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Table of contents

Sales associate resume examples
Related resume examples
Choose a format for your sales associate resume
How to write a sales associate resume in 5 simple steps
Should you add a cover letter?
Key takeaways for your sales associate resume
FAQs from job seekers

Are you persuasive and friendly, goal-oriented and a team player? If this describes you, then a career as a sales associate might be the ticket to your success.

Even with the right personality traits and a track record of success in sales, to land your next plum role you’re going to need a sales associate resume that makes recruiters and hiring managers stand up and take notice.

Creating one is easy. With the help of some easy-to-follow instructions on how to write a resume and some excellent sales associate resume examples for reference, the task can be much simpler than you think.

Here, you’ll learn exactly what you need to know to write an impressive sales associate resume in a matter of minutes.

Keep reading to learn more about:

Sales associate resume examples for applicants with and without experience.
What makes for a great sales associate resume example.
Tips for writing sales associate resumes.
What to include in every section of your resume.
How to choose the right resume template and format for the role.

Ready to write a resume now? Use our professional Resume Maker for step-by-step help writing every section.

Sales associate resume examples

Entry-level sales associate resume example

Resume entry level example sales associate

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What makes this a great sales associate resume sample?

Colorful resume template
Since this applicant has held two jobs in fashion retail, a colorful resume template helps her show off her sense of style to hiring managers.
Uses data and metrics
Despite having held only two past retail jobs, this sales associate applicant wisely uses data and metrics on her resume to show employers what her skills will bring to the table if hired.
Utilizes the right resume format
Since this applicant is applying for an entry-level role, she has chosen a functional resume format with multiple skills sections to highlight her transferable skills.

Experienced sales associate resume example

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What makes this a great sales associate resume sample?

Utilizes a chronological resume template
Since this candidate is highly experienced, he chose a resume format that will highlight his impressive work experience and place emphasis on his career progression from a part-time associate to a full-time sales manager.
Uses data and metrics
To showcase the impact his work has had, this applicant uses data and metrics that show the tangible results he’s had in each of his three sales roles.
Addition of special sections
This applicant has successfully acquired a certification as a sales professional. Adding this to his resume could help set him apart from other applicants.

Choose a format for your sales associate resume

To land the sales job you want, you need to get the right information in front of a recruiter. How do you accomplish that? By selecting the right resume format. Here’s how to decide which one is right for you:

Experienced applicants should consider a chronological resume format to highlight work experience and a strong career progression.
Applicants with little to no experience should consider using a functional resume format.
Midlevel applicants with three to five years of relevant experience should choose a combination resume format to showcase a balance of skills and work experience.

Visit our guide to learn more about how to format a resume to highlight your candidacy.

Selecting an appropriate resume template

Create your resume

While every resume template will have the same basic sections — a professional summary or resume objective, skills, work history and education — you can customize the look and feel of your resume by selecting the right template.

Since sales is a varied field, you should choose a versatile resume template, like one of our modern resumes or simple templates. So, whether you’re writing a fragrance sales associate resume or multiple sales associate resumes, these templates can be used for numerous opportunities.

How to write a sales associate resume in 5 simple steps

While there are some basic rules for writing a great resume, top candidates for competitive sales associate jobs know that the key to getting noticed is to write a resume that is specific to the industry and the role they seek.

Let’s learn how to accomplish this in the following sections.

Step 1

Study the job description

A well-written sales associate resume is customized to include keywords that show employers that you have what it takes to perform the role. Why is this important?

Many employers run resumes through applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen out unqualified candidates based on preset keywords. If your resume doesn’t contain the right keywords, you’ll be eliminated before a human ever sees your resume. To make your resume ATS-friendly, you’ll need to customize it to the job description. That’s why if you’re able to successfully incorporate the right keywords, you’ll improve your chances of landing a job interview.

The way to do that is to study the sales associate job description to get familiar with the requirements of the role.

While every sales associate role is different, a good job ad should tell you everything you need to know about which keywords to add to your sales associate resume. The key to success is to study the job description and make a list of critical keywords.

For example, if it’s a retail sales associate job description you’re looking at and it asks for customer service experience, strong communication skills and experience using point-of-sale (POS) software, you’ll want to be sure to use those exact words in your retail sales associate resume.

Look for opportunities in your professional summary, skills section and work experience section to add the keywords you’ve identified. Then, go through your resume and make sure that what you wrote matches the wording in the job description so the ATS recognizes it.

It may sound like a lot, but once you get used to the process, it should only take you a few minutes to do and will get your sales associate resume better results than if you don’t tailor it.

Step 2

Write a professional summary or resume objective

Depending on your level of experience, your sales associate resume should include either a professional summary or a resume objective at the top of the page. Think of this section as your resume profile, where you provide potential employers with a summary of your most relevant skills and experience and some professional highlights.

Applicants with less experience should choose a resume objective, which highlights your transferable skills and your career goals. Applicants with more direct experience in a sales associate role should use a professional summary, which outlines your skills and experience and highlights some of your most notable professional accomplishments. Regardless of which you choose, your resume should include the skills outlined in the sales job description.

Here are some strong examples for your sales associate resume:

Sales associate objective example:

Highly motivated and enthusiastic individual with a passion for providing exceptional customer service seeking first role as a sales associate. Strong willingness to learn and grow in the sales industry. Skilled in communication, problem-solving and building positive relationships. Eager to leverage exceptional interpersonal skills and a customer-positive attitude to contribute to the success of a dynamic sales team.

Sales associate professional summary example:

Results-driven and accomplished sales associate with a proven track record of success in the retail industry and seven years of experience. Consistently ranked among the top 5% of sales associates within the company for surpassed sales targets while achieving remarkable customer satisfaction scores. Adept at building strong client relationships and utilizing a consultative selling approach to identify customer needs and recommend tailored solutions. Possess a deep understanding of sales techniques and market trends to contribute to revenue growth. Highly skilled in team collaboration, sales analysis and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

Step 3

Highlight your most relevant sales associate skills

Regardless of your experience level, hiring managers will be looking closely at the sales associate resume skills you list. Skills for a sales associate resume should be added to your resume skills section and peppered into your professional summary (or resume objective) and your work experience section.

It’s critical that you provide employers with a solid mix of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are the measurable skills needed to perform a job. These skills are easily taught in a classroom. Soft skills, on the other hand, are nontechnical, making them difficult to measure. They are behaviors and personality traits that help you do your job well.

Below, we provide a side-by-side list of hard and soft skills to help you see the difference between the two.

Hard and soft skills for a sales associate resume

Hard Skills

POS software
Microsoft Office
Sales strategy development
Sales data analysis
Product knowledge
Salesforce software

Soft Skills

Communication skills
Time management
Customer service
Attention to detail
Team collaboration
Adaptability

Here is an example of a strong sales associate skills section:

Proficient in use of POS systems, including Square and Stripe
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Goal-oriented
High attention to detail
Strong customer service skills

Pro tip

Most sales jobs require interacting with the public, which makes soft skills very important to list. Employers seek out candidates who already possess these skills because they are difficult to teach.

Step 4

Write a strong sales associate work experience section

While the required background and experience will be different for each role, the key to getting noticed is writing a work experience section that demonstrates what you will bring to the table.

Here is an example of a great sales associate work experience entry:

Sales Associate, Target – New York, NY
1/2018 – Present

Greet and engage customers in a warm and friendly manner, providing exceptional customer service and ensuring a positive shopping experience for all patrons.
Assist customers in locating products, answer inquiries and offer product recommendations based on individual needs, resulting in an 8% increase in upselling and cross-selling opportunities.
Operate the point-of-sale (POS) system accurately to process sales transactions, handle cash and process credit card payments, maintaining an error-free record and contributing to efficient checkout processes.
Consistently achieve and surpass daily and weekly sales targets, receiving recognition for meeting sales goals 89% of the time.
Assisted in setting up seasonal displays and promotional events, contributing to a 12% increase in foot traffic and sales during peak periods.

Pro tip

Make your sales associate credentials pop by using action words, and numerical data and metrics in your work experience section to show the impact of your contributions and to capture the attention of a hiring manager.

Step 5

Showcase your education and training on your sales associate resume

To be hired as a sales associate, you’ll need to show employers that you have the required education and training. If you have a college degree, be sure to list it on your resume. If you don’t have one, just list your high school education. There is no need to list your year of graduation unless you are a very recent grad.

While most sales assistant roles don’t require a college degree, some applicants might list an undergraduate degree for this role.

How to list your sales associate education:

Education

Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration
San Francisco State University – San Francisco, CA

Pro tip

If you have professional certifications or special training, add them to your resume. You can include them in your education section or add a special section to your sales associate resume.

Optional sections for your sales associate resume

Awards and honors

Showcasing accolades on your resume is a smart way to show off your abilities, achievements and qualifications. Sales is all about numbers and volume so including awards for exceptional performance or leadership can be a real boon to your sales associate resume.

The addition of honors and awards on your resume sets you apart from other contenders by showing the employer you are truly dedicated to your field and capable of making significant contributions to their organization, which ultimately will increase your chances of landing the job.

Here’s how to list awards on your sales associate resume:

2021 Sales Achievement Award, Anthroplogie – New York, NY
2018 Team Player Award, Target – Bronx, NY
2017 Product Knowledge Excellence Award, Gap – New York, NY

Languages

Languages offer an excellent opportunity to demonstrate cultural awareness and adaptability, which are greatly valued in today’s global job market. Being multilingual enhances your communication skills, providing access to a diverse range of clients, customers and stakeholders, while also opening doors to international prospects.

Moreover, proficiency in multiple languages signifies impressive mental agility and determination. When two candidates are evenly matched in all other aspects, having multiple languages listed on their resume makes the multilingual candidate more appealing to employers.

How to list languages on your sales associate resume:

Fluent in Chinese and English
Proficient in Spanish

Interests and hobbies

Adding hobbies to your resume is appropriate as long as they’re relevant to the job. They offer an opportunity to show your personality and meaningfully connect with a potential employer. Plus, they emphasize your transferable skills, like creativity or leadership — qualities you take from job to job.

Finally, hobbies and interests can demonstrate whether you’re the right culture fit for a company. They enrich your overall profile, showing the employer how you are a unique and fully defined person.

How to list interests and hobbies on your sales associate resume:

Passion for fashion week
Loves giving men and women’s wardrobe a makeover
Avid reader of fashion magazines, staying on top of latest trends

Should you add a cover letter?

Create your cover letter

Absolutely! Adding a sales associate cover letter to your application can help you stand out. Why? Because it gives you extra space to convince the employer that you’re the right person for the job.

Learning how to write a cover letter for a sales associate job starts with studying our library of cover letter examples to learn how to showcase your credentials in a compelling way. It also shows you how to format your cover letter to make it look great.

Or, if you want a job-specific cover letter in a matter of minutes, use our professional Cover Letter Builder, which offers professionally written text suggestions for every section. Use the wording as-is or customize it to suit your needs.

Key takeaways for your sales associate resume

Go through your resume step by step

Ensure you write all five sections of your resume in a way that is specific to the job you seek. Your professional summary, skills, work experience and education section should all contain information that is targeted to the job ad.
Select the appropriate format

Decide what you’d like to emphasize the most on your sales associate resume — strong skills, an impressive work history or both — then select the resume format that will help you put your best foot forward.
Be specific to the role

Use specific information from the job ad rather than generic resume filler when crafting your document. Again, a well-written job description will tell you the critical credentials you must emphasize on your resume.
Include both hard and soft skills

Being a sales associate requires a mix of technical and personal skills to do the job well. Study our list of hard and soft skills to be sure that you include a balance of both types in your resume.
Make your work experience section shine

Accomplish this by using action verbs, data and metrics to show the impact of your work.
Choose an appropriate template

Sales is a varied field that exists in creative environments and conservative workplaces alike. If you’re applying for a job at a conservative organization, you’ll want to choose a conservative resume design. For creative fields like merchandising and retail, your sales resume can be more colorful and creative
Add a cover letter

Including a well-written sales associate cover letter can increase your chances of landing a job interview.

FAQs from job seekers

Last Updated: July 07, 2024

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Heather is the Content Strategy Manager for Resume Now and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with more than ten years of experience writing about job search and career topics. She is based in San Francisco.