Sales leaders determine the sales process by implementing successful strategies that help the team generate more revenue. To do this, they conduct intensive research to identify opportunities that could contribute to the company’s objectives.
Most people confuse sales leaders with sales managers and often use those terms interchangeably. However, these are two different roles. The sales leader has a “big-picture” focus on the overall strategy and provides the plans to the sales manager. The sales manager is in charge of the sales team and ensures everyone follows those strategies.
Sales leaders, on the other hand, have a more proactive responsibility. That’s why it is crucial for them to have business acumen. If you want to make a good impression on recruiters, you should demonstrate that in your resume.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that most sales leaders and managers should have a bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a similar field. However, each organization is different, and some employers might overlook this academic requirement. Yet, it is always a good idea to include certifications in your resume.
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To achieve success as a sales leader, you should have analytical thinking. The sales leader defines the tone of the sales strategy, and to do that, you need to analyze metrics to make data-driven decisions. This will help you determine the best techniques and approach for the sales team. That’s why it is crucial to highlight your analytical thinking in your resume.
Sales leaders must be driven by passion and outcomes, and the best way to demonstrate that in your resume is by highlighting your achievements. You can add even more value to your accomplishments by including metrics. This will give recruiters an accurate representation of your value.
Research plays a huge role in the day-to-day operations of sales leaders; insightful metrics are what helps them make better business decisions. That’s why it is important to emphasize your research skills in your resume.
You must demonstrate your knowledge of the industry in your resume. Your potential employer might be looking for a candidate with extensive experience in the field and knowledge of the industry. That is why you must demonstrate seniority by highlighting your professional experience and educational background.
The sales leader defines the culture and vision of the sales strategies, but this isn’t their only duty. They must ensure that team members feel motivated to do their jobs. This is why sales leaders focus on individuals and how to strengthen their competencies. Your resume should demonstrate you have excellent leadership skills.
As a hiring manager who has recruited for sales leadership roles at companies like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Oracle, I've seen countless resumes for sales leaders. The best resumes are the ones that clearly show the candidate's impact in their previous roles and their ability to lead and motivate a sales team. Here are some tips to help you create a strong resume for a sales leader position.
When describing your previous sales roles, always include specific metrics that show your impact. Hiring managers want to see tangible evidence of your success. Here are some examples:
A resume summary is an optional section that goes at the top of your resume, just below your name and contact information. As a sales leader, you may want to include a summary if you have extensive experience in the field or are making a career change. The summary allows you to provide additional context about your background and highlight key qualifications that may not be immediately apparent from the rest of your resume.
When writing your summary, avoid using an objective statement. Instead, focus on crafting a concise overview of your skills, experience, and career goals as they relate to the sales leader position you're targeting. Remember, your resume itself is already a summary of your qualifications, so keep this section brief and impactful.
The work experience section is the heart of your resume as a sales leader. It's where you'll detail your track record of driving revenue growth, building high-performing teams, and executing sales strategies. Highlight your most impactful achievements and quantify your results to stand out.
Follow these tips to write a compelling work experience section that will impress hiring managers and land you interviews.
The education section of your resume is a strategic place to showcase your academic background and training. When written well, it shows hiring managers that you have the knowledge and credentials to succeed in the sales leader role. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as you write this section:
Communication skills and accountability are essential for a sales leadership role, so that is what you should reflect on your resume. Consider using some action verbs to complement your work history section. There you can include achievements and illustrate them using strong action verbs such as “increased,” “initiated,” and “guided.”
Notice how these three words describe your achievements precisely instead of saying that you were “responsible for” certain tasks. It provides a perception of accountability and proactiveness, which is exactly what you want to demonstrate in your sales leader resume.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
Your sales leader resume should indicate your strategic leadership skills. That’s why it is important to include skills like coaching, sales management, and performance management. Additionally, you should complement these skills with sales-related competencies such as solutions selling and business development.
It is also essential to demonstrate that you are computer literate. You should be able to use tools like HubSpot, Marketo, and Salesforce. Keep in mind that every organization has different requirements, so these are just a few ideas. You can also consider checking our selection of skills for this role below.
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 Leader job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
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.
