Each sale is a performance, and all eyes are on the sales manager. This headliner role demands not just selling skills, but the ability to lead a team, nail targets and foster client relationships. As a hiring manager, those are the traits we search for on a Sales Manager CV. The question then is, how do you bring these on-paper personas to life in your own CV?
A common path for sales managers begins with an entry-level role in sales, moving up to a team lead role, before finally landing the prestigious sales manager position. This steady progression showcases experience, leadership, and a proven sales track record. Highlight these convincingly in your CV.
As the globe tentatively emerges from the pandemic of the early 2020s, we've spotted a trend in the Sales Manager sphere of 2023-2024. Companies are seeking not just seasoned sales managers, but individuals with strong digital acumen and remote team management skills. Market versatility is the latest must-have.
When it comes to CVs versus resumes in the sales industry, let me put one myth to bed. In the UK, Europe and Australia, a CV and a resume are, indeed, the same thing. It's just a naming quirk. Yes, you may stumble across the idea that CVs are lengthy, 3-4 page documents. Toss that aside unless you are in academia or research. For any Sales Manager, your CV needs to follow resume rules: keep it to a succinct and impactful 1-2 pages.
In the coming article, we'll guide you through crafting your CV. This includes showcasing your skills, using 2024-compliant templates, and more. Watch this space for expert advice to make your Sales Manager CV command the spotlight it deserves.
As a Sales Manager, you're essentially the driving force behind a company's revenue generation. It's a dynamic, quickly evolving field because customer behaviors and market conditions change rapidly. In your role, you're not just selling a product or a service but essentially crafting strategies to optimize sales operations, nurturing a motivated sales team, and forging strong relationships with customers. In writing your CV, understand that prospective employers look beyond just your sales achievements. They also want to see your leadership acumen, strategic thinking, and your ability to adapt to changes.
In recent years, the role of sales managers has placed even more emphasis on data analysis and digital savvy. Today’s sales teams are heavily reliant on tech tools for lead generation, customer relationship management (CRM), and performance analytics. So, when crafting your CV, it's important to quantify your achievements and highlight your familiarity with relevant tools and technologies.
As a Sales Manager, you're responsible for both developing and leading a successful sales team. On your CV, talk about your experience in team management, recruitment, training, and creating performance improvement plans. Include any specific improvements or success stories that resulted from your leadership.
In today's digital age, proficiency in sales technology and data analysis can set you apart. Detail your experience with CRM systems, automation tools, and any other sales-specific software you've used. Also, if you've used data to drive sales strategies or improve processes, be sure to include that.
Stepping into a Sales Manager role, you're not only selling products or services; you're selling a strategy, a vision, and inspiring a team to hit targets. The world of sales is dynamic, and innovations in e-commerce and AI have brought a paradigm shift in how sales are made today. Your CV needs to reflect this agility. It's not just about sales volume anymore. It's about building relationships, understanding market trends, and leveraging technology to turn leads into customers.
When writing your Sales Manager CV, think beyond just listing job titles and responsibilities. Don't fall into the trap of focusing only on your sales achievements. What matters most is demonstrating that you can nurture a high-performance sales team, understand the buyer's journey, and utilize data-driven strategies to improve sales efficiency.
In your CV, make sure to emphasize your ability to lead and motivate a team. Include specific examples of times you've developed sales talent, resolved conflicts, or encouraged collaboration among your team. Remember, a Sales Manager is first and foremost a people manager.
As a Sales Manager, you're expected to be tech-savvy. On your CV, illustrate your knowledge of CRM systems, sales automation tools, and analytics platforms. Also, mention how you've adapted your strategies to the latest sales trends, such as social selling or mobile commerce.
Being a Regional Sales Manager is all about building relationships and driving sales strategies. It's a role where you'll often be pitching to clients, coordinating sales teams and analysing market trends. When writing your CV, it's important to think about what skills are particularly valuable in this role. For example, in recent years there has been a growing emphasis on digital strategy in sales, so knowledge in this area can be a big plus.
Moreover, companies often hire Regional Sales Managers who can show they are self-starters with solid leadership skills. So, when writing your CV, think about how you can demonstrate these traits. For instance, don't be shy about highlighting experiences that demonstrate your ability to take initiative or lead a team.
As a Regional Sales Manager, it's essential to showcase your experience in leading impactful sales strategies. Detail campaigns you've spearheaded, the challenges faced, and the resultant successes.
In the current market, a strong understanding of digital sales technology is highly valued. Make sure to list any specific software or platforms you've used, and how effectively you’ve used them for driving sales.
As a Regional Sales Manager, you're steering the ship of sales performance within a specific area. It's a role that requires strategic vision, strong leadership, and deep understanding of market trends. When crafting your CV, remember it's a snapshot of your professional journey, not a biography. Don't shy away from the hard numbers; in this results-driven field, showcasing quantifiable results can set you apart.
In recent years, more businesses are prioritizing digital sales, which means understanding and embracing technological trends is crucial. The ability to lead remote teams is also becoming more valued, thanks to the rise of remote working. Potential employers will want to see evidence of these skills in your CV.
Your CV should demonstrate your ability to meet and exceed sales targets. Include specific percentages or numbers that show your success in previous roles. This could be something like "Achieved 120% of sales target for three consecutive quarters."
If you've managed remote teams, make sure it's on your CV. Being able to manage, motivate and steer a team from afar is a highly sought-after skill in our increasingly remote world. You might say something like "Led a remote sales team of 10 to achieve 15% above projected annual sales."
As a Hotel Sales Manager, you always have one eye on maximizing bookings and revenue. Your CV needs to reflect this with clear evidence of your skills in building client relationships, devising innovative sales strategies, and managing sales teams. In today's digital world where online bookings dominate, you should demonstrate your competence with using customer relationship management (CRM) systems and online booking platforms.
In your career progression, there is a trend towards roles requiring a strong foundation in digital marketing. Brands in the hospitality industry are now competing at a global level, so you need to show a solid understanding of the international market and any languages you speak. Also, share any experience you have dealing with large corporate accounts and organizing events or conferences.
As a Hotel Sales Manager, you need to prove that you can deliver results. Instead of vaguely mentioning that you increased sales or improved performance, provide specific examples with numbers. This could be the percentage by which you increased revenue, or a significant deal you sealed with a new corporate client.
In the hospitality industry, CRM systems are frequently used to manage and analyze customer interactions and data. Make sure to mention your experience and proficiency in using these systems. Your knowledge of CRM is crucial for targeting marketing efforts and delivering personalized service.
As a Hotel Sales Manager, your CV should showcase your ability to increase revenue and levels of customer satisfaction. It's a role that demands a lot of interaction and relationship-building, and it's vital to demonstrate your aptitude for this. The world of hospitality has been changing rapidly. With a shift towards technology and automation, it's advantageous to display your adaptability and digital skills. In crafting your CV, remember that the industry has become more customer-oriented than ever. Therefore, emphasize your customer service and interpersonal skills to make sure that you stand out from other candidates.
Specific numbers are always great in a CV. Showing your ability to boost sales, increase profitability, or expand the client base with clear figures will impress potential employers. This can demonstrate your direct impact on business performance, which is key for Hotel Sales Manager roles.
Your CV should exhibit your understanding of the hotel and hospitality sector. This can include knowledge of different sales platforms, marketing tactics, or even specific industry trends. By showing that you understand the unique demands and rhythms of the hotel industry, you'll stand out to recruiters.
As a Hotel Sales Manager, your CV will be a snapshot of your skills, proficiency, and achievements in potentially fortifying hotel revenues. The hospitality industry has shifted its focus towards digital platforms for sales, so it would be beneficial to familiarize yourself with this tendency. When crafting your CV, keep in mind that individuals hiring for this role are looking for evidence of your ability to strategize sales plans, harness customer relationships, and a demonstrated grasp of revenue management. It's not just about demonstrating previous successes, but also showing how you achieved those successes.
As the industry leans towards digital, showing that you are not only familiar with, but also proficient in online sales is essential. Mention any experience you have with digital sales platforms, online campaigns, or even social media promotion.
Numbers often speak louder than words. Include specific instances where your efforts directly led to an increase in hotel revenue. Use concrete numbers, such as "Boosted sales by 20% in Q1 of 2021", to validate your capability.
Automobile or car sales manager roles are often dynamic, requiring both in-depth knowledge of the auto industry and solid leadership skills. You'd be in charge of boosting sales, making sure customer service is top-notch, and leading your sales team effectively. Given the competitive nature of the auto industry, there's a growing trend toward leveraging digital platforms for sales, so any understanding or experience in this area adds weight to your CV. When writing a CV for this role, focus on your sales accomplishments and leadership skills, and be sure to show how you've adapted to digital sales trends.
Auto dealerships are keenly interested in your ability to drive sales. Instead of just stating that you've exceeded sales targets, use numbers to show how you've improved sales performance. Did you increase sales by a certain percentage? Did you lead a team that was top in the region? Concrete figures will make your achievements more compelling.
As an Automobile / Car Sales Manager, your potential employers are constantly on the lookout for someone who can drive sales and lead a team effectively. Therefore, your CV needs to act as a testimony of your ability to generate profits and keep your team motivated in a highly competitive market. Recent trends indicate a shift towards digital sales, hence understanding the online market dynamics is a huge plus. Your CV should reflect your ability to adapt to evolving sales strategies while maintaining a strong foundation in traditional salesmanship.
As a sales manager in the automobile industry, it's important to highlight your understanding of sales forecasting and budgeting. You should mention successful instances of meeting and exceeding sales targets, as well as any experience with strategic planning for business growth.
The automobile industry is increasingly moving towards digital. Hence, it's crucial to demonstrate your familiarity with online sales strategies. Include any experience you have with implementing digital marketing or e-commerce solutions, or managing online customer relationships.
Let's talk about crafting a CV for a Retail Sales Manager role. It's a dynamic position and your potential employers are looking for someone who can lead a team, drive sales, and foster customer loyalty. You need to demonstrate a deep understanding of the retail market, along with the ability to inspire and manage a diverse team. The retail industry is ever-changing, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, with a trend towards an omnichannel retail experience. When writing your CV, you should not only showcase your past achievements in sales and team management but also highlight your adaptability and forward-thinking approach towards the retail sector.
It's crucial to demonstrate your ability to build, manage, and motivate a team. Use your CV to share instances where you've led a team to meet sales targets, resolved conflicts, or improved team morale. Don't just use generic terms, be specific about your leadership style and techniques.
Retail is an industry that is driven by trends and customer behavior. On your CV, discuss how you've successfully navigated these trends in previous roles. Have you implemented an omnichannel strategy? Or maybe you've found new ways to connect with customers on social media? Let your potential employers see that you've got your finger on the pulse of the retail world.
Entering the world of retail sales management, you're stepping into a dynamic role that requires a blend of sales knowledge with leadership skills. The retail industry is always in flux, with digital transformations and customer experience trends shaping its evolution. A CV for a Retail Sales Manager should reflect this fast-paced change, along with showing a deep understanding of sales strategies. It's not just about detailing your past experiences—it's about weaving a story of your ability to drive growth, motivate teams, and navigate the ever-changing retail landscape.
As a retail sales manager, you're expected to track and interpret sales data to drive performance and make informed decisions. So, studded your CV with instances where you used data analysis to boost sales, optimize store layouts, or improve customer satisfaction.
Memorable retail experiences often hinge on stellar customer service, which is steered by well-led teams. Use your CV to express how you've led teams to success in retail settings. Detail specific strategies you've employed—maybe you introduced a new training program or implemented an incentive structure that improved team performance.
As a Retail Sales Manager, the heart of your role is to drive sales and customer satisfaction. You're often the link between the sales floor and the back office, bringing together sales target achievement, team management and customer service. Given recent trends towards more personalised service in retail, your CV should highlight how you've mastered these areas. Similarly, the acceleration of online sales has underlined the importance of multichannel management skills. So, when crafting your CV, remember that you're not just a salesperson but a dynamic manager that fits perfectly in the evolving retail landscape.
As a Retail Sales Manager, you are expected to lead a team to meet sales targets. On your CV, you should provide specific examples of how you've successfully managed a team, emphasising accomplishments like staff development, meeting or exceeding sales targets, and improving store performance.
Retail Sales Managers often have a tough job, balancing the needs of their team, customers and upper management, while aiming to hit sales targets. Over the past few years, digital savvy abilities and e-commerce knowledge have emerged as key trends. So, when crafting your CV, remember the recruiter is looking to see if you can adapt to these changes. In the second half of your CV, stress on your analytical abilities to interpret sales data and make strategic decisions. That's why every bullet point in your CV should connect with a key requirement of the job.
In your professional experience section, give examples where you drove significant sales growth. Share figures and percentages to demonstrate the impact you had. Recruiters want to see your track record in improving sales turnover.
Retail Sales Managers are team leaders, and you must illustrate your ability to lead and motivate a team on your CV. Describe a situation where your exceptional leadership led to improved team performance or increased sales.
As a Territory Sales Manager, your CV is your first opportunity to showcase your skills in managing a geographical area for sales. This role requires a unique mix of strategic thinking, leadership, and relationship-building skills. Recently, companies are looking for managers with a good understanding of digital channels and remote sales techniques, given the impact of the pandemic on traditional sales methods. When crafting your CV, keep in mind that employers are interested in your ability to drive sales, manage a team, and adapt to the changing business environment.
So, it's not just about listing your job duties. Your CV should tell a compelling story of your achievements and how you've exceeded sales targets, built strong relationships with clients, and led a team towards success. Employers want to see that you're not just a salesperson, but a sales leader.
As a Territory Sales Manager, concrete numbers speak volumes. Use your CV to share your sales performance metrics such as percentage of territory growth, sales volume increase, and number of new accounts acquired. This will not only demonstrate your ability to drive sales, but also your impact in previous roles.
In today's digital world, familiarity with CRM tools and remote sales techniques is becoming essential for Territory Sales Managers. So, it's to your advantage to mention your experience with specific tools like Salesforce or Zoho, or how you've successfully managed remote sales teams.
As a Catering Sales Manager, you're not just about selling a service, you're selling an experience. Your CV should clearly portray your ability to develop and maintain client relationships, manage multiple accounts, and drive sales. In recent years, we've seen a trend towards personalization in the catering industry; specifically, clients are keen on unique culinary experiences tailored to their specific needs. This shift is reflected in the way candidates write their CVs, focusing more on their creativity and ability to deliver personalized experiences. It's critical you demonstrate your adaptability in this evolving landscape and emphasize your connection to the customer experience.
Beyond being a people's person, a Catering Sales Manager needs to have strong numerical skills to handle pricing negotiations, create viable proposals, and manage budgets. Make sure to include real examples of how you successfully applied these skills in your previous roles.
A key part of a Catering Sales Manager's role is the ability to build and maintain relationships with clients. Use your CV to share specific instances where you've nurtured client relationships leading to repeat business or referrals. Provide context and results where possible.
As an Automotive Sales Manager, your CV is a unique power-tool, used to convey your skills managing sales operations within the automotive industry. The role these days focuses on much more than just driving sales; it’s all about forming partnerships with vendors, fostering relationships with clients, and staying up to speed with industry trends like electric vehicles and autonomous technologies. Your CV should reflect your ability to adapt to these new trends and liaise between multiple parties, all while maintaining (or increasing) dealership profitability.
Writing a CV for this role is more than just listing your past jobs. It's about showcasing your ability to strategize, your knowledge of current market trends, and your understanding of profit/loss analysis. Remember, a hiring manager does not just want to see a list of your tasks from past roles; they want to see quantifiable achievements and solutions you’ve provided to past challenges.
If you've managed sales for multiple car brands at once, make sure to note this on your CV. Demonstrating the ability to manage and understand the unique requirements of different manufacturers is a key selling point for an Automotive Sales Manager.
Your role involves the crucial aspect of managing the dealership's profitability. Highlight any experience you have overseeing budgets, conducting profit/loss analysis, and leading operational improvements that have led to increased revenue or cost savings.
The Assistant Sales Manager role is a unique mix of leadership and tactical execution. Sales is particularly fast-paced so it's crucial to stay updated with industry trends; with the rise of digital marketing, this role now involves online sales strategies too. When crafting a CV for this role, remember it's not just about showcasing your sales skills, but also your ability to lead and coordinate a team. It's more about quantifiable achievements than job responsibilities. Use your CV as a platform to demonstrate your understanding of sales strategies and capacity to drive a team towards the set targets.
As an Assistant Sales Manager, you'll be expected to lead a team, so provide examples of how you have successfully managed a team before. This could be showing how you've increased team productivity, improved team morale, or introduced efficient workflow practices.
The sales world is constantly evolving, and a potential employer wants to see that you're keeping up. Use your CV to demonstrate knowledge of digital sales strategies like social selling or inbound marketing. You might include a case where you've implemented such strategies to boost sales.
As the Area Sales Manager role is largely customer-facing, the game here is all about showcasing your ability to build strong relationships and drive sales. A major trend in this position is the rising emphasis on digital sales strategies, as more potential customers are reached online than ever before. So, when gearing up to write your CV, remember: you're not just displaying a history of your job roles, you're selling your personal brand.
In the sales world, figures talk. Your CV should definitely show some standout sales achievements from your history. However, it's considered passé to just list your job duties - instead, focus on the impact you've made at your prior companies.
It's crucial that you demonstrate your proficiency in contemporary digital sales strategies on your CV. Mention any specific digital sales training you've had, or how you've used social media or CRM software to drive sales.
Rather than listing job responsibilities, you should quantify your achievements. Use figures to show how you've driven revenue growth, expanded customer base, or improved sales conversion rates in your previous roles.
The role of a National Sales Manager is quite dynamic as you're overseeing sales operations across a whole country. You're not just managing a team, but steering sales strategies, forecasts, budgets, and customer relationships at a national level. The recent trend towards digitization means you're now expected to be adept with CRM systems and data analytics. When it comes to your CV, make sure it's not just a list of jobs you've held. Employers want to see your achievements and the impact you've made in your previous roles, quantified where possible.
In today's digital era, tech skills have become a prerequisite for a National Sales Manager. Don't just mention your proficiency in CRM systems or data analytics tools; instead, show how you've used them to drive sales and improve team performance.
As a National Sales Manager, you're expected to lead a team and make strategic decisions. Use your CV to illustrate your leadership style and strategic thinking. Give examples of how your strategies have increased sales or improved team performance on a national level.
Sales managers are deal-doers, rule-breakers and rain-makers. They breed strategies that charm clients and bust quotas. So how can you craft a CV that shines a spotlight on these magic skills? Let's start with software. A hard skill essential to any sales manager role is a nose for numbers. Using a business intelligence tool like Tableau isn't just a trick up your sleeve; it's a game changer. Highlight this in your CV, like "Increased sales by 35% by predicting patterns with Tableau".
Top-notch communication is another must-have. When a customer kicks up a fuss, you need the smooth talk to keep them on board. But don't just say "I'm a stellar communicator". Prove it in your CV. Perhaps you trained a sales team and boosted their performance. Well, mention it in your work experience section.
Being found by recruiters is your next hurdle. You need to get past the robot gatekeepers first. These Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) scan for keywords. So, when you're reading the job description, pick out the skills they shout about and echo those in your CV. For example, "increased sales revenue" or "developed sales strategies".
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Sales Manager job descriptions and CVs. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
Power up your Sales Manager CV with action verbs. They show you as a person who does stuff, not just talks about it. A core role of a sales manager is to lead, to motivate, to sell. So, your words should match these tasks.
Here's how: Instead of writing "I was in charge of a team," pump it up with "Led a dynamic team to exceed sales targets by 25%". Keep it lively with words like "Initiated," "Organized," or "Enhanced." Think of your work tasks and dress them up with punchy verbs.
Take this example. "Helped create a new training program," becomes "Spearheaded an innovative training program." Or, "Introduced key process changes," turns into "Revolutionized workflow through strategic process modification." Just remember, write what you really did. Keep it real. Your truthful, engaging CV can then do its job, to help land you a job. No magic, no tricks, just solid words with power.
For more related action verbs, visit Sales Action Verbs.
For a full list of effective CV action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
You should use bullet points to describe your achievements in your Sales Manager CV. Here are sample bullet points to help you get started:
Spearheaded retail distribution expansion into 8 new territories and markets in South Brazil; resulted in 85% sales growth and the fastest growing sales location in South America in 2015
Led the firm's sales and business operations in South Africa, responsible for $45MM annual sales and capability building of 200+ sales personnel
Grew revenue from $1MM to $2.5M in one year by expanding channel partnerships; exceeded target by 150%
Strengthened relationships with 6 strategic partners (including Expedia, Skyscanner and Airbnb) through follow-up meetings with C-suite executives
Improved sales efficiency by leading sustainable adoption of a new CRM tool among 150 sales persons in 6 months; redesigned key sales support workflows
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.
