This industry is competitive, so you need a car salesman resume that sets you apart from all the other candidates when applying for a position. Your exceptional selling skills and experience in sales should shine through on your resume.
In this article, we'll help you craft a professional resume that gets you more opportunities. Some of the topics we'll cover include:
- The relevant skills that car salespeople should have on their resumes.
- How to add your work experience to your resume.
- How to structure your car salesman resume.
- The right format for your resume.
Salary Rates for Car Salesmen
The average salary for a car salesman is $45,000. The typical range is between $40,000 and $51,000, depending on the level of education, skills, and experience.
How to Write a Job-winning Car Salesman Resume
Each resume you write should be different. Most job seekers make the mistake of using one resume for multiple applications, which may cause you to miss out on an opportunity.
Keep your resume short and focus on the relevant qualifications related to the job. Check the job description and use keywords to optimize your resume.
The format, layout, and structure of your resume are crucial.
Choose between these three formats.
- Reverse-chronological format - This format is suitable for candidates with experience in car sales. It's also easy to scan on ATS systems, making it the preferred format by most recruiters.
- Functional resume format - This format focuses on your skills and is perfect for you if you don't have much experience in this field.
- Combination/hybrid resume - This format is suitable for candidates with the perfect blend of skills and experience. It combines the best features of the two previous formats.
The layout of the resume should make it easy to read and understand. Fonts such as Calibri, Cambria, Verdana, Times New Roman, and Georgia are the best to use on your resume. The font size should be 10-12pt.
The structure of your car salesman resume should have the following sections:
- The header section
- Professional summary/objective
- Work experience
- Education section
- Skills section
- An additional section (Languages, awards/honors, and interests)
Start Your Resume With a Header
The first section of your resume contains your personal details. Always check the details to ensure that they're accurate. The details include:
- Your full name
- Job title
- Phone number
- Professional email address
- Location
- A link to your LinkedIn profile.
Correct example
Car Salesman
663-039-200
charlestune@gmail.comStuart, OK
linkedin.com/in/charlestune
Incorrect example
Car Salesman
663-039-200
charlestune@gmail.com220 Philli Lane
House number 02
Stuart, OK
29/02/2000
linkedin.com/in/charlestune
Create an Eye-Catching Work Experience Section
The work experience section summarizes your employment history. This is your chance to show the hiring manager your success as a salesman to convince them to give you the opportunity. Check out our resume examples which will provide tips on the best way to add your previous experience.
Always start with your most recent position and prioritize the relevant sales experience in this section. Start with the name of the workplace, job title, and the period you worked at each place. List three to five job duties and include figures and facts that quantify your achievements.
Use the job description to determine what you should add to this section. If you recently graduated, mention your transferable skills and show the recruiter how you'll use them in the new job.
Example for an entry-level car salesman
Sales Associate
January 2015-December 2017
- Increased gross profit by 30% by creating and implementing new displays to improve car accessibility.
- Consistently met or exceeded sales goals, donations, and sign-up targets through excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Closely monitored the behavior of prospectus customers to identify any security threats and raise any concerns to supervisors.
Example for experienced car salesmen
Sales Manager
July 2017-May 2019
- Answered customer questions and addressed their queries, building relationships and achieving superior customer service.
- Led sales of new and old cars and detailed daily sales records by combining a thorough knowledge of customer preferences, a proactive attitude and active listening skills.
- Led employee development programs that increased employees' attendance records from passable to exceptional through emphasizing the importance of starting work on time.
- Conducted training and taught new car sales representatives how to close sales in the automotive industry, increasing sales by 20%
Describe Your Educational Qualifications
The education section highlights your academic background. You may not need a college degree to get a car salesman job, but if you have one, you should add it here. Always start with your most recent educational qualification.
Here are the details you should have in this section:
- The name of the degree/diploma
- The name of the school
- The year of graduation
Correct example
University of Houston
2016
Key Sales Skills for Your Resume
The skills section highlights the unique abilities that allow you to perform your duties as required. The job description lists some of the skills the recruiter is looking for, and you can use it to determine what you add to your resume.
Hiring managers use applicant tracking systems to filter out resumes that don't have the minimum qualifications. Your resume will not get past the software if you don't have the required skills.
Your resume should have hard and soft skills. Hard skills are technical and may take some time to learn on the job or at school. Soft skills are character traits that allow you to interact with customers and colleagues at the workplace.
Here are some skills that will help your car salesman resume stand out.
Hard skills
- Lead Development
- Accounts Payable/Receivable
- Business Development
- Financial records and processing
- Reports generation and analysis
- Drafting sales contracts
- Account Management
- Team management
Soft skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Customer satisfaction
- Decision-making
- Organizational skills
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Time management skills
How to Create The Summary Section
An introduction to your resume is vital; a professional summary does this. It summarizes your top achievements, skills, and experience to give the recruiter an idea of what to expect in your resume. This is a short paragraph, but make it catchy to interest the hiring manager in reading the rest of your resume.
Correct example
Incorrect example
Car Salesman Resume Objective
If you recently graduated, use a professional objective to introduce your resume. It summarizes your top goals and how they fit in with the business goals of the organization you want to work for. This is also a chance for you to show your excitement for the position.
Correct example
Additional Sections for Your Resume
Your resume will be incomplete without this section. This is also an excellent opportunity to highlight the skills and extra qualifications that make you a unique candidate. Check out our resume templates and see how you can incorporate this section into your resume.
Here are a few sections to consider for your car salesman resume.
Computer Skills and Certifications
Car salespeople need to record their sales and other client information on the company database and will require basic computer skills. List them in this section to make them more visible. Car sales professionals need certain certifications that help to show the recruiter that they have additional training in this field. Some certifications that will help your resume for car salesman include:- Certified Sales Professional(CSP)
- Automotive Sales Professional
- Commercial Driver's License(CDL)
Interests
This section depends on the company you want to work for, so it's important to do your research and find out what their culture's like. Some companies are more flexible than others, and it's essential to ensure that you don't add anything to your resume that causes you to miss out on an opportunity.
Languages
As a salesperson, you'll interact with many people from different cultures. If you're bilingual, ensure that the recruiter doesn't miss it on your resume. This qualification sets you apart from the other candidates and could help you beat the competition. Use the official language reference as follows:
- IELTS for English (with 30 points and above)
- DELF for French (with 70% and above)
- Goethe Zertifikat for German(with 36 points and above)
Tips To Boost Your Resume
- Each car salesman position is different so craft a new resume each time you're applying for a job.
- Check the job description to identify the keywords that will optimize your resume and ensure that it gets past the applicant tracking system.
- Use a template to arrange your resume in sections and ensure you don't leave out any vital information.
- The job title should be different on every resume you send to the recruiter.
- Proofread the resume to ensure there are no errors.
Key Takeaways
- Start your resume with a header with your contact and personal details, and ensure that all the information is accurate.
- Use the professional summary/objective to get the recruiter's attention and get them to read the rest of your resume.
- List your work history but focus on the relevant experience.
- Summarize your qualifications on one page.
- List your skills in two separate sections: Hard and soft skills.
- Always add your educational qualifications to your resume.
Write a Compelling Cover Letter
When the competition for jobs is high, you must do everything possible to stand out. Writing a cover letter that details your qualifications sets you apart from the other candidates. This document showcases your personality and writing skills, as it helps you create a personal connection with the recruiter. Unless the hiring manager requests you not to send one, you should always compliment your resume with one. Check out our cover letter examples.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to Glassdoor, these companies include:
- Elis Motors
- Fabelas Auto Sales Inc
- Berg Auto Mall and Trucking
- Passion Auto Sales and Service LLC
- Mainline Auto Corp
- Toyota
- Automotive Sales
- Lead development
- Car sales process