How To Write A Strong Sales Resume Summary: Plus Examples

Updated 10 August 2023

A resume summary helps professionals highlight the skills, accomplishments and qualifications that are relevant to an available position. As this summary is one of the first sections a recruiter may see on a resume, it can help create a good first impression on the recruiter. If you are planning a career in sales, knowing how to create an impelling summary can help you distinguish yourself from other candidates. In this article, we discuss the meaning of a sales resume summary, look at the steps for writing one, understand the benefits and refer to a few examples of resume summaries for sales jobs.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

What Is A Sales Resume Summary?

A sales resume summary is a short paragraph highlighting your resume's key points. It is usually three to four sentences long and comes after your contact details at the top of your resume. Recruiters use this section to get an overview of your profile and determine whether you are a potential candidate before reading the complete document. You can use this section to highlight your key accomplishments and skills and describe your next potential opportunity. Writing this section well can help you ensure recruiters notice your resume and improve your chances of getting selected.

How To Write An Impressive Sales Resume Summary

A strong resume summary highlighting the most relevant information can improve your chances of getting the job. Here is a step-by-step guide you can follow to write a summary for a sales resume:

1. Read and understand the job description

The first step before writing your resume summary is to read the job description carefully. This can help you identify what the recruiters are looking for in their ideal candidate. You can then create your resume summary to match the requirements in the job description directly. Identify any keywords from the job description to include in your summary to make it more relevant. If you are applying for multiple jobs, you can modify your summary to customise it to the open position.

2. Learn about the company

Once you review the requirements for the job from the job description, the next step is to know about the company. This step can help you understand their objectives, values and vision. Knowing these details can help you create a resume summary that matches the company's style and brand voice. You can use your resume to highlight your values or objectives that align with the company.

Doing this shows the hiring manager you are a good candidate that matches their organisational culture even before interviewing you. For example, if the organisation's objective is to make technology accessible to everyone, you can highlight how you can contribute to the goal using your sales expertise. You can mention your experience selling to other corporate clients or individual users. This shows the employers that you can ensure the technology they produce reaches the end user.

3. Identify your key skills, accomplishments and experience

After learning what the company wants in a candidate, the next step is to determine what you can include in your resume. Think about the skills, work experience and accomplishments that can directly contribute to the company's objectives. Write down all the information you want to include in the other sections of your resume, and pick only the ones most relevant to the job description to add to the summary.
For example, if an organisation is looking for an assistant sales manager, highlight the number of years you have led sales teams at your previous job. If you pursued a post-graduate degree in sales, mentioning the qualification can show the recruiter that you are a certified professional and have undergone formal training. If other candidates are applying for the job without a professional degree, mentioning your educational qualification may increase your chances of hiring managers shortlisting your profile.

4. Write the resume summary

The last step of the process is to write a professional summary. With all the information you have gathered, create a structure for the summary. Start by stating the total number of years you have worked as a sales professional, followed by general experience. Then mention your most significant accomplishment as a sales professional and how you contributed to the organisation. The last part of the resume summary states your reason for looking for a new job and how it contributes to your long-term goal.

Example: Dedicated Sales Associate with three years of experience selling SaaS solutions to businesses. Awarded the most-efficient salesperson of the year by my previous company for having the highest number of sales every month for 12 months. Looking for an opportunity in a customer-facing role where I can contribute directly to revenue generation while also learning about consumer behaviour and purchase journeys.

What Are The Benefits Of Writing A Resume Summary?

Here are the benefits of including a summary of your resume:

Makes your resume easy to read: A summary makes your resume scannable and easy to read. Recruiters can get an overview of your career by reading a resume summary.
Allows you to highlight your skills: You can use your resume summary to highlight your most significant accomplishments and show the recruiter why you may be the best candidate for the job.
Helps your profile get noticed: As the resume summary appears at the top of a document, it allows recruiters to notice your most important qualities before reading the complete document. When there are many applicants for a position, an impressive resume summary can help increase your chances of hiring managers shortlisting your application.
Summarises your resume: As resumes can be lengthy, including a summary allows you to summarise the most important information at the top. You can use this section to give the recruiter an outline of your career and experience.

Examples Of Resume Summaries For Different Sales Positions

Before you write your resume summary, looking at some sample summaries can help you generate ideas or get inspired. Here are some examples of resume summaries:

Example 1

Highly motivated, driven, data-oriented sales professional with 10 years of experience in B2C sales and an MBA degree with a focus on sales and marketing. Contributed to an increase in revenue generation through sales by 15% in my previous company. Looking forward to working in a data-driven environment where I can contribute to the growth of the company with my interpretations and ideas.

Example 2

A seasoned sales professional with 15 years of experience in direct sales, account management and customer service. Recognised as a fierce sales professional with a 90% conversion rate. Grew the revenue generated through existing clients by 45% and helped return past clients to the company. Eager to contribute to strategy and sales planning in a fast-paced and challenging corporate environment.

Example 3

Target-oriented Sales Executive with five years of experience selling medical equipment to doctors and practitioners. MBA in sales and marketing with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Looking for a higher position in an organisation where I can aid in the strategic decisions of the company while also contributing to the revenue through direct sales.

Example 4

Customer-centric, empathetic budding sales professional who believes in selling solutions to problems. Achieved a sales figure of 10 million by bringing 15 new clients to the previous company and onboarding them successfully. Helped improve customer acquisition by 35% in one year.

Example 5

Sales and marketing graduate with several experiences in sales and marketing roles in well-known companies like Abzton Ltd. Demonstrated strong communication skills, negotiation abilities and determination at every sales project. Looking forward to working in an organisation where I can learn from practice and achieve my career objective while also contributing actively to the goals of the company.