8 Expert Tips to Write a Sales Manager Resume That Gets You Hired in 2024

Are you an accomplished sales professional eager to take the next step in your career and transition into a sales management role? Crafting a compelling resume is critical to getting your foot in the door with employers.

But what makes a sales manager resume stand out from the hundreds of others applying for the same coveted positions? As a seasoned marketing and sales leader who has reviewed countless resumes myself, I‘m here to share my top tips and examples for writing a sales manager resume that will get you hired in 2024.

Understand What Employers Are Looking For

Before we dive into the specifics of writing your resume, it‘s important to understand what hiring managers and recruiters are actually looking for when filling sales manager roles.

According to a survey by TopResume, the top things employers want to see on resumes are:

  • Relevant keywords from the job description (43%)
  • Accomplishments/achievements (39%)
  • Relevant work experience (38%)
  • Specific technical and soft skills (28%)

In terms of the actual sales manager role, employers are seeking candidates who can demonstrate:

  • Proven success as an individual contributor hitting and exceeding quota
  • Experience managing, coaching and mentoring a team of sales reps
  • Ability to develop and execute strategic sales plans
  • Analytical skills in forecasting, reporting and monitoring KPIs
  • Excellent communication, leadership and interpersonal skills

Keep these broad qualifications in mind as you write every section of your resume, from the summary down to your skills. Be sure to customize your resume for each role by mirroring the language and requirements in the job description.

Hook Them With Your Professional Summary

The professional summary is your first impression to grab the hiring manager‘s attention. But many candidates waste this valuable real estate on their resume with vague, generic or uninspired statements. Instead, treat your summary like a movie trailer – entice the reader by highlighting your most impressive and relevant accomplishments.

Here‘s a simple formula I recommend:

Adjective + Level of Experience + What You Do + Key Accomplishment(s)

For example:

"Results-driven sales leader with 7+ years of experience managing high-performance sales teams. Proven track record of developing and executing strategic plans to consistently exceed revenue goals, including driving 25% year-over-year growth."

"Motivational sales manager with 10+ years in SaaS sales. Passion for coaching and mentoring reps to achieve their full potential. Built sales onboarding program from the ground up resulting in 35% increase in new hire retention and productivity."

"Analytical sales management professional highly skilled in sales forecasting, planning and operations. Overhauled Salesforce CRM implementation to provide greater pipeline visibility and increase forecast accuracy by 20%."

Quantify Your Impact in Work Experience

The work experience section is the meat of your resume and needs to clearly convey the impact you had in previous roles. Don‘t just list your day-to-day responsibilities or copy and paste bullet points from your job description. Focus on your most noteworthy and relevant accomplishments.

Whenever possible, quantify your contributions and provide specific metrics. This gives employers a much more concrete idea of the value you added versus vague statements. For example:

  • Weak: "Managed a sales team and helped grow revenue"

  • Strong: "Led a 10-person sales team to achieve 150% of quota, growing revenue from $5M to $8M"

  • Weak: "Oversaw sales training and onboarding"

  • Strong: "Designed and implemented a comprehensive sales training program resulting in 90% of new reps hitting quota within first 90 days"

If you don‘t have hard numbers for every bullet point, you can still provide specific details around your process, the stakeholders you worked with, tools you used and the outcome. The key is to show you took ownership and added value.

Some questions to consider as you write your bullets:

  • Did you exceed your quota or goals? By how much?
  • Did you secure any major clients or deals? What was the size/scope?
  • Did you help improve any sales processes or implement new tools/systems? What were the results?
  • Did you mentor or train any reps who went on to get promoted or achieve success?
  • Did you lead any cross-functional initiatives or special projects? What was the impact on the business?

Highlight Your Most Relevant Skills

When it comes to your skills section, focus on those that are most relevant and valuable for a sales management role. This includes a mix of both sales-specific skills as well as general leadership and management abilities.

Some key skills to consider featuring:

  • Sales strategy and planning
  • Forecasting and budgeting
  • Pipeline management
  • Performance management
  • Coaching and mentoring
  • Recruiting and hiring
  • Training and development
  • Process improvement
  • Cross-functional collaboration
  • Change management
  • Presentation and public speaking
  • Problem-solving
  • Time management

Be as specific as possible and look for opportunities to provide an example or context for how you‘ve applied that skill. For example:

"Sales coaching: Implemented a weekly 1:1 coaching program with each rep on my team resulting in 25% higher attainment of quota"

If you have experience with any specific tools or methodologies, include those as well, such as:

  • Salesforce CRM
  • HubSpot CRM
  • Outreach
  • SalesLoft
  • MEDDIC/MEDDICC
  • Challenger Sales
  • Sandler Sales
  • SPIN Selling

Use a bulleted list format to make this section easy to read. Aim for around 10-15 of the most crucial skills.

Show Off Your Sales Leadership Education

For a sales management role, employers want to see that you‘ve invested in your own education and professional development beyond just your on-the-job experience. This can include:

  • Bachelor‘s or master‘s degree in business, marketing, communications or related field
  • MBA
  • Sales certifications (e.g. Certified Sales Executive, Certified Inside Sales Professional, HubSpot Inbound Sales)
  • Sales leadership courses or training programs
  • Conferences and seminars

Include the name of the degree, certification or program, where you earned it from, and the year completed. If you undertook a program that required a major project, thesis or capstone, you can include a brief description of that as well.

Choose the Right Resume Template

While the content of your resume is paramount, the design and formatting also play a role in making a positive first impression. Choose a polished, modern template that reflects your personal brand and allows your experience to shine.

Some key elements to look for in a template:

  • Simple, clean design with ample white space
  • Easy-to-read, professional font (stick to classics like Arial, Calibri, Georgia, Helvetica)
  • Logical section headings and flow
  • Consistent formatting of fonts, font sizes, colors, bullet points
  • Option to include links to LinkedIn, personal website or portfolio

Avoid templates that are overly flashy or gimmicky with bright colors, graphics or photos. Let your accomplishments speak for themselves.

Here are a few examples of sleek, no-nonsense templates I recommend:

Customize for Each Role

One of the biggest mistakes I see sales professionals make is sending out the exact same generic resume for every job they apply to. Even if you‘re applying for similar sales manager roles, every company and role is unique.

Take the time to tailor your resume to the specific job description and company. This includes:

  • Using the same language and terminology as the job posting
  • Highlighting your most relevant experience and accomplishments based on their requirements
  • Demonstrating your knowledge of their products/services, target customers, company mission and values
  • Personalizing your professional summary to emphasize how you would add value to their sales organization

Taking an extra 10-15 minutes to customize your resume can make a world of difference in showing the employer you‘ve done your homework and are truly excited about the opportunity.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

It should go without saying that your resume needs to be error-free. But in my experience, even the most detail-oriented professionals can let typos or inconsistencies slip through the cracks when they‘ve been staring at the same document for hours.

Before hitting submit, give your resume a final careful review to check for:

  • Spelling and grammar mistakes
  • Consistent tenses
  • Consistent formatting (e.g. periods at the end of every bullet or none)
  • Accurate and up-to-date information (e.g. no outdated stats or old company names)

It‘s also a good idea to have a trusted friend, colleague or mentor give it a second look. A fresh set of eyes can often more easily spot areas for improvement.

FAQs About Sales Manager Resumes

Let‘s wrap up by addressing some of the most common questions I hear about creating standout sales manager resumes:

How long should a sales manager resume be?

Aim for 1-2 pages max. Focus on the last 10-15 years of experience and cut out any irrelevant positions or dated skills. If something doesn‘t directly support your qualifications for the role, leave it out.

Do I need to include a cover letter?

A compelling cover letter can be a great way to add color to your resume and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role. However, if the application doesn‘t require one, focus your energy on making your resume as strong as possible.

What if I don‘t have direct sales management experience?

Highlight transferable skills and experience, such as leading projects, collaborating cross-functionally, mentoring or training colleagues. Emphasize your initiative in taking on leadership responsibilities as an individual contributor.

How can I make my resume ATS-friendly?

Many companies use applicant tracking systems to automatically scan and filter resumes. To improve your chances of making it through:

  • Use standard section headings (e.g. Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education)
  • Avoid images, charts or unusual fonts
  • Include relevant keywords from the job description
  • Save and submit your resume as a .docx or PDF

How often should I update my resume?

Even if you‘re not actively looking for a new role, aim to update your resume at least 2-4 times per year. Keep a running document of your accomplishments, results and new skills to easily plug in. You never know when an exciting new opportunity may come along.

By following these tips and putting in the time and effort to craft a tailored, compelling resume, you‘ll be well on your way to landing your dream sales manager job. Remember, your resume is often your first and only chance to make a great impression – so make it count!

If you‘re feeling stuck or need some extra guidance, don‘t hesitate to reach out to a trusted mentor or consider working with a professional resume writer. Sometimes an outside perspective can provide valuable insights and help you better market yourself.

No matter where you are in your sales management job search, keep at it and don‘t get discouraged. With persistence, a positive attitude and a standout resume in hand, your perfect role is within reach.

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