
Best Resume Format for 2023 (+ How to Format a Resume)
Want to choose the best resume format? First, you must understand the differences between the three main types. See examples of various resume formats and make an informed choice.
Selling is all about getting to know your clients and their needs. Convince the hiring manager you’ve got the sales skills and create the best sales resume.
Why don’t most sales resumes close the sale?
It’s simple.
They say a lot of what they’ve done.
But they don’t prove sales skills.
But—
You can do it if you brainstorm the right sales achievements first.
In this guide you'll see:
Create a job-winning resume with little effort. Hack your way through ATS software with our 18 beautiful templates—give our builder a try!
Need something slightly different? See our other guides:
Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Examples For Any Job.
Maura Lazard
Sales Representative
Personal Info
Phone: 915-401-1456
E-mail: maurazlazard@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/maurazlazard
twitter.com/maurazlazard
Summary:
High-performing sales rep with 5+ years of experience. Seeking to raise Merck's sales revenue with solid relationship-building and customer education skills. At Rozer, fostered relationships with 120+ physicians, beating all sales targets by 15% and closing 22% more sales in each period.
Experience
Outside Sales Representative
Rozer Pharmaceuticals
2016–2019
Inside Sales Representative
Strykestream Trailers
2014–2016
Sales Representative Experience
Various
2015–2015
Education
BS in Chemistry, Texas State University
2009–2013
Sales Certification
Additional Activities
Publications
2019 Hubspot, "Building Deep Customer Relationships"
2018 Fast Company, "How I Closed 10% More Sales with 10% Less Effort"
Conferences
2018 Clinical Trials Conference, led session on Alzheimer's drug testing
2017 Regulatory Affairs Conference
Hard Skills: elationship building, closing sales, customer needs analysis, product knowledge
Soft Skills: Interpersonal skills, listening, communication, time management, collaboration, goal-oriented
Now here’s how to write a sales resume they’ll love:
Salespeople sell goods and services for companies. They must develop strong relationships with customers, see to client needs, and possess in-depth product knowledge. That’s why a sales resume has to show evidence you’ve used those skills in the everyday business world.
But a poorly-formatted resume for sales is no sale at all.
So—
Stay presentable with these tips:
Expert Hint: Make sure your resume looks clean and is easy to read. Go with a simple resume template or a Google Docs resume template for better results.
I’ve got some bad news.
The hiring manager’s desk overflows with applications.
Many are quite good.
How can you make sure she reads yours carefully?
With a well-written sales resume objective or resume summary.
Include:
These sales resume examples show you how to do it like a pro:
North, meet South.
The first of those resume examples is a modern-day Billy Mays. It shows you know the art of selling.
The second sounds like empty bragging. (Hint: it’s the numbers—or their lack!)
Writing an entry-level resume for sales jobs?
It’s not hard.
Just use sales-accomplishments from non sales jobs, like this:
Okay, you’re no Don Draper. But that first entry-level sales example does the job.
Expert Hint: Use the company name in your sales skills resume summary or objective. That gives a hint that you’re not just applying to every job you see with blinders on.
The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.
Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.
A career in sales is massive.
How do you fit that big career onto a single sheet of paper?
Well—
You don’t. You just put the parts they really care about.
How to write a sales job description for a resume:
These sales resume examples show you how:
Job ad wants these sales skills: (1) relationship building (2) closing (3) product knowledge.
Outside Sales Representative
Rozer Pharmaceuticals
2016–2019
No contest.
The first of those sales resume examples can’t be oversold. It shows specific skills the hiring team is searching for, with detailed numbers.
Writing an entry-level sales skills resume? See this:
Job ad wants these sales skills: (1) relationship building (2) collaboration (3) closing sales (4) product knowledge.
Sales Representative Experience
Various
2019–2014
Bookkeeper
2013–2014
Telemarketer
2009–2013
Be careful.
The second sales resume example shows you didn’t have a resume gap. But it also doesn’t show you built sales skills during those non-sales jobs.
Make sure to put the right skills for a resume using the right resume keywords mix.
Soft Skills:
Hard Skills
Expert Tip: Always pick your skills directly from the job ad. The sales skills above are a nice start, but if the posting doesn’t mention them, consider skipping them.
A resume for sales jobs doesn’t need a PhD.
But don’t blow it.
If you don’t use your schooling to prove key skills, you’re throwing away leverage.
Use your resume’s education section to add more proof-of-skills.
Check these sales resume examples:
Education
BS in Chemistry, Texas State University
2009–2013
See that?
You were building sales and leadership skills, way back in school.
Expert Hint: If you did special projects in school or had some publications, show it in your sales resume. If you graduated a long time ago, make your education section short.
You’re not done.
A sales resume has to show you’ve got “it.”
Do that with other sections in your resume:
These two sales resume examples show how:
Sales Certification
Additional Activities
Publications
2019 Hubspot, "Building Deep Customer Relationships"
2018 Fast Company, "How I Closed 10% More Sales with 10% Less Effort"
Conferences
2018 Clinical Trials Conference, led session on Alzheimer's drug testing
2017 Regulatory Affairs Conference
Additional
That’s obvious.
The first of those sales resume samples could get you in at Pfizer.
It works because it uses “other” sections to demonstrate more sales skills.
Expert Hint: Learn how to write a cover letter. Nearly half the sales hiring teams out there won’t read your resume without a sales cover letter attached. Make it passionate and show you’ll fit the job.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
For a sales resume that gets jobs:
Got questions on how to write a great resume for sales jobs? Not sure how to show sales on a resume? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!
Want to choose the best resume format? First, you must understand the differences between the three main types. See examples of various resume formats and make an informed choice.
Resume words that add horsepower to any resume. This resume action words list is so well organized you can find the best resume verbs for your resume in your sleep.
Having an ATS resume is a must-have nowadays. See our curated list of ATS-friendly resume templates and learn how to optimize your resume to application tracking systems.3-