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Example VP of Sales Resume - Browse more resume templates and build a stand-out resume
You’re ready to take the next big step in your career.
As a sales aficionado, you know how to sell the vision of a product or service to a customer.
It’s time to find a new role where you can do just that, but first, you need to sell the vision of yourself to the hiring manager.
How can you do that?
With a stand-out Vice President of Sales resume that puts you straight through to the interview stage.
This guide will walk you through how to write a resume that sets you apart from other candidates.
Let’s jump into it.
This VP of Sales Resume Guide Will Teach You:
- 6+ examples of job-winning vice president of sales resumes
- How to use real-life data to support your career highlights
- Ways to personalize your resume to impress the recruiter
- 23 industry and soft skills to prove your competency
VP of Sales Resume Samples
Looking for related resumes?
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How to Write an Impressive VP of Sales Resume
You are one of the top heroes of an organization.
Being in charge of revenue, market penetration, profit margins and managing the rest of the sales team is no easy feat.
Hiring managers want to see that you can handle all this and more.
But...
They only spend an average ofsix seconds scanning your resume before deciding if they want to read more.
Those six seconds will be the difference between whether or not you land an interview.
But don’t worry!
If you craft a resume that is easy to scan and shows off your impressive abilities, you will make it past the six-second test.
A job-winning VP of Sales resume will show:
- A proven track record in sales
- Leadership skills
- Passion for role in particular
Highlight your sales track record in your summary and work experience section.
Show off your leadership skills by describing the positive impact you made for your team.
And most importantly, personalize every section of the resume for the job you want.
The Most Important Sections of a VP of Sales Resume:
- Resume header that grabs the hiring manager’s attention
- Resume summary that sell them on why you’re the right candidate
- Work experience that proves past success in your roles
- Industry skills and soft skills that show you have what it takes
What Is The Best Layout For Your Resume?
So, we just discussed how hiring managers spend an average of six seconds scanning your resume.
Choosing the right resume format is how you can make the most of those precious few seconds.
Thereverse chronological resume format is the best option for senior resumes, like vice president of sales.
They emphasize your work experience, which is the most important component for VP of Sales resumes.
Here are some more pointers to consider when formatting your resume:
- Use lots of white space and short paragraphs
- Organize your resume into sections with subheadings
- Use a mobile-friendly font size - 11pt or higher
- Save your resume as a PDF
For more information on the best resume format options, read our guide:The Best Resume Formats You Need to Consider (5+ Examples Included).
Now let’s jump into the first section that hiring managers will look at.
How to Write a Header That Leaves a Good Impression
First impressions are made with your resume header.
It’s the section that hiring managers will scan first.
Include the essential information in this section and you’ll be off to a good start.
Let’s say you’re applying for Vice President of Sales role at an IT services company.
Here’s what your header originally looks like:
This header is okay, but it doesn’t reach its full potential.
It doesn’t give the recruiter all of the information they should have.
Let’s try this again.
This header is more impactful.
It has all the essentials that the recruiter needs:
- It shows your industry speciality
- Includes to your LinkedIn profile URL
- Has two options to contact you - by phone and email
If you want more ideas for stand-out resume headers, read through our guidePerfecting Your Resume Header so You Get Noticed.
After you’ve finished your resume header, it’s time to move on to the first place where you will sell yourself as the ideal candidate.
Let’s write your resume summary.
How to Write a Job-Winning VP of Sales Resume Summary
A Vice President of Sales resume should prove that you can effectively manage a team and make a positive impact on sales revenue.
Your professional summary is the best place to highlight your top career accomplishments.
It’s your “elevator pitch” that will convince the hiring manager that you’re the best one for the job.
Use real-life sales stats to support your accomplishments, and describe the impact your leadership made on the whole team.
Personalize your resume summary using the same keywords that are listed in the job posting. This will prove your genuine passion and commitment for the role you’re applying for.
Let’s take a look at two examples of VP of Sales resume summaries.
2 VP of Sales Resume Examples - Summary
Here’s a sample of the average VP of Sales summary:
This summary is too vague.
- It doesn’t highlight any sales accomplishments
- It isn’t personalized to the role you’re applying for
- It doesn’t describe your impact as a manager
This summary won’t inspire the hiring manager to call you back for an interview.
Let’s try this again with an improved resume summary.
Now this is how it’s done!
This summary has all of the upgrades:
- Uses real numbers to show off how much experience you have, how much revenue you achieved, and how much the company grew under your leadership
- It mentions your industry of expertise, which builds trust that you know what you’re doing
- It’s personalized to the job you want, with a direct mention of the company name at the end
- Touches on your leadership abilities
This resume summary will land you that coveted interview spot.
For more tips on crafting an attention-grabbing resume summary, check out our guideResume Summary: How-To Guide (30+ Examples You Need To See).
How Quantitative Data Will Set Your Resume Apart
The most effective way to support your claims about your accomplishments is by adding real-life data.
It gives the hiring manager the confidence that you can replicate those same results for their company.
Wondering what kind of data you should add in?
Start by considering these questions:
- How much did you boost sales revenue? Eg. 400% in 3 years
- How much revenue did you bring in? Eg. $500,000 yearly
- How many new accounts did you open?
- How many sales projects did you manage at once?
- How many staff were you responsible for?
- Did you exceed your sales quotas? By how much?
- What ranking did you have in sales performance?
- Did you boost referral business? By how much and how?
Quantitative data really shines when added throughout your resume and work experience sections.
Let’s jump into how to write an effective work experience section now.
How Should You Highlight Your Experience?
Emphasize two main points when highlighting your experience: leadership background and sales achievements.
You’re applying for a senior position where you’ll be managing a team. Describe in your work experience how you can lead a sales team to success.
Most importantly, the hiring manager wants to see that you can achieve tangible results. Can you reach or exceed your sales targets? Can you sign big accounts? Do you have strong contacts in the industry? How much revenue can you bring in?
Always be specific.
Let’s compare two VP of Sales resumes for what works and what falls flat in the experience section.
2 VP of Sales Resume Experience Samples
This work experience blurb isn’t strong enough yet. It only lists the responsibilities in the role, and not the impact made.
Let’s try it again.
This version is excellent. It shows off your impressive sales figures, proves you can lead a team to success, and it is specific in all of its claims.
For more ideas on how to create an actionable resume experience section, check out our guideHow to Describe Your Resume Work Experience.
Does Your VP of Sales Resume Need an Education Section?
Since you’re applying for a senior role as a Vice President of Sales, your previous experience will be the most important section of your resume.
That being said, you should absolutely still include an education section. A Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, or Marketing will be especially helpful for landing a job. Oftentimes, it’s required.
Your education section should include:
- The name of the institution you attended
- The name of your program
- The type of degree or diploma you received
- The years you attended
- Your GPA (optional)
Browse more essential tips on how to feature education on your resume, in our guidePerfecting the Education Section on Your Resume.
23 Skills to Add to Your VP of Sales Resume
Sales executives need a strong mix of industry skills and soft skills to succeed.
Since you’re in a management position, your soft skills will go a long way to ensuring the success of your team. You need to demonstrate that you can communicate well, present well, and maintain great relationships with your clients and customers.
You should also have technical know-how for the sales industry, including how to close sales, negotiate contracts, and use sales software.
Highlighting both your soft skills and technical skills will show the hiring manager that you’re the perfect candidate for their team.
23 Skills to Include on a VP of Sales Resume
- Sales expertise
- Leadership
- Communication (written and verbal)
- Human resources
- Market research
- Customer oriented attitude
- Client account management
- Contract negotiation
- Self-motivated
- Microsoft Office
- CRM Software: Salesforce, Hubspot
- Employee relationships
- Supply chain management
- Team building
- Presentation skills
- Budgeting
- Business development
- Staff retention
- Project management
- Upselling
- Recruiting
- Optimization
- Closing sales
Are you still not sure what skills will win recruiters over? Check out our guide onHow to Create A Resume Skills Section To Impress Recruiters (+10 Examples You Need to See).
Other sections to include on your resume
Depending on the company, job seniority level and your location, you may want to include more sections to your VP of Sales resume:
Key Points to Remember for a VP of Sales Resume
- Highlight your past sales success with quantitative data
- Prove your leadership abilities throughout your work experience and skills section
- Personalize your resume for the job you want
- Use a clear and effective resume format for the biggest impact
