Sales Consultant Resume Sample

Sales Consultant Resume with Writing Guide

Many positions in sales require a resume that is well-written and polished. However, there’s so much information out there when it comes to how to write a sales resume, it often seems impossible to know what you should include and where. You won’t find yourself without an answer any longer with this guide for the best practices of resumes for sales jobs.

The best sales resumes are also more than just a biography. While a typical sales resume contains a summary of your professional background and skills, the perfect one will include information about your goals in the company, what you’re seeking in a career opportunity where you can work, and which businesses you want to work at.

Helpful tips to create an effective sales resume are given regarding job titles and credentials, education, skills and special experiences.

Sales Consultant Resume Writing Guide:

1. Use the Right Job Titles

If you’re creating a sales resume, you want to make sure to include some of the common job titles for sales jobs. Don’t worry about including all of them – just pick the ones that apply to your specific career path.

a. Account Executive (AE) or Senior Account Executive (SAE): This position is typically associated with large companies, but it’s a great place to start if you’re entering the sales world after working as an intern or in an administrative role.

b. Account Manager (AM): An account manager is usually responsible for one or two major clients, so if you’re in a large city and plan to work as part of a team of sales professionals, this might be the job title you want to include.

c. Sales Representative (SR): This is another common sale job title. This position works at all levels from entry-level jobs all the way up through branch manager.

d. Sales Manager (SM): A sales manager works at the highest level in a company and has responsibility for more than one area, from sales to recruiting.

2. Show Your Professional Skills

If you mention that you’ve sold services, you’ll need to include examples that show what exactly you’re capable of doing. An individual who is good at selling will have sold on different markets and used different types of services to create a wide range of skills.

Tips:

a. Don’t overdo the details – include one or two examples of projects you’ve worked on, but don’t give away every single detail about the jobs you’ve had. Businesses want to know that you can handle the work without worrying that it’s too big and causing you to fail.

b. Since sales jobs don’t always require skills in accounting, you can focus on other areas and include them as part of your professional experience.

c. If you’re looking for a job change with another industry, consider including that as well. For example, if you think a new job in retail would be a good fit for you, include a few examples of how that could work into your sales resume further down the line.

3. Highlight Your Special Skills

When you’re looking at a sales resume, you should focus on highlighting skills that are like the ones that are listed in the job description. For example, if it’s a software sales position and the job description mentions that you’re proficient in certain programs, mention those specific programs.

Tips:

a. Don’t go overboard on skills – just highlight what’s relevant to the position and what you can do with ease.

b. Don’t be afraid to include things that don’t meet the specifications of the job description – you might have a skill that isn’t exactly relevant, but it could be a way to personalize your experience.

4. Explain Why You Fit The Job Description

The perfect sales resume will also include evidence of why you’d be a good fit for the position and company. For example, if you’re applying for a position as an account manager, it’s important to demonstrate that you have the skills and experience required. You could also highlight which parts of your history have been most similar to the job and why it’s a good fit.

Tips:

a. If you have experience with a specific company or industry, you should use that to your advantage and highlight how your experience would be an asset for the company.

b. Think about what you can offer a potential employer that no one else can. Focus on your special skills and why they would benefit the company.

e. Your resume is a great place to include special information about skills or experience that are related to the job, but not necessarily required for it. For example, if you have experience in selling merchandise at a large retail location, you could use this as a chance to showcase that skill in case that would be something important for the new position.

5. Be Realistic About Your Goals

Sales is a competitive field. You won’t be able to get a good sales job if you’re unrealistic about where your experience and skills fall. In the perfect sales resume, you should provide examples of everything you’ve done and why it’s relevant to the position. If you’re not sure how to do that, ask someone who works in the industry or look up some examples on Google or LinkedIn.

Sales Consultant Responsibilities:

• Excelled contributing to the sales team and professional development of their colleagues
• Used extensive knowledge and industry experience to assist the sales team in solving their current and future business challenges
• Effectively communicated compelling issues or solutions to the prospect
• Collected targeted information on the prospective account
• Effectively communicated with the account executive
• Utilized skills in researching a solution or problem, developing solutions, submitting ideas/recommendations, discussing business issues with target clients
• Excelled at presenting and negotiating new business opportunities
• Identified sales opportunities at account meetings
• Attended account and industry-specific training
• Accurately analyzed market and industry data for account applications

Top 10 Must-have Sales Consultant Skills:

1. Listening: Great salespeople know that the customer is the most important element of any sale. Salespeople that listen to what is being said and seek to understand what each customer is trying to achieve are not only likely to make more money but will also enjoy their work more.
2. Communication: The ability to communicate in a way that is understood by customers and colleagues alike is fundamental in sales. Great salespeople know how to listen, ask probing questions, and engage others in meaningful dialogue.
3. Understanding of the Product: A great salesperson has a deep understanding of the product or service they are selling. They know how it works, what it does, and how to convincingly pitch the services or products to others.
4. Problem Solving: Salespeople are there to solve problems. From helping a company realize its potential in boosting profits, to helping individuals buy something that will make their daily lives better, a great salesperson will be able to solve problems in any situation.
5. Confidence: Confidence is a leading sales attribute. The most successful salespeople exude confidence and know-how to sell themselves. They know that they can do the job and will do everything in their power to prove it, from extolling the virtues of their product or service to dressing well and speaking eloquently.
6. Goal Orientated: Salespeople are there to make money, but not at the expense of customers or colleagues. Successful salespeople are goal orientated and work hard to achieve their goals.
7. Self Motivated: Successful salespeople don’t need to rely on external factors or pressure. They are motivated by their own desire to succeed and make money for themselves and their company. This drive allows them to perform at a high level in any situation without the help of others.
8. Strong work ethic: Salespeople are often not the most popular people at their job. They’re often seen as hard workers, but not always. They understand the importance of hard work and know that you can’t achieve success by sitting back and waiting for others to get them good jobs.
9. Strong Problem-Solving Skills: The best salespeople solve problems in any situation. They don’t just tell you what they can do for you, they will use their expertise and knowledge to find out the best way to help you.
10. Committed to Personal Development: Successful salespeople are committed to their own personal development. They have the desire and motivation to keep learning and improving their skills and know-how to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.
11. Passionate: Successful salespeople are passionate about what they do. They know that selling is fun, challenging, and rewarding in a way that most jobs cannot replicate for the average worker.

Tips to write a Sales Consultant Resume Summary:

1. Your resume summary should be a sentence or two that summarizes what you did. The purpose is to get the employer to read further, and this is the first impression. Ensure it’s concise and clear.
2. Your resume objective needs to be a sentence that helps define your role and qualifications for the position you are applying for.
3. Your skills section will vary in length but keep it concise. Include the most relevant skills first, then use bullets or numbers to include more detail without being cluttered.
4. Your work experience section needs to be in reverse chronological order. This is pretty standard, and ensure you are listing your most recent job first.
5. Your education details should list your degrees (if applicable) and the school that issued them, then your most recent degree should follow in reverse chronological order starting with the last one you earned. Be sure to include your GPA if it’s a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or an equivalent scale).

How to write a Sales Consultant Resume with No experience:

1. Objective (Keywords)

Write a one-paragraph statement of what you want to do for your new employer. Focus on the skills and experiences that apply specifically to the particular position you are applying to, not just the general ones. Then be sure to follow each skill or experience with “showed proficiency” or “demonstrated ability.” This should give your potential employer a sense of exactly how you’ve demonstrated those skills in other situations, and it gives you a chance to show off the skills that define you as a sales professional.
Example: “My experience in customer service and sales allow me to overcome any obstacle to meeting or exceeding my client’s needs. I am enthusiastic and determined to succeed, yet can maintain a friendly demeanor with anyone from the CEO of a Fortune 500 company to a small business owner.”

2. Skills

Follow each skill with “demonstrated proficiency,” or “expert ability.” Be sure to use both descriptive and analytical skills for your selling ability. You want your potential employer to know that you can succeed based on your own hard work, but you want them to know that you are already a qualified expert in the field, as well.
Example: “I have undergone training in bookkeeping, inventory control, and cash management. I have demonstrated proficiency by organizing new accounting systems at three different businesses.”

3. Education Formatting

Learn how to format your education the way employers want it, because it gives an immediate sense of your skills and experience. This is a great way to showcase accomplishments too, like awards or special projects. Include your degree (or expected degree) followed by the school in parentheses: High School Diploma (Palo Alto High School). Then describe each major you have studied including any relevant information about the courses, awards or honors you received.

How to write a Sales Consultant Cover Letter:

1. Start with the basics: your name, address, and phone number.
2. If you are qualified for this position and interested in the job, let the employer know you want the job by telling them why you are a good candidate for the job. Remember this is a sales position, show how your personal skills will help to sell their product or services.
3. If you are looking for a job for the first time, be sure to tell the employer you have some sales experience.
4. Thank the employer for his help in getting your resume to them. Examples of what not to write: How do you like working for this company? What are your expectations of a new job? Why do you want this job? The employer doesn’t give you an application, so there is no need to ask how they will return your application.
5. If you are going to include a picture, make sure it is recent and looks like you did when you were in college.
6. If you have any unusual accreditations or awards, make sure they are listed on your resume. Include the year and place where you received an award. You don’t want to tell the employer what it was for or how many years ago you received it unless they ask about it.

Key Takeaways:

• Nothing sells excitement better than a person who is excited.
• Don’t be afraid to override the template and create your own.
• For a graphic design resume, include photos as well as a brief description of your work history to show that you have experience working on projects that require hands-on attention.
• Your basic layout must be crisp and professional; avoid feminine fonts, fluffy wording or other graphic design elements to keep your resume uncluttered and easy to read.