A sales CV lives or dies on evidence of performance. Employers hiring salespeople want to know one thing above all: can you deliver against target? A CV full of activity and buzzwords but light on results is the most common way to lose their interest. The fix is to lead with numbers and prove, role by role, that you hit and beat your goals.
What employers want
Sales hirers look for results against target, the type of selling you do (new business, account management, or both), your market and deal profile, and the sales cycle you are used to. They want to see a track record, not a personality description. The more clearly your CV answers 'how well did they actually sell?', the stronger it is.
Put your headline numbers in the profile
Open with a short profile that includes your strongest performance figures — consistent achievement against target, revenue delivered, growth driven, or a ranking within your team. A reader should see evidence of results in the first few lines, not have to dig for it. This is the fastest way to earn a proper read.
Quantify every role
For each position, lead with the numbers: percentage of target achieved, revenue or new business won, growth year on year, accounts managed, or league-table position. 'Exceeded target' is weak next to 'delivered 128% of a £1.2m annual target and grew the territory by a third'. Concrete figures are what a sales hirer is scanning for.
Frame new business vs account management
These are different skills, and employers hire for one, the other, or both. Be clear about which you have done and to what result — winning new logos, or growing and retaining existing accounts. If the role emphasises one, bring your matching evidence forward so the fit is obvious.
Handle confidentiality with ranges
If you cannot share exact revenue, use percentages against target, growth rates or ranges — these still prove performance without disclosing sensitive commercial figures. The point is the result relative to the goal, which you can almost always express safely.
Tailor to the product and market
Selling enterprise software is not the same as selling into retail or managing a fast, high-volume cycle. Reflect the target role's product, market and cycle in the experience you emphasise and the language you use. A tailored sales CV shows you understand the specific selling environment, which reassures a hirer you can transfer your results.
A worked example
Before: 'Sold software to new and existing clients.' After: 'Delivered 128% of a £1.2m annual target selling SaaS into mid-market accounts, winning 15 new logos and growing the territory by a third year on year.' Numbers turn a claim into evidence.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Describing activity instead of results against target
- Buzzwords and personality claims with no numbers
- Being vague about new business versus account management
- Ignoring the product, market or sales cycle in the advert
- Withholding all figures rather than using percentages or ranges
Common questions
What should a sales CV focus on?
Results against target — percentage achieved, revenue, growth, ranking — led from the profile and repeated for each role. Be clear about new business versus account management and tailor to the product, market and sales cycle.
How do I show sales results if the figures are confidential?
Use percentages against target, growth rates or ranges rather than exact revenue. The result relative to the goal proves performance and can almost always be shared safely.
How do I make a sales CV stand out?
Lead with hard numbers, not buzzwords. Put your strongest performance figures in the profile, quantify every role, and match your evidence to the specific selling environment in the advert.