Sales associates are the face of a company and an indispensable part of a company’s sales process. As a sales associate, you are at the front lines, and you could be selling anything from clothing to car parts.
You are a fantastic relationship builder and can strike up an easy conversation with almost any customer they meet. You can read people’s body language well and have a strong sense of empathy for the confusing parts of making certain purchases. You’re always able to keep a positive attitude and are patient even with frustrated customers.
With in-person retailers slowly opening back up in 2023, the demand for this position will undoubtedly increase, and there are abundant opportunities for those looking to work as a sales associate.
Sound like something you’re interested in? Continue reading below to see what a great sales associate resume should look like in 2023.
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As a Sales Associate, you'll play a crucial role in driving a company's revenue by communicating with customers, showcasing products, and closing sales. With the rise of e-commerce and the importance of personalized customer experiences, your skills in building relationships and providing excellent customer service are sought after by employers. A well-crafted resume is essential to showcase your abilities and stand out among the competition in this sales-driven industry.
By strategically highlighting your achievements and tailoring your resume to the specific requirements of the position, you can grab the attention of hiring managers and land that dream job. Consider the following recommendations to create a high-impact Sales Associate resume.
Show off your sales prowess by quantifying your achievements, specifying the deals you've closed or sales targets you've surpassed. Include relevant figures, like the percentage of target achieved or the number of new clients you’ve brought on board, to demonstrate your success.
Strong customer service skills are crucial for a Sales Associate, as they contribute to creating a positive shopping experience and building customer loyalty. Emphasize your ability to listen to and engage with clients, resolving their concerns promptly, and going above and beyond to meet their needs.
Sales associates that have a few years of experience in the industry should focus on highlighting the skills they’ve developed throughout their career. Make sure to demonstrate such capabilities as working efficiently with point of sale systems or managing smooth customer relations. Follow this template to highlight your abilities as you put together your sales associate resume.
Hiring managers will often assess your resume based on your demonstrated ability to sell. Include accomplishments such as a top rank in sales, or the percentage increase you contributed to in customer satisfaction. When listing out your accomplishments, use strong action verbs that show your direct contributions and make sure to include important details such as location and impact, (e.g. were you ranked within your district, region, the nation; by what percentage did you increase customer satisfaction?)
Roles in sales can be demanding and high-pressure, and not everyone has the personality to succeed in such a position. The years you’ve spent as a sales associate are invaluable to companies who are looking to hire new employees, since they can trust that you have the knowhow and experience in the field to solve unexpected customer problems. In reverse chronological order, include all relevant experience in your work section to showcase your career trajectory.
As a Sales Associate or Retail Salesperson, you're not just a cashier. You're a frontline ambassador for the company, the face shoppers see when they walk in. In many ways, your ability to charm customers and provide excellent service determines a store's success. Therefore, showcasing your people skills and sales abilities on your resume is critical. With the retail industry becoming more tech-savvy, highlighting experience with point-of-sale systems and e-commerce platforms will set you apart. Your resume should communicate how you can demonstrate product knowledge, drive sales, and provide outstanding customer service.
Numbers speak louder than words. Saying you're great at selling isn't enough, you need to prove it. If you've consistently met or exceeded sales goals, put it on your resume. Mention the percentage increase in sales you've achieved or the increase in customer loyalty members you've signed up.
Being tech-savvy isn't exclusive to IT roles; it's increasingly important in retail too. If you've used point-of-sale systems, inventory management software, or any e-commerce platforms, make sure to mention these. Your comfort with technology indicates you can adapt to new retail tools and processes quickly.
As a sales associate or retail salesperson, your role is all about connecting with customers and providing exceptional service while also driving sales. In recent years, the retail industry has become more competitive, placing a higher emphasis on customer experience and personalized service. When hiring for this role, companies are looking for candidates who can demonstrate their ability to engage with customers and contribute to the store's overall success. A well-crafted resume is essential for showcasing your skills and experience in these areas, making you stand out from other applicants.
In the ever-changing world of retail, it's crucial for sales associates to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. Your resume should highlight your adaptability and willingness to learn, as well as your ability to build lasting relationships with customers. Demonstrating these skills on your resume will show potential employers that you're a valuable addition to their team.
On your resume, emphasize any customer service experience you have, whether in retail or other industries. Showcase specific examples of how you provided exceptional service, resolved customer issues, or went above and beyond to meet client needs, making you an excellent fit for a sales associate role.
Include concrete examples of your sales achievements, such as meeting or exceeding sales targets, maintaining a high average transaction value, or generating repeat business from customers. Providing quantifiable results gives potential employers a clear picture of your ability to contribute positively to their sales goals.
A retail sales associate, typically a sales associate working specifically in a brick-and-mortar store, must have excellent interpersonal skills and the emotional intelligence to interact with a variety of different customers daily. When crafting your retail sales associate resume, make sure to emphasize the relevant skills and experience you have developed in your past retail roles.
Retail sales involves extensive face-to-face interaction with customers on a daily basis, and hiring managers are looking for candidates who can effectively handle the unique challenges that come up in this environment. Make sure to include as much relevant experience you have for the role -- even outside of just retail. For example, if you worked as a receptionist, you were often working face-to-face with an office’s clients. If you think outside the box like this, you can probably come up with more relevant experiences than you realize!
Focus on including retail-oriented skills in your skills section. Showing hiring managers that you have applicable experience in working a cash register, improving operations, or troubleshooting credit card issues can be the difference between landing a job or getting passed over. In addition, make sure you read through the job posting to see what skills they list, and emphasize the skills they’ve highlighted throughout your resume.
If you just recently graduated from college, you may not have several years of sales experience under your belt. That’s normal, and there’s no need to fret about it -- hiring managers know to look at different areas of your resume to gauge your skills and abilities in the workplace. Use this template to sell yourself to companies and demonstrate that you are absolutely capable of getting the job done.
Since your work section likely won’t be the star of the show, start your resume out instead with your education section. Include coursework that relates to sales associate skills, such as consumer psychology, marketing, or business. Note any honors you received to show that you go above and beyond in all realms of your life. Make sure to also include your GPA or any relevant test scores such as the ACT or SAT.
You can also include a section for university projects and volunteering experience. When you’re building your bullet points here, include details that speak to relevant sales associate abilities. For example, to demonstrate your ability to work with other associates, include times where you worked with other team members. Or, to highlight your potential ability to work successfully with customers, elaborate about the time you developed rapport/trust with an external client.
As a Senior Sales Associate, you play a crucial role in driving sales and maintaining customer relationships. In today's competitive market, companies rely heavily on experienced sales professionals to stay ahead. Your resume should showcase your industry knowledge and sales expertise. In this fast-paced world, hiring managers will appreciate a well-crafted resume that highlights your accomplishments and demonstrates your potential to be a valuable asset to their team.
Brand names and product lines are constantly evolving, so it's essential for a Senior Sales Associate's resume to reflect their ability to adapt and learn new strategies. Additionally, highlighting your proficiency in CRM tools and other relevant technologies is a must, as they're a significant part of the sales process.
When writing your resume, be sure to include numerical data tied to your past sales successes. This might include the percentage by which you increased sales or the number of new clients you secured. These figures demonstrate your impact and effectiveness as a Senior Sales Associate.
Senior Sales Associates need to connect with people and navigate dynamic situations. Emphasize your interpersonal and problem-solving abilities, along with your capacity to adapt to new products and changing market conditions. Showcasing your resilience and versatility will make you stand out as a valuable candidate.
A senior sales associate is in charge of overseeing sales policies and initiatives, and is typically on track to get promoted to a management position. It’s important to demonstrate your experience in sales and your ability to lead others and ensure the team is hitting sales quotas. In addition, you should highlight your career journey through increasing levels of responsibility, and exhibit excellent sales numbers from past positions.
Hiring managers looking for senior sales associates want to know that you can handle increasing levels of responsibility. Highlight your growth through past sales positions, and include any instances where you managed or helped other sales associates, or stepped up to take on a role that was above and beyond your job description. If you have any rewards or recognition, make sure to include those in your resume as well.
When applying to a senior level sales associate role, you should demonstrate a senior level of sales savvy and expertise. The best way to do this is to include quantified proof of past sales accomplishments. Ask yourself what is most relevant and impressive to someone else reading your resume, and write your resume accordingly. For example: Did you exceed targets and quotas? By how much? Did you create an innovative selling process or build a system that generated higher sales? How much did sales increase as a result?
Unlike a general sales associate or retail sales associate who works in-store or selling directly to customers, a sales/customer assistant is more likely to be working between businesses (B2B) and assisting with the sale of products/services between those businesses. Follow this template when crafting your sales/customer assistant resume.
The terms “sales associate” and “sales assistant” are often interchangeable, so when applying to these roles it’s especially important to carefully read the job posting. Different sales skills are needed for different industries, so you’ll want to curate relevant work experience and skills as you craft your resume. For example, if the role entails working closely with account executives and preparing sales reports, include instances of similar responsibilities you’ve held in the past.
When writing your work experience bullet points, always remember to lead with strong action verbs that accentuate your skills. If you want to highlight your customer service abilities, use phrases like “increased customer retention by xx%” or “decreased cancellations by xx%”. Note that it’s important to accompany your strong action verbs with metrics that demonstrate quantifiable evidence of your ability.
The main role of an inside sales representative is to grow sales either remotely or within an office/business environment. They achieve this task by reaching out to clients over the phone or email.
It doesn't just start and end with calling or emailing; they also need to have some skills in identifying their client's needs (not wants). And one productive way to determine their needs is by simply researching.
Of course, there are other ways inside sales representatives can identify clients' needs. The most important thing is selling the product and achieving the sales target. Period!
The sample resume below shows how an inside sales representative used various skills to sell products at different companies.
You should state how you reached a sales milestone, surpassed a KPI, or recorded an achievement. It's important to show recruiters how that happened because it proves you know your onions. Besides, you're already way ahead of other inside sales representatives who do not do that.
If you have worked in other places, you should let your potential employers know. You can insert this information towards the tail-end of your resume (like in this sample) by stating the relevant roles you occupied and company names.
In this position, you will be selling fragrances to clients. You will welcome potential customers, help them discover the fragrance that works best for them, give them fragrance samples, and complete purchases. You need to have an excellent understanding of fragrances and very strong interpersonal skills. Here is a resume sample for this position.
Do not create a generic sales skill list. There are skills specific to fragrance sales that should populate the skill section instead. Examples include scent sampling, perfume marketing, and fragrance personalization.
Many women come to stores to sample perfumes with no intention of actually buying one. If you can indicate that you have a high sales conversion rate, it will be very beneficial for your application. Make sure you include actual figures and metrics to make your accomplishments shine.
As the name applies, you will work in a clothing store selling clothes for this position. Tasks you can expect include welcoming customers, answering any questions they may have, helping them find appropriate sizes, folding and organizing clothes, and processing purchases at the till. Recruiters will want to see a background in sales, preferably in clothes sales. Take a look at this successful resume sample.
You may have to do all of the steps in the sales cycle, and as such your skills list should include skills to help you complete each step. E.g. include customer service, merchandising, and cashiering to show range.
Show recruiters that you are a dedicated and skilled sales professional by including any sales certifications you may have acquired. This applicant has included 3 impressive certifications.
Luxury sales associates sell expensive luxury products. The industry you work in or the products you are selling will determine the skill set you should include in your resume. You must be especially knowledgeable and skilled in the products you are selling, and recruiters will want to see a background in selling these products. You must also have impeccable communication and customer service skills. Here is a recruiter-approved resume sample.
The sales strategy for selling luxury cars is very different from the strategy used to sell jewelry. So it is imperative that you include the industries you have worked in, especially if you are applying to a position in an industry you have a history in.
Show recruiters that you are exceptionally skilled and successful by showing promotions in your career. It will also show recruiters your dedication to your profession. This applicant started as a merchandiser and moved their way up to a luxury sales associate.
A wireless sales associate works in a telecommunication company dealing with customers looking for their services. You may be tasked with greeting customers, answering their questions about the various products on offer, assisting them with purchases, handling customer service issues, etc. To thrive in this position you need to have the technical knowledge of all things telecommunication and must be an expert on the products the company offers. You also need to have customer service skills as your position is a customer-facing position. Take a look at this applicant’s strong resume.
Let recruiters know from the beginning of your resume, just how successful you are in sales by including a quantifiable key success in your introduction section. It sets an impressive tone for the rest of your resume.
A recruiter should be able to tell that you are very knowledgeable in the telecommunication field by the language you use in the resume. Some industry-relevant keywords include wireless, hardware, software, programming, etc.
As a Car Sales Rep, you're the bridge between the customer and their dream vehicle. Your job isn't just about making a sale, it’s about understanding the client's needs and translating that into a vehicle that fits their lifestyle. Recently, car sales have been shifting towards online platforms and digital showrooms, so it's crucial to adapt to these new modes of selling. When writing your resume, it's important to display not only your sales prowess but also your ability to connect with people and your adaptability to new technologies.
Numbers speak louder than words. Include your sales figures, units sold, or targets met to demonstrate your abilities. If you've consistently met or exceeded your sales targets, make sure to mention that.
As a Car Sales Rep, providing excellent customer service is paramount. You should include any customer service training, certifications, or customer satisfaction scores that you've earned. It's important to remind the hiring manager of your commitment to the customer's satisfaction.
As a hiring manager who has worked with companies like Walmart, Target, and Macy's, I've seen countless resumes for sales associate positions. The best ones always stand out because they showcase the candidate's sales skills, customer service experience, and ability to work in a fast-paced environment. In this article, we'll share some tips on how to create a winning sales associate resume that will catch the attention of hiring managers like myself.
Employers want to see that you have a proven track record of success in sales. Use specific numbers and percentages to show the impact you had in your previous roles.
Avoid using vague statements that don't provide any real evidence of your abilities:
A resume summary, also known as a professional summary or summary statement, is an optional section that highlights your most relevant qualifications for the job. While it's not a mandatory part of your resume, a well-written summary can grab the hiring manager's attention and convince them to read further. However, avoid using an objective statement, as it focuses on your goals rather than how you can benefit the company.
When crafting your summary for a sales associate position, focus on your key skills, experiences, and achievements that align with the job requirements. Tailor your language to the specific industry and company you're applying to. Keep it concise, around 3-4 sentences or bullet points, and make sure it adds value beyond what's already in your resume.
The work experience section is the most important part of your resume as a sales associate. It's where you show the impact you've made in your previous roles. Highlight your most relevant and impressive experiences that relate to a sales associate position.
We'll walk through the key steps to write an effective work experience section that will impress hiring managers and increase your chances of landing an interview.
Sales associates must be excellent communicators, must know how to quickly get up to speed on a new product/service to answer customer questions. You must demonstrate exceptional professionalism and display empathy and tact in case a customer gets confused or frustrated.
When writing your sales associate resume, keep these qualities in mind as you choose action verbs to describe your experiences. Use the ones that reflect your strongest assets and that are relevant to the position. For example, use words like “resolved” or “handled” to emphasize your empathetic nature when you approach challenging customer problems.
Besides the list we have here, you can come up with ones of your own to use, or even read through various relevant job descriptions to see what kind of action verbs companies tend to use when they’re looking to hire sales employees.
For more related action verbs, visit Sales Action Verbs.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
Working as a sales associate requires strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills. In some cases, you might need to have specific product knowledge or experience within a certain industry. Keep this in mind as you fill in your skills section, or choose which skills to expand on in your work experience section.
As mentioned earlier, it’s always important to read through a job posting carefully. Whether you’re writing a resume for the first time or making adjustments to your current one, you should take the time to understand what kind of experiences and skills the company is looking for in a new hire.
You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Sales Associate job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
You should use bullet points to describe your achievements in your Sales Associate resume. Here are sample bullet points to help you get started:
Led full redesign of website with findings from customer segmentation and competitive research, increasing website leads by 200%
Determined sales effectiveness strategy for a ERP software supplier to increase sales by $10M over three years
Grew revenue from $1MM to $2.5M in one year by expanding channel partnerships; exceeded target by 150%
Managed a portfolio of 5 customers, generating new business revenue totaling $10M / year
Initiated and managed relationships with key enterprise customers; wrote and executed business plan that resulted in 120% ($5MM) increase in division revenue over 3 years
For more sample bullet points and details on how to write effective bullet points, see our articles on resume bullet points, how to quantify your resume and resume accomplishments.
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
