Sales Representative CV example

Sales is about more than persuasion – it’s about understanding customer needs and building relationships that last. Your CV should make those strengths clear from the start.

Writing a good CV will need you to tailor your skills and experience to present your track record in a way that helps you stand out – this guide will help do just that.

A great Sales Representative CV should be persuasive and easy to navigate – just like a winning pitch. Hiring managers want to see results, product knowledge, and customer engagement experience at a glance, so make sure each part of your CV structure is clearly organised and free from filler.

Here’s the layout to follow:

• Name and contact details – Display your personal details clearly at the top so employers can get in touch easily. Including a photo is entirely optional.
• Profile – Begin with a concise summary that highlights your expertise and what you bring to the role.
• Core skills – Use bullet points to highlight your key selling points (literally).
• Work experience – Start with your most recent role and work backwards, showcasing achievements and responsibilities.
• Education & certifications – Mention your degree, certifications, and any training that supports your career path.
• Additional info – Include any additional details, like awards, professional memberships, or hobbies that highlight your skills or personality.

Recruiters scan CVs like customers skim shelves – your format should make the best bits stand out. Use bullet points for clarity, divide sections with clear headings and stick to a clean, readable font. Avoid the mistake of a lengthy CV – keep it no more than 2 pages and save the rest for your cover letter.

Your CV profile should quickly convince the employer that you can hit the ground running in a sales role. Show your experience, strengths, and the kind of sales environment where you thrive. Don’t waste this space on fluff – lead with value, just like you would in a pitch: you want to convince recruiters that hiring you would genuinely benefit them.

Here’s what to include:

• Where you’ve worked – Mention whether you’ve worked in retail, telesales, field sales, or business development, and name any recognisable employers.
• Your top qualifications – Include relevant qualifications, such as sales training, business diplomas, or customer service certifications.
• Essential skills – Refer to skills like relationship-building, closing techniques, and product knowledge.
• Strong record of meeting or exceeding sales targets – Show you’ve delivered results in past roles.
• Experience using CRM tools and sales software – Mention tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, or POS systems.

This section gives a quick overview of your top strengths and helps recruiters see your potential at a glance. Use bullet points to list the most relevant and tailored skills for the sales role you’re targeting.

Make sure these aren’t just buzzwords – pick the skills you’ve actually used to deliver results. Focus on hard, tangible CV skills like client acquisition, negotiation, upselling, and lead generation.

Employers don’t just want someone who says they can sell – they want someone who’s already proven it. Use your work experience section to show where you’ve worked, what you sold, and how your efforts made an impact.

List your roles in reverse chronological order. For each, briefly describe the type of product or service, customer base, and sales environment (e.g. face-to-face, inbound calls, B2B). Use bullet points to highlight your key duties and successes.

• Outline – Summarise the company, what they do, and your role within the sales team.
• Responsibilities – Describe your day-to-day duties using action words like “sold,” “negotiated,” “converted,” or “advised.”
• Achievements – Highlight results, like exceeding KPIs, increasing revenue, or building a new client base.

Formal education isn’t everything in sales, but relevant qualifications can give your application extra credibility. List your education in reverse chronological order and include any sales-specific training or business-related courses.

Also mention any product or industry certifications, in-house training schemes, or short courses in communication, negotiation, or customer service.