Candidate resource

Sales resumes: don't waste the space

A sales resume should prove what you sold, who you sold it to and the impact you had. Keep your title and dates, then use the space for the business, the products, the markets and clients, and your wins backed by numbers. Short, sharp bullet points beat long paragraphs.

I recruit in building products, lighting and A&D. The rules work for any sales resume.

Start the checklist Rather have AI do the heavy lifting? Open the Resume Builder

Cut the obvious

Keep your job title and dates. But most sales resumes fall flat by listing the obvious and missing what's important.

Managed customer relationships

Grew key accounts

Kept CRM up to date (you and everyone else)

These are expected from your title. If that's all you've got, it's time for a change.

What to include in a sales resume, role by role

Run every role on your resume past this list.

0 of 9 covered

Title, dates, location and territoryPosition, title, dates, location and the area you looked after.

What you soldNot every company you've worked for is well known or tied to the product you sold. Spell it out.

Markets you sold intoCommercial, residential, A&D, civil, industrial. Say which.

Who you dealt withC-level, end users, specifiers, builders, distributors. B2B or B2C.

Your responsibilitiesDirect and indirect reports, P&L accountability, product development, product management, marketing.

Major wins and projects, with the valueShow a track record. Name the client and the project where you can.

Other achievementsFinancial wins, personal awards, anything that shows impact.

Budgets, targets and KPIsWhat you were measured on, and how you went against it.

Tools and softwareWhere it matters: Salesforce, SAP, MYOB, V6, Microsoft Office, Excel.

How to write each role

1.Open with a brief overview of the business. Size, scope, industry.
2.Outline the products or services, target markets and key clients.
3.Back your achievements with numbers. Percentage growth, revenue won, clients landed.
4.Make projects notable. Key wins, the clients involved, measurable outcomes.
5.Include budgets, KPIs, awards and anything else that shows your impact.

Keep it short and sharp

I love bullet points. Keep it short, sharp and easy to read.

Leave off the fluff. Your street address, your kids and your hobbies don't win you an interview.

Your resume isn't the only thing they read

LinkedIn profile

Treat it as a live resume that hiring managers and recruiters can search. Add your missing roles, with bullet points under each one and in your About section: industry keywords, key projects, major wins and clients.

Build it with the LinkedIn Profile Builder

Open to opportunities

Set your LinkedIn profile to Open to Opportunities. You don't need the green banner. The setting makes it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find you.

Seek profile

Add as much detail as you're comfortable with, set it to allow downloads, and include your salary expectations.

Your network

Nothing to lose here. Tell the people you trust you're looking.

Got the list? Now let AI do the typing.

The Resume Builder uses two prompts. The first interviews you about your sales career. The second turns your answers into a clean Australian sales resume. It's told not to invent results, but check every line before you send it.

Open the Resume Builder

Last updated: October 2026

James Bowesman is a specialist recruiter for sales roles in building products, lighting and A&D across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. He has recruited exclusively in building products since 2017.

In building products sales?

If you sell into building products, lighting or A&D, send your resume through when you register.