Sales Manager CV examples

A sales manager’s CV should be as results-driven as their approach to hitting targets. If it’s disorganised, unclear, or lacking strong selling points, recruiters won’t stick around to see what you bring to the table.

This guide takes you through each step of writing a CV. By the end, you’ll have a CV that makes an impact – just like your best sales pitch.

A well-structured CV helps recruiters quickly identify your most valuable skills and experience. Just like a well-planned sales strategy, your CV needs to be clear, persuasive, and easy to navigate.

Here’s the structure to follow:

• Name and contact details – Place personal details at the top so employers can reach you without effort. A photo of yourself would be a nice touch, but it’s optional.
• Profile – Start with a concise summary highlighting your sales expertise, leadership abilities, and key achievements.
• Core skills – List your most relevant skills, such as lead generation, team management, and sales forecasting.
• Work experience – Present your career history in reverse chronological order, focusing on revenue-driven results and leadership impact.
• Education – Include your degrees and relevant certifications, starting with the most recent.
• Additional info – If applicable, mention hobbies, sales awards, or additional languages.

First impressions matter, and in sales, that’s especially true. If a recruiter takes one look at your CV and its layout is a confusing mess, they’ll assume your sales reports probably look the same.

A recruiter should be able to glance at your CV and immediately see the value you bring. If they have to work too hard to find key information, they may move on to the next candidate, with a nicer format.

Try to follow these formatting tips:

• Bullet points – Use them to highlight achievements and keep information easy to scan.
• Divide sections – Structure your CV logically for quick reading.
• Use a clear and readable font – Avoid overly decorative font; professionalism is key.
• No more than 2 pages – Keep it a concise length while ensuring it covers all key qualifications and experience.

Your CV profile is your first opportunity to grab attention. This short introduction at the top of your CV should summarise your expertise and career highlights in a compelling way. Ultimately, you’ll need to convey the benefits that hiring you would bring.

A strong profile should consider the following:

• Where you’ve worked – Mention whether you’ve worked in B2B, B2C, retail, SaaS, or another sales sector.
• Your top qualifications – If you have a business degree, sales certification, or leadership training, highlight it here.
• Key sales skills – Whether it’s consultative selling, key account management, or sales strategy, showcase your strengths.
• Revenue impact – Demonstrate how you’ve driven sales growth, increased market share, or built strong client relationships.
• Leadership expertise – Highlight your ability to train, mentor, and lead high-performing sales teams.

A core CV skills section is an efficient way to showcase your strongest sales abilities at a glance. Think of it as a value proposition – what makes you stand out in a competitive sales environment?

Don’t make the mistake of sending out identical applications: make sure your core skills align with the job you’re applying for. If a company needs someone to scale a sales team, emphasise leadership. If they want someone to increase revenue, highlight business development expertise.

Your work experience is where you prove your ability to deliver results. While listing skills is useful, recruiters are most interested in seeing how you’ve applied them in real-world sales environments.

List your roles in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. If you’re transitioning industries, highlight transferable skills that demonstrate your ability to drive sales success.

• Outline – Introduce the company, industry, and the scope of your role within the sales team.
• Responsibilities – Describe your key duties, such as managing a sales pipeline, leading a team, or developing new business strategies. Use action words like “negotiated,” “closed,” and “expanded”.
• Achievements – Showcase measurable results. Did you exceed sales targets? Grow a client base? Improve conversion rates? Use numbers – because in sales, if you can’t quantify it, did it even happen?

Your education section should highlight any formal training in business, sales, or leadership. While experience is often more important in sales roles, relevant qualifications can strengthen your CV.

If you’re early in your career, highlight relevant coursework, sales competitions, or business projects.

List your qualifications in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.