishments to hint that you're results-oriented;
- highlighting your skill set by integrating job keywords, technologies, and transferrable skills in your experience bullets;
- listing your roles in reverse chronological order, starting with the latest and most senior, to hint at how you have grown your career;
- featuring metrics, in the form of percentage, numbers, etc. to make your success more tangible.
When writing each experience bullet, start with a strong, actionable verb, then follow it up with a skill, accomplishment, or metric. Use these professional examples to perfect your CV experience section:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Implemented a new social media strategy that increased following by 150% over six months, boosting brand visibility and customer engagement.
- Achieved an average of 125% of the sales target for three consecutive quarters through effective client relationship management and product upselling techniques.
- Led a team of eight sales associates, providing training and mentorship that resulted in a 30% increase in team sales productivity.
- Managed a marketing budget of £200,000, allocating funds strategically to various campaigns and achieving a 20% cost saving through vendor negotiations.
- Designed and executed a content marketing strategy, producing SEO-optimised articles and videos that led to a 40% uplift in organic website traffic.
- Launched a successful product line that became the market leader within a year, requiring in-depth market analysis and collaboration with the product development team.
- Coordinated trade shows and industry events to maximise brand exposure and networked effectively to generate 50+ qualified leads per event.
- Utilised CRM software to track sales opportunities and customer interactions, increasing the lead conversion rate by 15% through more personalised follow-ups.
- Devised monthly email marketing campaigns with an average open rate of 25%, significantly above the industry average, leading to higher customer retention.
- Led a cross-functional team to develop and implement a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, increasing online sales by 45% within the first year.
- Managed a marketing budget of £500,000, prioritising spending on high-ROI activities which boosted lead generation by 30%.
- Pioneered the use of data analytics for sales forecasting, which improved inventory management and reduced stock-outs by 25%.
- Oversaw a successful rebranding campaign for the Northeast region, resulting in a 20% increase in brand recognition and a 15% growth in market share.
- Expanded the sales team from 20 to 50 representatives, providing training that resulted in a 35% boost in individual sales performance.
- Cultivated partnerships with 10 new distributors, expanding regional product availability by 200% and increasing annual turnover by £2 million.
- Spearheaded the adoption of an integrated CRM platform, which improved customer targeting and increased conversion rates by 18%.
- Directed a team of 10 in executing multi-channel online campaigns, achieving a cost-per-acquisition reduction of 22% within two years.
- Collaborated closely with product development to provide market feedback, influencing the release of two high-demand products.
- Crafted and executed a bespoke B2B marketing strategy for SaaS products, increasing lead quality by 30% and growing sales pipeline by £1.5 million.
- Secured an average deal size increase of 40% following the streamlining of proposal and presentation materials for enterprise clients.
- Implemented a new sales training programme that decreased time-to-productivity for new hires by 50%.
- Conducted market segmentation analysis identifying core customer demographics, contributing to a targeted approach that lifted sales by 20%.
- Developed and monitored key performance indicators for sales campaigns, spotting trends that helped adjust tactics in real-time to improve returns.
- Supported the product development team by providing analytical insights from sales data, informing enhancements to three flagship products.
- Cultivated relationships with 25+ international clients, resulting in a sustained revenue increase from global markets of 40% over three years.
- Identified and capitalised on emerging market trends, enabling the company to be first to market in two different product categories.
- Led a customer retention initiative that improved customer loyalty, resulting in a 60% repeat business rate, an increase from the previous 40%.
- Initiated and led a comprehensive training programme for sales teams across five countries, harmonising techniques and multiplying sales figures by 2.5 times.
- Orchestrated an influencer marketing campaign that garnered over 100 million impressions and enhanced engagement rates by 300%.
- Revamped the sales pitch process, integrating compelling storytelling elements that improved the client conversion rate by 15%.
- Achieved top new sales representative status by meeting 150% of the quarterly targets consistently across the first year of employment.
- Crafted and executed a series of efficient door-to-door marketing strategies that increased customer engagement in the residential sector by 50%.
- Leveraged social media platforms to amplify local marketing efforts, resulting in an average follower growth rate of 200% year-over-year.
What to add in your sales and marketing CV experience section with no professional experience
If you don't have the standard nine-to-five professional experience, yet are still keen on applying for the job, here's what you can do:
- List any internships, part-time roles, volunteer experience, or basically any work you've done that meets the job requirements and is in the same industry;
- Showcase any project you've done in your free time (even if you completed them with family and friends) that will hint at your experience and skill set;
- Replace the standard, CV experience section with a strengths or achievements one. This will help you spotlight your transferrable skills that apply to the role.
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Describe how each job helped you grow or learn something new, showing a continuous development path in your career.
Key sales and marketing CV skills: what are hard skills and soft skills
Let's kick off with the basics. You know that you have to include key job requirements or skills across your CV. For starters, take individual skills from the job description and copy-paste them into your CV, when relevant. Doing so, you'll ensure you have the correct skill spelling and also pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. There are two types of skills you'll need to include on your CV:
- Hard skills - technical abilities that are best defined by your certificates, education, and experience. You could also use the dedicated skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies you're apt at using that match the job requirements.
- Soft skills - your personal traits and interpersonal communication skills that are a bit harder to quantify. Use various CV sections, e.g. summary, strengths, experience, to shine a spotlight on your workspace achievements, thanks to using particular soft skills.
Remember that your job-winning CV should balance both your hard and soft skills to prove your technical background, while spotlighting your personality.
Top skills for your sales and marketing CV:
CRM Software Proficiency
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Social Media Advertising
Content Creation and Management
Email Marketing
Sales Planning and Strategy
Product Knowledge
Market Research
Communication Skills
Negotiation Skills
Problem-Solving Abilities
Time Management
Creativity
Adaptability
Collaboration and Teamwork
Persuasion Skills
Attention to Detail
Customer-Oriented Approach
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Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
Listing your university education and certificates on your sales and marketing CV
The best proof of your technical capabilities would be your education and certifications sections. Your education should list all of your relevant university degrees, followed up by their start and completion dates. Make sure to also include the name of the university/-ies you graduated from. If you happen to have less professional experience (or you deem it would be impressive and relevant to your application), spotlight in the education section:
- that you were awarded a "First" degree;
- industry-specific coursework and projects;
- extracurricular clubs, societies, and activities.
When selecting your certificates, first ask yourself how applicable they'd be to the role. Ater your initial assessment, write the certificate and institution name. Don't miss out on including the completion date. In the below panel, we've curated relevant examples of industry-leading certificates.
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If there's a noticeable gap in your skillset for the role you're applying for, mention any steps you're taking to acquire these skills, such as online courses or self-study.
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Key takeaways
Write your professional sales and marketing CV by studying and understanding what the role expectations are. You should next:
- Focus on tailoring your content to answer specific requirements by integrating advert keywords through various CV sections;
- Balance your technical know-how with your personal skills to showcase what the unique value would be of working with you;
- Ensure your CV grammar and spelling (especially of your key information and contact details) is correct;
- Write a CV summary, if your experience is relevant, and an objective, if your career ambitions are more impressive;
- Use active language by including strong, action verbs across your experience, summary/objective, achievements sections.
