Sales manager resume examples that land interviews. Make your retail sales manager resume quickly. Learn from expert tips. See good vs. bad examples.
You could sell a space heater in the Sahara. But do you know how to make your sales manager resume sell you to the recruiter?
Learn how to beat the other 250+ hopefuls.
This guide will show you:
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Ian Martin Sellers
Sales Manager
Phone: +1-299-456-7888
Email: i.m.sellers@gmail.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/imsellers
Twitter: twitter.com/imsellers
Summary
Results-driven sales manager with 3+ years of experience. Eager to develop and inspire XYZ’s sales team to exceed customer expectations and sales goals. In previous roles boosted activity metrics by 200%, and renegotiated sales deals that earned extra 80K in a single quarter.
Experience
2016–2017
Sales Manager
Shawn's Hardware Shack
Key Achievement:
2015-2016
Area Sales Representative
PepsiCo.
Key Achievements:
Education
2015
University of California, Santa Barbara
BA, Psychology
Associations
Certifications
Interests
Key Skills
Languages
Trust is the cornerstone of any successful transaction. The question is: How to make your sales manager resume gain the recruiter’s trust in 7 seconds?
Start with selecting the best sales manager resume format:
Expert Hint: If you want your regional sales manager resume to keep its formatting, export it as a PDF file. Plus, the PDF resume format is readable to the ATS.
Tickle the recruiter pink from the very start by writing a sales manager resume objective or resume summary that delivers. Here’s a surefire formula that works each and every time.
1. An adjective
2. Job title
3. Years of experience
4. What you can offer and how it will help
5. Your biggest achievement
The bad example not only sounds generic but shows the candidate is more of a taker than a giver. The good example paints a picture of an experienced, qualified candidate who knows what sales management is about, and can prove it with facts and figures. This kind of intro sells.
You can’t become a sales manager without previous experience. Simple as that.
If you’re a career changer, you surely have some experience. Maybe not necessarily in the field, but it’s OK as long as it’s relevant. The only difference is that your sales manager resume for entry-level positions would start with a sales manager resume objective, not a summary.
The difference between a resume objective and summary is a matter of semantics. In short: the sales manager resume objective focuses on your achievements and explains why you’re a good fit. Unlike a resume summary which, well, summarizes your professional experience.
Just as previously, the most important difference here is that between a taker (bad example) and a giver (good example).
Remember, the best sales manager resume objective should convince the hiring manager you have a lot to offer. And then some more.
Expert Hint: Here’s a trick of the trade. Write your introduction at the very end. When your entire sales manager resume is ready, reread it, pick out the best parts, and put them in your objective statement for sales manager resume.
Did you know that the overlap between what you and your competitors offer can be as high as 70%?
It’s devastating—For your competition. Because you are about to learn how to make the most of your 30% value wedge, and craft a magnetic sales manager resume job description. Here’s the secret:
1. Analyze the job posting.
2. Pick out the sales manager resume skills the employer desires.
3. Describe your sales manager experience on the resume in the language of the job posting.
Let’s break it down now. Why would you write your sales manager resume “in the language of the job posting?” Here’s the thing:
On average, a job opening attracts 250+ candidates. Most of the time resumes for a sales manager are machine-read by the ATS (Applicant Tracking System). The ATS identifies sales manager resume keywords to screen for the qualified candidates.
If you’re fully qualified but happen not to have included the keywords in your sales manager resume, your application may be rejected before any recruiter sees it. Which begs the question: How to impress the hiring manager?
For one thing: use resume action words. A worn out “responsible for” phrase communicates nothing. Your sales manager resume should be full of such words as visited, executed, obtained, communicated, managed, led, etc. They are much more powerful and show what you’re really capable of.
Next, use numbers wherever you can. This is not to say there absolutely must be a number in all sales manager resume bullet points. No. But what you should do is identify up to 2-3 key achievements, and single them out in a separate sales manager resume key skills subsection:
Key Achievements:
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Last but not least. Put the right sales manager skills on your resume.
What are the best sales manager skills for a resume? To cut a long story short: the ones listed in the job posting. Revisit the job ad to see if the skills are listed by name. Once you have them, put them on your sales manager resume in the key skills section.
Use the lists below to get inspired.
Expert Hint: List the skills you’re really good at. Leave out the ones you only have a basic grasp of. This way your sales manager resume will be free from the so-called presenter’s paradox.
Education matters. But not that much. After all, it’s a sales manager resume. Not a newbie salesperson resume. It’s OK to limit your resume education section to the graduation date, college name, location, and degree.
But your additional managerial qualifications are more than welcome. Don’t fail to give them the attention they deserve. Add a resume certification section
The same is true about your membership in professional associations and attendance at industry-specific conferences.
Expert Hint: On a sales manager resume the education section doesn’t have to be very detailed. But don’t fail to show how you keep growing professionally. Make separate sections for certifications, professional associations, and conferences.
Believe in yourself. Offer more than one option. These aren’t catchy slogans. These are some of the most powerful sales strategies.
Don’t be shy. Let your sales manager resume show you can offer even more than the acumen of a seasoned pro. Show the recruiter you’re passionate, engaged, and well-rounded by including extra resume sections on your publications, interests, and knowledge of foreign languages.
Expert Hint Double your chances of getting the job by writing a resume cover letter. More than 50% of the recruiters expect to find it attached to your job application.
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.
To write the best sales manager resume:
Questions on how to write the best sales manager resume? Want to share advice on how to prepare a resume for sales manager jobs (territory sales manager resume or auto sales manager resume)? We’d love to hear from you. Leave your comment below.
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Experienced in the education management industry, Maciej shares his knowledge for every step of your job hunt, from landing an internship to moving to an executive position. Maciej has helped job candidates at all stages of their career paths, from interns to directors to C-suite members, to thrive in their job. His mission is to help you find the right opportunity and create a job application that gets you the career you deserve.
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