Best Sales Representative Resume Examples for 2026

1. Sell yourself from the start

After your header, the very first element of your resume is your personal statement. This is your elevator pitch, a short paragraph where you describe your skills and experience. It’s your first and possibly only opportunity to make an impression on the reader, so you should make the most of it.

A great sales representative resume example summary might be this: “Enthusiastic sales representative looking to use interpersonal skills and industrial supplies knowledge at Brown Manufacturing. 2+ years of sales experience include maintaining profitable client relationships and exceeding sales goals by 15%.”

This summary is short and sweet, and effective. It lists two significant accomplishments and uses hard numbers that will attract attention. It mentions the candidate’s relevant skills and their time in the industry. Finally, it specifically names the company for which they’re applying. That says they took the time to customize their resume.

2. Edit your resume for every job

Every industry needs sales representatives. You might be applying for positions in wildly different industries at the same time. It’s in your best interest to edit your resume for each of these potential jobs.

Why take that time? It’s because employers will notice if your resume isn’t relevant to them. Your domain knowledge about construction equipment won’t matter if you’re applying for a pharmaceutical sales position, after all. Read the job posting and tailor your resume to highlight your most relevant responsibilities in past jobs.

3. Include your most relevant skills

People are often tempted by the potential earnings of sales representative positions. Underqualified candidates are the majority of applications for some of these jobs.

Hiring managers will separate the wheat from the chaff by using ATS to select only resumes that include certain keywords.

Adding a sales representative resume skills section allows you to neatly add those keywords to your resume. You’re selling your skillset, so make sure you pitch it correctly. ‌

The skills section also lets hiring managers quickly skim your resume. If your document lists the abilities they need under a dedicated header, you’re more likely to be chosen for an interview. You’ve made their job easier, so you’re already helping them solve problems.

4. Use active language

Which catches your attention more: the phrase “responsible for customer service” or “responded to customer inquiries and offered solutions”? The second one is more precise and uses stronger verbs. Remember, your resume is an opportunity to sell yourself. You wouldn’t use vague words in your sales pitch, so you should avoid them in your resume.

Phrases to avoid are:

• ‌Responsible for
• ‌Participated in
• ‌Attended
• ‌Worked with

‌Instead, use action verbs such as:

• ‌Managed
• ‌Achieved
• ‌Acquired
• ‌Built
• ‌Organized
• ‌Coordinated
• ‌Raised
• ‌Lowered

‌These explain exactly what you did, not just that you were present while work was happening.

5. Always proofread your resume

The last step of your application process should be proofreading and formatting your resume until it’s error-free. A polished document makes a much better impression than a resume filled with typos or mistakes. The extra time helps you demonstrate your dedication to the task at hand.‌

Don’t rely on spell-check either. Step away from the document for a while so you can read it with fresh eyes. You can also have a friend or colleague check it for you. You may be surprised at the mistakes you missed while staring at the page too long.