Ready to work your way up to a career as a sales manager? Then you’ll need a CV glowing with boasting figures, leadership and much more.
Writing a CV can be time consuming – we get it! But ultimately, it’s your CV and cover letter that are going to get you through the door to your dream job. So it’s safe to say you should be taking a considerable amount of time to tailor it correctly to each job you apply for.
But what should you be including on your sales manager CV? We can help with just that! Read out tips below if you’re looking to craft a CV that stands out from the crowd.
First of all…
Nothing is more frustrating to a recruiter than to have an excellent CV in their hands that ticks all the boxes – only to find out that there are no contact details on it. Leave your full name, current job role, full address, telephone and email address at the top of your CV – otherwise your CV will be tossed in to the bin.
Personal summary
The first thing you’ll need to have is a personal summary that boasts your experience, skillset (briefly) and why you think you’d be a good fit for the job. This section will likely be the first part of your CV that recruiters will read, so make it a powerful statement. Something like this:
A hard working, target-oriented individual with 8 years of success in sales. Strong relationship building skills with a thirst for knowledge. Excellent timekeeping and planning skills. Effective when communicating. Driven to succeed while building a loyal client base. A valuable addition to any company, with creative ideas and approaches to sales.
Skillset
The next section you should think about including will be your skills. This is a great opportunity to match your skills with the job description to get the message across that you are a good fit. Skills like the following will make an impact:
- National account management
- Multitasking
- Leadership
- Communication skills
- Driven and independent
- Social media – LinkedIn
- Target oriented
Experience
This section will help you relay the experience you’ve gathered during your career in sales, whether you built yourself up from sales assistant, to sales executive, to sales team leader, and so on. Keep this section concise with bullet points. Section it our per each relevant job you had that will benefit your application to the role you are now applying for.
For example:
- Led rapid expansion for nationwide car parts retailer XYZ Acme Car Accessories.
- Took part in 20 percent business growth in first two years on job.
- Expanded territories through personalized business relationships, customised mentoring, and streamlined operations.
- Oversaw 100 accounts for businesses averaging $10 million in annual revenues.
- Handpicked to oversee top accounts with ABC, John Doe, and Crazy Motorcycle.
- Designed and executed plans for trade shows to generate high ROI.
Education
Include where you studied here. You might also wish to include any relevant qualifications too, like a certificate or diploma in sales, for example. It might be something as simple as a customer service NVQ – but if it’s relevant to the job, then it’s always worth including.
Hobbies and interests
Some choose not to include this section, but we think it can really help a candidate to stand out from others. Skills employers admire are ones that could compliment the job they are looking to fill – for example, a team sport could mean you work well in a team. Being the captain of a team sport could suggest you have strong leadership skills. Attending an evening class for art could suggest you are a creative person, or a languages class could prove useful for work too. This section is much more powerful than you think – don’t waste the opportunity!
Ready to get started with your Sales Manager CV? Start by downloading our helpful template below:
Need more help? Download our CV guide for sales professionals!
Best graduate job hunting tips revealed
You’re young, fresh out of university and now you’re on the path to secure a meaningful job right from the get-go. But you might find yourself running in to a few problems on the way… As a graduate, the lack of network and experience needed can hinder your...
5 fast ways to get the job you want
It's very simple for anyone to use a template to create their CV these days. Unfortunately, not adding a unique twist means it could also be overlooked by a potential employer. You should take every opportunity available to you to stand out when applying...
15 interview questions you should be prepared to answer
Today, we’re joined by Ali Schwanke, Founder and CEO of Simple Strat, the marketing agency for companies who are serious about growth. Ali has been on both ends of the stick with regards to job hunting. Here, she speaks from her experience as a recruiter,...
What does a Sales Manager do?
A sales manager is someone who is responsible for leading and guiding a team of sales people in an organisation. They set sales goals & quotas, build a sales plan, analyse data, assign sales training and sales territories, mentor the members of...
Boost your employability with LinkedIn
If there’s one thing you can do to enhance your employability, it’s making a name for yourself in your industry. Maybe you are just starting out in your sales career? Or perhaps you’ve got years of experience - whichever it is, it’s never too...
5 ways technology has advanced team communication
Using technology to better connect your team makes complete sense. With more remote employees taking over the workforce, and a greater need to engage with staff globally, instant accessibility is a must to make working collaboratively simple. It’s also a...
