personal statement for sales role

• AI Content Shield
• AI KW Research
• AI Assistant
• SEO Optimizer
• AI KW Clustering
• Customer reviews
• The NLO Revolution
• Press Center
• Help Center
• Content Resources
• Facebook Group

A Guide to Drafting Key Personal Statement Examples for Retail

Table of Contents

Are you looking for personal statement examples for your retail job application? It’s important to put in the effort when crafting a personal statement, as it is usually one of the first things organizations look at. An excellent personal statement can make all the difference when landing a job in the competitive retail field.

Here’s your guide to drafting effective personal statement examples for retail that will grab recruiters’ attention.

What Are Personal Statement Examples for Retail?

A personal statement is a short document – usually around 500 words – that gives potential employers an insight into who you are . It tells them about your skills and experience, and why you’re the best fit for their job opening.

In retail, the candidate must demonstrate their understanding of customer service, knowledge of the product or industry, and skill in sales techniques.

Elements to Include in Your Personal Statement

When writing your personal statement for retail positions, make sure to include the following:

• Your strengths when it comes to customer service.
• Highlight any relevant experience you have with similar products or customers.
• Demonstrate how your communication skills can help drive sales.
• Showcase any previous successes and how you can apply them in the new job.
• Share examples of times when you have gone above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction.

Steps to Write Personal Statement Examples for Retail

1. research the job role, company and industry.

Before You Start Writing Your Statement, Research the Job Role and Company. This is to get a Clear Idea of What They’re Looking for in a Candidate. As Well As What You Can Bring to the Table.

2. Identify Your Unique Selling Points

The key to any successful personal statement is identifying your selling points. These are typically skills or experiences that set you apart from other candidates and make you an ideal fit for the job.

3. Outline Your Experience

In this section, list any past retail-related experiences that will help prove your qualifications for the job. Include examples such as past customer service roles or sales achievements that demonstrate your understanding of the industry.

4. Describe Your Skills

In this section, highlight any relevant retail-related skills you possess that make you an ideal fit for the job. Some examples can include product knowledge, customer service experience or sales techniques.

5. Explain How You’ll Contribute to the Company

This is where you explain what value you will bring to the company. State how your unique skills and experiences will help them achieve success.

6. Proofread and Edit

Once you’ve finished writing your personal statement, it’s important to take the time to proofread and edit it before submitting it with your application. Make sure it reads well and doesn’t contain any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Tips for an Effective Personal Statement Examples for Retail

When writing your personal statement, keep these tips in mind:

• Keep it brief but informative. The goal is to show potential employers that you understand what they’re looking for without going overboard with too much information.
• Be sure to proofread and edit your statement before sending it off – grammar and spelling mistakes will not make a good impression.
• Make sure to be specific about your experiences; generic statements won’t stand out as much as stories and details.
• Include information matching the job description so that employers can connect the dots.

Personal Statement Examples for Retail

If you’re still unsure of how to write your statement, here are some examples for retail positions:

As a customer service representative in the fashion industry, I bring years of experience and excellent communication skills. My ability to empathize with customers and respond quickly to their needs makes me an asset in any retail setting. I increased sales by 25% in my previous job due to successful promotions and campaigns. I thrive in fast-paced environments where every day brings new challenges.

I am an experienced retail manager passionate about helping others find the perfect product for their needs. From developing effective sales strategies to training and motivating staff, I possess the skills to help your business succeed. In my previous role, I increased sales by 10% by focusing on customer satisfaction. I ensure that customers had a positive experience each time they visited the store.

How Do I Begin My Personal Statement?

Many, many people are having difficulty writing about themselves. If this is you, don’t worry. Make sure you can come up with a short statement (no more than a sentence) that describes you accurately. It may be one that highlights your previous work experience.

Who Do You Write in a Short Personal Statement?

Include your work experience and future plans in your resume. Job openings, placements, work experience, or voluntary work should be shared with others, particularly if they’re relevant to your course. Keep any experience in line with skills or qualities that will lead to success.

Can You Tell Me What Perfect Personal Statement Is?

In your personal statement you should outline the qualities, skills, and values. The ones you have cultivated over your lifetime and how those skills have prepared you for college.

No matter what kind of retail position you’re applying for, crafting a compelling personal statement is critical to standing out from the competition. Make sure your statement showcases your strengths and experiences in an engaging way that will make employers take notice. Following these guidelines and tips should help create a statement that stands out from the crowd! Good luck with your job search!

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

Explore All Write Personal Statement Articles

How to draft meaningful length of law school personal statement.

Are you confused on how to write a law school personal statement? One of the essential elements of your application…

• Write Personal Statement

Effective History and International Relations Personal Statement to Try

Are you considering studying history and international relations? Or you may be curious about what a degree in this field…

Guide to Quality Global Management Personal Statement

Are you applying for a global management program and want to stand out from the crowd? A well-written personal statement…

How to Draft Better Examples of Personal Statements for Residency

Achieving a residency can be a massive accomplishment for any aspiring medical professional. To secure your spot in one of…

Tips for Drafting a Free Example of Personal History Statement

A personal history statement can be crucial to many applications, from university admissions to job search processes. This blog will…

Writing Compelling Dietetic Internship Personal Statement

Applying for a dietetic internship is a rigorous process and requires submitting a personal statement, which is an essential part…

How to Write a Personal Statement for a Resume (with AI 🤖)

3 key takeaways 

• Learn how to craft a personal statement that defines your career goals, skills, and professional narrative.
• Discover the importance of tailoring your personal statement to a specific role.
• Understand how to leverage AI tools like Teal's AI Resume Builder to create and polish an effective personal statement.

You're skilled, ambitious, and ready to seize new professional opportunities. But so are many other job seekers.

So how can you stand out in a sea of applicants and make a lasting impact on hiring managers? That's simple : crafting a unique "Personal Statement" resume section that captures who you are as an individual—the "you-ness" that makes you an irresistible candidate.

The problem is that "simple" doesn't always mean "easy."

Luckily, by the end of this post, you'll be able to confidently write a resume personal statement for any opportunity that comes your way. 

Understanding personal statements on resumes and CVs

A personal statement is a concise paragraph or summary, similar to a resume headline , at the top of your resume. Its purpose is to articulate your career goals, highlight your skills, experiences, and what you can bring to the role.

This is a valuable opportunity to make a lasting first impression on the hiring manager or recruiter and stand out among the endless number of applicants you're likely competing with.

While building your resume, you may have also heard of a "professional statement" (sometimes called an " opening statement ") or a "resume objective." Though similar, they are subtly different from personal statements. 

Here's a breakdown:

Your resume's personal statement is a comprehensive declaration that outlines your career objectives and highlights your skills, experiences, and the unique value you can bring to a role. It provides a fuller picture of you as a professional, making it a great choice for experienced candidates with various skills and achievements they want to draw attention to. 

A resume professional summary , or short professional bio , is a concise summary that specifically targets your industry expertise and key achievements. It draws attention to your relevant professional experiences and successes. 

Typically, the resume summary statement is the ideal choice for seasoned professionals with a history of tangible results and accomplishments in their field.

A resume objective highlights your qualifications, but it's typically a straightforward declaration of your career goals, too. It's usually a bit shorter and focuses on what type of role or industry you want to work in. Resume objectives can benefit those who are at the beginning of their career or going through a career change, such as re-entering the workforce or transitioning between fields , and don't have an extensive track record to showcase.

The choice between a resume personal statement, professional statement, and a resume objective ultimately comes down to your career path and the specific requirements of the job you're eyeing. 

Once you've decided to write a compelling personal statement, you need to know the right way of going about it. 

How to write a personal statement for a resume

You'd think that writing about yourself would be easy. After all, who knows your past experiences and future ambitions better than you? 

And yet, it's those "About Me" resume sections and resume personal statements that are one of the most frustrating pieces of writing a resume; they're often the most impactful, too. Because, again, they're the hook that introduces the very uniqueness of you . 

Consider the following tips for writing a standout personal statement: 

1. Self-reflection: Look at your career goals, skills, resume bullets , current position, and any special value you bring to an organization. Reflecting on these aspects provides a solid foundation for your personal statement.

You might find it helpful to use a mind map or SWOT analysis to organize your thoughts. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, and it's a strategic planning tool used to evaluate these four aspects of a project or personal development.

This exercise will help you identify your resume strengths and selling points, providing a solid foundation for your personal statement.

2. Start with a strong opening: Your opening sentence should be compelling and immediately convey your professional identity. Think of it as your personal "elevator pitch." Here are some examples:

• Strong opening : "As a seasoned Project Manager with a decade of experience in the tech industry, I specialize in leading cross-functional teams to deliver complex projects on time and under budget. "
• Weak opening : "I'm a hard-working professional looking for a project management role."

The strong opening immediately establishes the individual's professional identity, highlighting their experience, industry, and key skills. On the other hand, the weak opening is vague and doesn't convey the person's unique value or area of expertise.

3. Align with the job description: Your personal statement should align with the role you're applying for. Read the job description carefully, then tailor your summary statement to highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to the role.

This is where Teal's Job Application Tracker and AI Resume Builder comes in. 

Leveraging the power of AI, Teal extracts and prioritizes the critical keywords, both hard and soft skills, present in the job description you're targeting.

Then, you can use AI to automate your personal statement: 

Create multiple versions of your professional summary using Teal’s AI integration feature within the AI Resume Builder.

Note: This feature is called "Professional Summaries," but it allows you to beat the blank page quickly. You can then tailor this to be more aligned with a professional statement to help you stand out.

Not only does this help you shape a compelling personal statement much more quickly, but it also gives you an edge with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) . Hiring managers often use ATS software to prioritize candidates based on keyword matching (though it's worth mentioning that this software never filters out applicants altogether). 

By using Teal's AI Resume Builder to incorporate the necessary hard skills , soft skills, and keywords into your personal statement, you increase your odds of standing out in the crowded job market.

Sign up for Teal's AI Resume Builder today!

4. Keep it concise: A personal statement should be brief and to the point. Aim for no more than 150 words or three to four sentences. The best way to approach this is to draft your personal statement without any word limit, then review and revise it, cutting out any fluff or unnecessary details. 

Ask yourself if each sentence is critical to the narrative and truly adds value. Remember, every word counts. Writing an effective personal statement requires careful thought and attention to detail. 

However, advances in generative AI can help streamline this process. 

What to avoid when writing a resume personal statement

When writing a personal statement, it's just as important to know what to steer clear of as it is to know what to include. 

So, here are some key points to keep in mind:

1. Being vague: Remember, your personal statement is your unique story. Generic phrases like "hard-working professional" or "team player" won't help you stand out. Instead, aim for specific details about your experiences and achievements that demonstrate these traits.

2. Using complex jargon: While you need to communicate your industry knowledge, a personal statement loaded with jargon can be off-putting and difficult to understand. Keep your language clear and concise.

3. Writing an autobiography: A personal statement isn't a full personal profile. It's not meant to be a comprehensive rundown of your life story. It should focus on relevant skills, experiences, and goals that align with the position you're applying for. 

If it doesn't add value to your application, leave it out.

4. Using third-person language: Your resume personal statement highlights your qualifications, experiences, and skills. Opt to write a resume personal statement in the first person point of view using words like "I," "my," and "me" to provide a more personalized and authentic perspective.

5. Ignoring the job description: Tailoring your personal statement to the specific role is crucial. If you're not aligning your skills and experiences with the requirements mentioned in the job description, you're missing an opportunity to demonstrate how well you fit the role.

Again, this is something that Teal's AI Resume Builder helps you with natively. 

6. Negativity: Your personal statement should reflect positivity and enthusiasm for the role you're applying for and the value you can bring. Avoid mentioning negative experiences or failures unless you can highlight what you learned from them. 

Here's an example of a negative vs. a positive personal statement: 

• Negative : "After a string of unsatisfying jobs and a career path that lacked direction, I'm now looking for an opportunity in a company that values its employees and provides clear career progression."
• Positive : "With a passion for employee engagement and a track record in driving positive workplace culture, I'm eager to bring my experience and enthusiasm to a forward-thinking company that values innovation and employee development."

In the negative example, the focus is on past dissatisfaction, which can give a negative impression to the reader. But the positive example emphasizes enthusiasm, experience, and a clear vision of what the applicant can bring to the role and company. 

It also subtly communicates past success (i.e., a track record in driving positive workplace culture) without explicitly resting on your laurels.

Resume personal statement examples

So now that you know the best practices for crafting a resume personal statement, let's take a look at a few personal statement examples broken down by industry and role level. We'll explore personal statements for job examples in the following fields: 

• Management 

Let's dive right into writing personal statements for sales roles. 

1) Sales roles

Entry-level: "A recent graduate of Business Administration with a passion for sales and demonstrated customer service skills. Earned top sales honors during internship experience and eager to bring my dedication and drive to a dynamic sales team."

• Analysis : This personal statement showcases a recent graduate's passion and early success in sales. It emphasizes their eagerness to contribute to a team and references the valuable experiences that have prepared them for a sales role.

Mid-level: "Sales manager with five years of experience in the retail sector and a record of exceeding sales targets by up to 40%. Proven ability to build relationships and improve customer satisfaction. Seeking to leverage my skills to enhance profitability and growth in a forward-thinking organization."

• Analysis : Here, the candidate highlights their successful sales track record and solid, relevant experience, key selling points for a mid-level position. The candidate also presents their goal, which aligns with the interests of prospective employers.

Senior-level: "Seasoned sales leader with over a decade of experience managing high-performing teams in the tech industry. Expertise in strategic planning, market research, and contract negotiation. Committed to driving revenue growth while fostering a supportive team environment."

• Analysis : As a good personal statement, this example positions the candidate as a seasoned leader with significant industry experience. It emphasizes the candidate's commitment to revenue growth and team development, two critical areas of interest for employers at this level.

Here's a side-by-side comparison of CV personal statements for Sales Managers

2) Marketing roles

Entry-level: "Creative and detail-oriented Marketing graduate with a solid understanding of social media strategies and branding. I have proven skills in project management from internships and campus activities. Seeking to apply my innovative thinking and leadership skills in a dynamic marketing team."

• Analysis : This personal statement example communicates the applicant's foundational marketing knowledge, creativity, and leadership abilities. It hints at a well-rounded candidate with theoretical understanding and some practical experience.

Mid-level: "Results-driven marketing professional with six years of experience in digital marketing. Specialized in SEO and content creation, consistently increasing web traffic by 35%. Looking to leverage my expertise to drive brand growth and visibility in a challenging role."

• Analysis : This statement reflects the individual's experience and accomplishments in the field of digital marketing. The candidate exhibits a clear specialty, proven results, and an ambition to drive growth, which is appealing for a mid-level role.

Senior-level: "Strategic Marketing Director with over 15 years of experience leading cross-functional teams in the FMCG sector. Proven track record in executing successful global marketing campaigns, driving sales growth, and building strong brand identities. Looking to leverage my experience to drive strategic growth in a dynamic organization."

• Analysis : Here, the emphasis is on the senior role's leadership and strategic experience. The candidate effectively highlights their proven success in executing global marketing campaigns and driving growth, which is essential for senior roles.

Read more about writing a strong personal statement as a Marketing Manager

Entry-level: "Organized and empathetic HR graduate with strong employee relations and recruitment knowledge. Successfully implemented a new employee onboarding process during an internship. Excited to apply my people skills in a dynamic HR team."

• Analysis : This statement showcases the candidate's theoretical knowledge and some practical experience in HR, emphasizing their achievements during an internship and their enthusiasm for applying their skills.

Mid-level: "HR professional with five years of experience in benefits administration and talent acquisition. Expert in aligning HR strategies with business goals. Seeking to leverage my people-centric skills to drive employee satisfaction and retention."

• Analysis : The candidate presents their expertise in essential HR functions and their ability to align HR strategies with business goals—key to a mid-level role.

Senior-level: "HR Manager with a decade of experience in creating and implementing HR policies and procedures. Proven ability to enhance organizational performance through implementing effective HR strategies. Eager to drive change management initiatives in a large-scale organization."

• Analysis : This statement highlights extensive experience in HR management, demonstrating the ability to improve organizational performance. This strategic focus is ideal for senior-level roles.

Management roles

Entry-level: "Motivated business graduate with proven leadership skills acquired through student council and team sports involvement. Demonstrated ability in team coordination and project management. Ready to bring my strong decision-making skills to a promising management role."

• Analysis : As a good personal statement this example offers a glimpse of the applicant's leadership and decision-making skills—critical attributes for a management role.

Mid-level: "Experienced manager with a strong record in managing teams of up to 20 in the logistics industry. Excellent problem-solving and communication skills that have been used to turn around underperforming teams. Seeking to leverage my managerial skills in a challenging new role."

• Analysis : This statement presents the candidate's proven managerial and problem-solving skills, making them a strong contender for a mid-level management role.

Senior-level: "Dynamic executive with over 15 years of experience in strategic planning and business development. Proven ability to drive profitability and build strategic partnerships. Seeking to leverage my leadership skills to inspire and drive a successful team."

• Analysis : Here, the focus is on strategic, high-level skills and achievements which are suitable for an executive role.

Entry-level: "IT recent graduate with strong theoretical knowledge in software development and database management. Completed an internship that honed my skills in network solutions. Excited to bring my technical skills to a dynamic IT team."

• Analysis : This statement provides a solid base of IT knowledge with a hint of real-world experience, making it ideal for an entry-level candidate.

Mid-level : "IT specialist with over five years of experience in systems analysis and design, networking, and server management. Proven track record in resolving complex IT issues within tight deadlines. Looking forward to applying my problem-solving skills in a challenging IT environment."

• Analysis : The candidate here showcases their experience and problem-solving skills, two significant selling points for mid-level IT roles.

Senior-level: "IT Director with a decade of experience in managing diverse teams and implementing IT strategies that support business objectives. Expertise in cloud computing and IT infrastructure development. Seeking to leverage my technical and leadership skills in a forward-thinking organization."

• Analysis : The statement effectively displays the candidate's leadership skills, strategic abilities, and technical expertise, fitting for a senior IT role.

Each of these examples of personal statements for resumes should provide you with a framework to create and personalize your own. But if you need some help, there's always AI in your corner.

How to tailor your personal summary with AI 

Thanks to Teal's AI Resume Builder , creating the perfect personal statement has never been easier. Our built-in generative AI provides an excellent starting point, producing a draft tailored to your career level and role in seconds.

However, a personal statement shouldn't be a cookie-cutter paragraph— it needs to be uniquely you . 

Here's how you can make it happen with Teal .

1. Use AI to start: Type in your desired role and let the AI generate a custom draft. This provides a solid base, saving you time in getting started and providing a structure to work with.

2. Implement a SWOT analysis: Recall our advice about self-reflection? Apply that here . Use the SWOT analysis to reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the desired job role. 

3. Revise the opening: Make the first line count. While AI provides a generic opening, you should edit it to make it more compelling. Remember, your opening line is your 'elevator pitch,' and it needs to stand out.

4. Tailor with keywords: Teal's AI Resume Builder automatically pulls critical keywords from the job description you're targeting, ensuring your personal statement aligns with what the employer is looking for. Just make sure these keywords naturally fit within your personal statement to maintain a coherent narrative.

In short, Teal is the easiest solution for creating personal statements as a unique resume personal profile. To see what you can do with Teal, we've crafted over 3,000 personal statement examples in our CV Samples collection . Take a look.

Final thoughts

Crafting a captivating personal statement on your resume is your golden ticket to making a memorable first impression. It's not just about what you say but how you say it, and that's where the distinction lies between good and great.

And what's even better? You don't have to do it alone. 

The AI Professional Summary feature is here to be your personal writing assistant. Are you ready to let your resume make an impact? 

Give Teal's AI Resume Builder a spin to try out the Professional Summary feature and see how quickly it improves your personal statement. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How can ai enhance the personalization of a resume's personal statement, what are the common pitfalls to avoid when using ai to write a personal statement for a resume, how long should an ai-assisted personal statement for a resume be.

Nathan Thompson

Related articles.

Curriculum Vitae (CV) Format: How To Get It Right [Examples]

What Is a Mini Resume & How To Write One [+ Examples]

How To Create a Scannable Resume: F-Pattern and Z-Pattern

TopStack Resume Reviews: Ratings & User Feedback

We help you find the career dream.

• Skip to main menu
• Skip to user menu

Sales Assistant Personal Statement

• CV Templates & Advice
• Customer Service

Are you searching for the perfect sales assistant role? Fish4jobs can help you to create a winning sales assistant personal statement to place at the top of your CV, to ensure that you land your dream role!

Your personal statement is your chance to shine, so use this 100-150 words to show off your skills, strengths and achievements in the sales sector. We recommend that you provide examples of how you match the job specifications, and show your desire for this particular sales assistant position.

For further advice and guidance, check out our  how to write a personal statement guide .

What to include in your Sales Assistant personal statement

Why you are applying for the role.

• Highlight what appealed to you about the sales assistant job role.
• Mention any experience you have of working as a sales assistant such as dealing with customers, handling transactions and sales.
• Provide information on other skills you have that relate to the role.

Your Education

• Provide any relevant subjects you have studied that can apply to the role.
• Mention your School/College/University that you attended.
• Provide information on your relevant qualifications.

Your sales assistance experience

• Mention previous sales assistant roles, and provide information on key responsibilities within the role.
• Highlight your daily tasks, objectives and how you managed your work.
• List any training you may have received in previous roles as a sales assistant.

Your visions of the future in the company

• Where do you see yourself working within the company.
• Mention where you want to take your skills.

Sales Assistant Personal Statement example

I am a very friendly and enthusiastic individual, who ensures that clients and customers receive the best customer service and satisfaction. In my past role as a sales assistant, I strived to achieve the best results daily, ensuring that my day-to-day tasks of greeting and serving customers, assisting with queries, replenishing stock and keeping the store tidy were completed to the highest standards. I am a fantastic people person, with great communication and listening skills, therefore, I am able to successfully assist customers with any requirements or requests they may have. I work extremely well in a team as well as alone as I am able to confidently deal with problems and use my initiative to overcome challenging situations. My previous experience in sales, coupled with my interest in X makes me the ideal candidate for this role.

See our Sales Assistant cover letter template for extra help with your application.

Related links

• Sales Assistant CV Template
• How to Write a CV
• How to Write a Personal Statement

Share this article

Related articles

New Year, New You: The 5 Top Industries on Fish4

The Fish4jobs Ultimate Jobseekers Guide

Investment Banker CV Template

Latest articles, optimising your job search: best application practices on fish4jobs, how to set up a job alert – optimise your job search with fish4jobs, from new hires to top performers: the key elements of successful talent onboarding.

How to Write a Strong Personal Statement

by Ruth Gotian and Ushma S. Neill

Summary .   

Whether applying for a summer internship, a professional development opportunity, such as a Fulbright, an executive MBA program, or a senior leadership development course, a personal statement threads the ideas of your CV, and is longer and has a different tone and purpose than a traditional cover letter. A few adjustments to your personal statement can get your application noticed by the reviewer.

• Make sure you’re writing what they want to hear. Most organizations that offer a fellowship or internship are using the experience as a pipeline: It’s smart to spend 10 weeks and $15,000 on someone before committing five years and $300,000. Rarely are the organizations being charitable or altruistic, so align your stated goals with theirs
• Know when to bury the lead, and when to get to the point. It’s hard to paint a picture and explain your motivations in 200 words, but if you have two pages, give the reader a story arc or ease into your point by setting the scene.
• Recognize that the reviewer will be reading your statement subjectively, meaning you’re being assessed on unknowable criteria. Most people on evaluation committees are reading for whether or not you’re interesting. Stated differently, do they want to go out to dinner with you to hear more? Write it so that the person reading it wants to hear more.
• Address the elephant in the room (if there is one). Maybe your grades weren’t great in core courses, or perhaps you’ve never worked in the field you’re applying to. Make sure to address the deficiency rather than hoping the reader ignores it because they won’t. A few sentences suffice. Deficiencies do not need to be the cornerstone of the application.

At multiple points in your life, you will need to take action to transition from where you are to where you want to be. This process is layered and time-consuming, and getting yourself to stand out among the masses is an arduous but not impossible task. Having a polished resume that explains what you’ve done is the common first step. But, when an application asks for it, a personal statement can add color and depth to your list of accomplishments. It moves you from a one-dimensional indistinguishable candidate to someone with drive, interest, and nuance.

Partner Center

Expert Advice: 17 Resume Tips for Sales Reps

Sales reps drive profits and overall success in nearly every industry, but truly talented salespeople are a rare commodity.

Still, even if you’re a born salesman , don’t assume you can waltz right into any open position. While your skills might put you at the front of the pack, you still need a stellar resume (better yet, a graphic resume) to get noticed .

To help us learn what works and what doesn’t in a sales resume, we spoke to Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and resume guru Melanie Diotte , the Chief Recruitment Officer and founder of Eximius Personnel , a recruitment firm specialized in placing sales and marketing professionals.

Have your sales job applications been vanishing into thin air? Read on for 17 resume tips that will land you more interviews, guaranteed .

Sales Resume Content: How to Sell Yourself

First things first, your name and contact information go at the top—that’s a given in any industry. But as a sales professional, you should put extra focus on the personal statement at the top of your resume.

Crafting Your Personal Statement

Think of your personal statement as an elevator pitch for yourself . Just like an elevator pitch for a product or service, your personal statement has to be short and powerful, and it’s crucial that it sets you apart from other candidates with similar experience.

There are a few ways to approach this. You can try a list of adjectives, a single sentence that describes your selling personality, or a description that explains your specialized experience relevant to the role. For example:

•     Personable, honest, and happy to help the team.
•     Driven to achieve sales goals with enthusiasm and technical prowess.
•     Motivated sales professional with extensive digital marketing experience.

This might be the hardest part of writing your resume—it’s like creating a tagline for a brand, and that brand is you.

Narrow down what you think are your most important assets and write some statements around them. Ask your current and past colleagues for advice on what differentiates you as a salesperson . People who know you and know sales will be the best ones to give you actionable feedback.

What Comes First: Experience or Education?

( Melanie Diotte,Chief Recruitment Officer, Eximius Personnel )

One bit of conventional resume wisdom that we’ve been told to throw out the window for sales positions is listing your education first. A large number of successful sales professionals either have an education that doesn’t directly relate to their role, or don’t have a formal degree at all.

According to Melanie, “ You should only list your degree first if it is highly relevant to the role , like if you’re going into sales at a lab and you have a science degree, or if you are fresh out of school and want hiring managers to see that your lack of experience is because you just graduated.” Otherwise, put your experience first.

When it comes to listing your education, you can leave off the date if you feel that it ages you. “ I suggest leaving off the date if your degree is more than ten years old ,” Melanie notes.

Results-Based Experience Is Best

One of the most common mistakes people make on sales resumes is just listing their job duties. That’s a waste of space and makes you blend in with every other applicant. Yes, it matters that you were on time and did your duties as assigned, but it matters more that you can show exactly what you achieved through concrete facts and figures .

Think numbers. You may not be able to say that you did a million dollars worth of sales last year, but can you list some figures that reflect growth, improvement, or impact to your company? Some of these dollar amounts might be confidential, but you can use percentages to add context to your experience. “Even if you can’t always put a number to your personal achievements, say that you were part of a team that did x, y, and z ,” says Melanie.

Always avoid cliches , too. You might be a hard-working “people person” who performed duties as assigned and has references available upon request, but none of those things should be listed on your resume. There’s an old adage about good writing: Show, don’t tell . Stick to showing people how you are awesome, not just telling them.

Related: What business leaders really look for when hiring a sales manager

You may be very proud of the coursework, school projects, volunteer experience, or other “extras” that fall outside of work experience on a resume, but you need to limit these entries to things that are directly relevant to the role .

If you did a project in college or took a class that is related to the industry or role for which you’re applying, include it. If your volunteer experience helped you gain a skill that you actually use in a sales role, list it. Otherwise, remember that a resume is just a first contact . You can explain more about your life experiences in your cover letter, on the phone, and in your face-to-face interview .

LinkedIn is a good place to list those “extra” things you’ve done . Hiring professionals use it and search for applicants there, so if they really care, they will find out that you walk dogs for the Humane Society or took a class on selling techniques.

Want to learn from the masters?

The Sell to Win Playbook  collects 55 of the best expert sales tips we’ve ever published. Download it today!

GET THE PLAYBOOK

Sales Resume Layout and Design

Once you have the right content for your resume, you need to present it in a way that’s easy to read and visually coherent.  You don’t have to limit your resume to just one side of a single page , but remember that space—and attention—is at a premium. If you’ve taken our advice and chopped out anything fluffy or irrelevant to the role, there’s no reason your resume should fill up two pages with 10-point text.

One of the most common resume questions we came across is whether it’s smart to include unique design elements, colors, and graphics in your resume to help it stand out. Hiring managers agree that  what’s  in  your resume is better than the pieces of flair you put  on  your resume .

It’s okay to choose a resume layout that’s a little visually interesting, but  stick to classic templates that are clear and easy to follow . If recruiters don’t know where to look for the highlights, they’ll miss all the key points that are hard to read or buried.

Put Away the Selfie Stick

Although including a photo of yourself in your resume used to be something people were warned against, Melanie is for it: “I think it helps make a personal connection,” she says.

Besides, there’s no hiding on the Internet. “If a recruiter or hiring manager wants to know what you look like, they can find out in seconds by checking LinkedIn.” Just make sure to  use a professional-quality headshot if you decide to put your face on your resume . No selfies allowed.

Word Doc vs. PDF: Which File Format Is Best?

Choosing a file format for your resume is another part of applying for a sales job that is fraught with uncertainty. When you’re creating your resume, most people use Microsoft Word. This way, it’s easy to edit as needed and you can quickly save the file as a PDF. Keep in mind that  some employers prefer a .doc format because they use applicant tracking systems that digitally import your information . These systems aren’t always able to read what’s in a PDF, but Microsoft Word .doc files are in the clear.

Melanie explained that some recruiters, however, want a PDF because they can read from a preview of the document without having to download the file, find it, and open it in another window. “ Sending a PDF ensures that your resume’s formatting won’t get wonky if the receiver has a different version of Word or doesn’t have the correct font installed .”

So which file format is best? Easy:  If the posting doesn’t specify,   send both . And if you’re thinking that you want to print a nice paper version to send to a hiring manager instead of emailing a digital one, don’t. It’s not efficient or practical. Paper resumes are a great leave-behind after an interview, but  stick to digital submission of your resume and cover letter . Save some trees.

What’s in a Name?

When naming your file, it’s tempting to keep “resume.doc” or “Jack Smith Resume 12-1-17” on your desktop to make it easy to find, but it’s not a good idea.  Every resume should be customized for the job you’re applying for .

You don’t want to make it sound like this is the same resume you’re sending to everyone, or the one you’ll send to every job listing this month. Some of your skills or experience will apply to one job or company but not be relevant to the next, so always optimize the content for the opening, and save a new file every time.

Melanie told us that it makes sense to  put the job title in the filename . “Recruiters might be going through hundreds or even thousands of resumes for the jobs they need to fill. Putting the job title or other identifiers in the filename is a huge help. You can even use phrases like ‘Bilingual Sales Rep’ instead of just your name, but keep it simple and easy to scan.”

Before You Send Your Resume

Finally,  proofread, proofread, proofread . Have a friend read over your resume. Pay a professional copy editor or resume expert to proofread your resume. Do what you have to do to ensure that your submission is clear, concise, and  totally free from errors .

And always do a reality check before you hit “send.”  You don’t want to send the wrong resume—or that pdf of how to make crème fraîche—to what could have been your dream job.

Nutshell is flexible enough to fit every sales model.

Choose the model that best fits your business and see how we help teams like yours close more deals.

LET’S GO!

Ready to try Nutshell for Free?

28 Best AI Chatbots for Your Business to Try

8 Best Free Texting Apps To Send and Receive Texts Securely

The Importance of Data Privacy and Compliance

How to calculate email marketing roi (and why you should), the best sales prospecting tools that integrate with your crm, 5 wordpress crm plugins that can help you close more deals.

Join 30,000+ other sales and marketing professionals. Subscribe to our Sell to Win newsletter!

This element relies on Javascript to run. Please enable Javascript in your browser for the best viewing experience. Visit our contact page if you have questions or are in need of assistance.

• Sales Director CV examples

The role of sales director is exciting and very lucrative.

To land a top sales job like this, you need an impeccable CV.

To help you create one,  here are 2 winning Sales Director CV examples and simple guide on how to create one.

Guide contents

• Structuring and formatting your CV
• Writing your CV profile
• Detailing work experience
• Your education
• Skills required for your Sales Director CV

CV templates 

Sales Director CV example

Head of Sales CV example

This a good example of a Sales Director CV which contains all of the information that an employer would need to know, and presents it in a well- structured, easy-to-read manner.

Take some time to look at this CV and refer to it throughout the writing of your own CV for best results.

Sales Director CV structure and format

Your CV is the very first impression you’ll make on a potential employer.

A disorganised, cluttered and barely readable CV could seriously decrease your chances of landing interviews, so it’s essential to make sure yours is slick, professional and easy to navigate.

You can do this by employing a clear structure and formatting your content with some savvy formatting techniques – check them out below:

Formatting Tips

• Length: While there’s no ‘official’ CV length rule, the majority of recruiters agree that less is more. Aim for two pages of A4 or less. This is just enough room to showcase your suitability to the role, without overwhelming recruiters with irrelevant or excessive content.
• Readability : Help out time-strapped recruiters by formatting your CV for easy reading. Using lots of bullet points and lists will help them to skim through your info, while clearly formatted headings will allow them to navigate towards the content which is most useful to them.
• Design: Your CV needs to look professional, sleek and easy to read. A subtle colour palette, clear font and simple design are generally best for this, as fancy designs are often harder to navigate.
• Avoid photos: Logos, profile photos or other images aren’t necessary and rarely add any value – save the space for written content, instead!

Build your CV now 

Structuring your CV

Divide your CV into the following major sections when writing it:

• Name and contact details  – Head your CV with your name and contact details, to let the reader know who you are and how to contact you.
• CV profile – A brief paragraph which summarises your skills and experience and highlights why you’re a good match for the role.
• Core skills list – A snappy, bullet-pointed list of your most relevant skills.
• Work experience – A structured list of your work experience in reverse chronological order.
• Education – A summary of any relevant qualifications or professional training you’ve completed.
• Hobbies and interests – An optional section, which should only be used if your hobbies are relevant to the jobs you’re applying to.

Now I’ll guide you through exactly what you should include in each CV section.

CV Contact Details

Kick-start your CV with your contact details, so recruiters can get in touch easily. Here’s what you should include:

• Mobile number
• Email address – Make sure it’s professional, with no silly nicknames.
• Location – Your town or city is sufficient, rather than a full address.
• LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL – Ensure they’ve been updated and are looking slick and professional.

Quick tip: Avoid listing your date of birth, marital status or other irrelevant details – they’re unnecessary at this stage.

Sales Director CV Profile

Your CV profile (or personal statement , if you’re an entry-level applicant) provides a brief overview of your skills, abilities and suitability for a position.

It’s ideal for busy recruiters and hiring managers, who don’t want to waste time reading unsuitable applications.

Think of it as your personal sales pitch. You’ve got just a few lines to sell yourself and prove you’re a great match for the job – make it count!

Tips for creating an impactful CV profile:

• Keep it brief: When it comes to CV profile length, less is more, as recruiters are often time-strapped. Aim for around of 3-5 persuasive lines.
• Tailor it: Recruiters can spot a generic, mass-produced CV at a glance – and they certainly won’t be impressed! Before you write your profile (and CV as a whole), read through the job advert and make a list of any skills, knowledge and experience required. You should then incorporate your findings throughout your profile and the rest of your CV.
• Don’t add an objective: You only have a short space for your CV profile, so avoid writing down your career goals or objectives. If you think these will help your application, incorporate them into your cover letter instead.
• Avoid cliches: Focus on fact, not fluff. Phrases like “Committed and enthusiastic thought-leader” and “Dynamic problem solver” might sound fancy, but they’ll do nothing for your application. Not only do they sound cheesy, but they have no substance – stick to real skills and facts

What to include in your Sales Director CV profile?

• Summary of experience: Demonstrate your suitability for your target jobs by giving a high level summary of your previous work experience, including the industries you have worked in, types of employer, and the type of roles you have previous experience of.
• Relevant skills: Highlight your skills which are most relevant to Sales Director jobs, to ensure that recruiters see your most in-demand skills as soon as they open your CV.
• Essential qualifications: Be sure to outline your relevant Sales Director qualifications, so that anyone reading the CV can instantly see you are qualified for the jobs you are applying to.

Quick tip: Even the best of writers can overlook typos and spelling mistakes. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to add pre-written content that has been created by recruitment experts, and proofread by our team.

Core skills section

In addition to your CV profile, your core skills section provides an easily digestible snapshot of your skills – perfect for grabbing the attention of busy hiring managers.

As Sales Director jobs might receive a huge pile of applications, this is a great way to stand out and show off your suitability for the role.

It should be made up of 2-3 columns of bullet points and be made up of skills that are highly relevant to the jobs you are targeting.

Work experience/Career history

Recruiters will be itching to know more about your relevant experience by now.

Kick-start this section with your most recent (or current) position, and work your way backwards through your history.

You can include voluntary and freelance work, too – as long as you’re honest about the nature of the work.

Structuring your roles

The structure of your work experience section can seriously affect its impact.

This is generally the biggest section of a CV, and with no thought to structure, it can look bulky and important information can get lost.

Use my 3-step structure below to allow for easy navigation, so employers can find what they are looking for:

Start with a 1-2 sentence summary of your role as a whole, detailing what the goal of your position was, who you reported to or managed, and the type of organisation you worked for.

Key responsibilities

Using easy-to-read bullet points, note down your day-to-day responsibilities in the role.

Make sure to showcase how you used your hard sector skills and knowledge.

Key achievements

To finish off each role and prove the impact you made, list 1-3 stand out achievements , results or accomplishments.

This could be anything which had a positive outcome for the company you worked for, or perhaps a client/customer. Where applicable, quantify your examples with facts and figures.

At the bottom of your CV is your full education section. You can list your formal academic qualifications, such as:

• GCSE’s

As well as any specific Sales Director qualifications that are essential to the jobs you are applying for. Note down the name of the qualification, the organisation at which you studied, and the date of completion.

Interests and hobbies

Although this is an optional section, it can be useful if your hobbies and interests will add further depth to your CV.

Interests which are related to the sector you are applying to, or which show transferable skills like leadership or teamwork, can worth listing.

On the other hand, generic hobbies like “going out with friends” won’t add any value to your application, so are best left off your CV.

Essential skills for your Sales Director CV

Tailoring your CV to the roles you are applying for is key to success, so make sure to read through the job descriptions and tailor your skills accordingly.

However, commonly desired Sales Director  skills include:

Sales planning: You must be able to create, define and implement sales plans to keep your teams on target

Forecasting and analysis: As a sales director, you’ll need to forecast sales results, pricing trends and analyse the performance of your team

Leadership: The role requires you to be a leader, so you’ll be expected to manage, motivate and empower your sales teams

Reporting: As well as producing monthly and quarterly sales reports, directors must also report on business opportunities in target markets

Sales pitching: You might be the sales director, but you still need to have and use the basic sales skills, such as pitching, if you hope to lead your team effectively

Writing your Sales Director CV

Creating a strong Sales Director CV requires a blend of punchy content, considered structure and format, and heavy tailoring.

By creating a punchy profile and core skills list, you’ll be able to hook recruiter’s attention and ensure your CV gets read.

Remember that research and relevance is the key to a good CV, so research your target roles before you start writing and pack your CV with relevant skills.

Best of luck with your next application!

• Career Center
• Job Prep Toolkit
• What is a resume
• Anatomy of a resume
• Sample Resumes
• Downloadable PDF Guide to Resumes & Cover Letters

WHAT IS A RESUME?

A resume is a brief and well organized document primarily used for internship and job applications. The goal of a well-written resume is to help you secure an interview and typically includes your education, as well as relevant qualifications, experiences, and accomplishments. It should also be tailored/targeted to the industry and position for which you are applying. Consider the following next steps:

• Familiarize yourself with the anatomy of a resume
• Learn to craft impactful and effective bullet points (a.k.a. Accomplishment-based statements - this is where you will likely spend most of your time
• Utilize VMock , our 24/7 A.I. resume tool to get started and/or receive instant feedback on an existing version of your resume
• Check out resume samples  based on major/industry clusters

ANATOMY OF A RESUME

QUICK TIPS:

• Create a “master resume” that includes all of your experiences so you can curate your one-pager(s) without having to write, delete, and rewrite each time .
• Consider “experiences” holistically (e.g. research, class projects, volunteer, athletics, leadership experience), not just formal internship roles or paid positions.
• Mirror the language you see in the internship/job description onto your resume.
• Consider including experiences that demonstrate top skills identified by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
• Prioritize the most relevant experiences in the top half of your resume.
• Consider the skill behind the task and connect that to what a recruiter/hiring manager is looking for (e.g. skilled in latte art - is it creativity, resourcefulness, and/or persistence behind the ability to create latte art? ).
• Quantify your bullet points when possible - this is a concrete way to demonstrate impact
• Use VMock to help with formatting and for instant, bullet-level feedback.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

For undergraduates, graduates, and new grads: one (most common) to two pages (max). Having trouble fitting everything into your resume? Get tips below , use VMock , and/or schedule a resume review!

Photo(s) of yourself, personal information such as immigration status, political and/or religious affiliation, and marital status. Learn more here

Don’t underestimate the value of your educational experiences and/or other involvement. Identify skills that you developed through those experiences that are transferable to the roles you’re interested in. Consider including sections like: Relevant Coursework, Projects/Lab Experience, Honors/Awards, and Senior Thesis/Design. Do you babysit? Walk pets? Work at Starbucks? Help neighbors fix their appliances? Great! You can frame these experiences in a way that surfaces your skills in time management, resourcefulness, being a quick learner, etc.!

In general, you should focus on your college experiences. High school information may be included for first or second years who might not have a lot of college activities or work experiences yet. Consider listing your high school if you are tapping into an alumnus from that high school or job searching in your hometown area.

• Possible ways to reduce the length include: reformatting, reducing margins to 0.5 all around, eliminating less relevant experiences, and consolidating accomplishments that are mentioned repeatedly across multiple positions.
• Possible ways to increase the length: see above .
• Use Google Docs and/or Microsoft Word
• Keep it simple
• Use tables/columns
• Use design platforms, such as Canva, to build your resume(s)
• *** The Applicant Tracking System ( ATS ) tends to not read resumes built in Canva or with tables/columns accurately.

Yes, but not for every individual job. Instead, have tailored resumes for different types of jobs. For example, if you are applying to software engineering and program management roles, you should have a different version of your resume for each.

• An ATS is a piece of software and tool that many companies use to organize and filter candidate applications, thus optimizing their recruitment process. When you upload a resume as part of an online application, an ATS system will scan your resume into an applicant database. It will scan your resume for keywords and phrases, which helps recruiters identify which applicants to focus on. Read more about how to customize your resume for ATS systems .

The most noticeable difference between a CV and a resume is the length. A resume is usually 1-2 pages, and a CV is often 3 or more pages. In the U.S. a resume is more common than a CV. A CV, often used in academia and internationally, is meant to provide a detailed, usually chronologically ordered, list of all of your achievements both academically and professionally. Common sections include research, publications, scholarly presentations, affiliations with professional associations, awards, etc. Applying to opportunities outside of the U.S.? Learn what different countries accept/prefer on GoinGlobal

SAMPLE RESUMES

Feel free to reference the following resume samples and tailor yours accordingly. Remember to make a copy of the guide before editing/adding notes. These are all “view only” documents.

Undergraduate

• Bucky Bronco Resume
• Accounting  
• Communications
• Engineering  
• Studio Art  
• First Year Bronco
• Study Abroad
• Credentials
• Counseling Psychology
• Grad Engineering

Disclosure Management

Your customers deserve better!

Deploy in days! GDPR Compliant DSR Portal

Data risk intelligence.

Privacy Risk Scanner Quick Scan. Real-time monitoring at regular intervals

Website Privacy Audit Annual "Website/Cloud/Tech Stack" Scan with Gap Analysis

Privacy HUB Multi-level scan on unlimited sites with workflows & vendor breach data

Consent Management

Cookie Compliance Powerful real-time cookie banners and opt-outs for E-Privacy Directive

Free Privacy Risk Scan

For privacy professionals.

DSAR Portal Deploy in days! Engage better!

DPIA Automation Survey module for risk assessments

Privacy Box From regulation to best practices..

Automated Data Mapping Scan thousands of data sources

Consent Management Real-time consent with audit trail

Consulting Services Expert advise and privacy solutions

For Marketing Professionals

Preference Manager Multi-channel preference management

For Developers

For Large Enterprises

Hybrid AI Rocks! Our comprehensive suite of professional services solutions deliver maximum value with minimal investments! IAPP members get special pricing! Contact us today.

Privacy Resources

Clarip Privacy Framework

Readiness Assessments

• RETAIL / ECOMMERCE
• SaaS / CLOUD FIRMS

Contact us Today!

California privacy laws – ccpa, shine the light, caloppa.

  California has the nation’s most advanced privacy laws, since it has been a leader in data privacy and security in the United States for some time. It was one of the first states to provide an express right to privacy in its constitution. It became the first state to enact a breach notification law in 2002. It is was the first state in the country to require online services collecting personal information to post a privacy policy. Because California is one of the world’s top ten largest economies, one out of eight Americans live there, and it is the home of many Silicon Valley technology companies, it plays an important role in setting privacy standards in the United States.

Here are overview of some of the leading California privacy laws:

  The Right to Privacy in California’s Constitution

Section 1 of the California Constitution declares that the people have inalienable rights including the right to privacy. The amendment providing this right to privacy was ratified by the voters in 1972. It was one of the more than 500 amendments or revisions to the California Constitution between 1911 and 1986.

  California Online Privacy Protection Act

CalOPPA was the first law in the nation to require commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. It went into effect in 2004. In 2012, the California Attorney General notified app providers that the law applied to mobile applications for smartphones and tablets collecting personally identifiable information. In 2013, the law was amended to require privacy disclosures regarding tracking of online visits.

  Shine the Light

This California law regulates businesses that disclose the personal information of customers to third parties for direct marketing purposes. It requires customers to be informed of the disclosures and carries a civil penalty of $3,000 for each violation. It became a law in 2003 when it was passed by the California legislature and signed by Governor Gray Davis. It went into operation on January 1, 2005.

  Privacy Rights for California Minors in the Digital World Act

The law allows minors to remove some online content they post and restricts certain types of online advertising to minors. It expands the online safeguards available from COPPA, the federal law protecting children online. Children under 18 years of age may request removal of content or information posted on a website or mobile app. Operatures must provide notice of the right to erasure and provide registered users who are minors clear instructions on how to exercise their right. The law also prohibits websites and mobile applications directed to minors from advertising or marketing alcoholic beverages, firearms, handguns, tobacco, dangerous fireworks, tanning beds, tattoos, aerosol paint containers and certain dietary supplements.

  California Consumer Privacy Act

GDPR-lite, as many people are referring to it already, was signed into law in June 2018 and goes into effect on January 1, 2020. It provides the right to access and delete personal information for California residents . It also provides the right to opt out from the sale of personal information by businesses to third-parties. For children under 16 years old, it requires businesses to provide the right to opt in to the sale of children’s data instead of the opt out right provided to adults.

  Improve Data Privacy for GDPR or CCPA with Clarip

The Clarip team and enterprise privacy management software are ready to meet your compliance automation challenges. Click here to contact us (return messages within 24 hours) or call 1-888-252-5653 to schedule a demo or speak to a member of the Clarip team.

If compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act is your focus until 2020, ask us about our CCPA software . Handle automation of data subject access requests with our DSAR Portal , or provide the right to opt out of the sale of personal information with the consent management software .

Need to improve your GDPR compliance solution ? Clarip offers modular GDPR software that can fill in gaps in your privacy program. Choose from the data mapping software for an automated solution to understanding your data collection and sharing, conduct privacy risk assessments with DPIA software , or choose the cookie consent manager for ePrivacy.

  Click here to contact us (return messages within 24 hours) or call 1-888-252-5653 to schedule a demo and speak to a member of the Clarip team.

• 1521, Concord Pike, Suite #301, Wilmington, DE 19803 USA
• 20 Montchanin Road, Suite 20, Greenville, DE 19807 USA
• Contact Online

  888-252-5653

• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Platform Overview
• Search the Privacy Database
• Report Privacy Violations
• Mobile Privacy Tips
• Key Features
• Signup FREE!
• Building Customer Engagement
• Platform Architecture
• IoT Readiness
• Privacy Certification
• SCHEDULE DEMO