Car salesmen get a bad rap, but you know that a good salesman does more than just handle transactions. They follow up with customers, negotiate maintenance plans and warranties, and prepare cars for sale.
Car salesmen have exceptional communication and networking skills, and they use their talents to help people find cars that match their needs.
With all of these responsibilities, it’s difficult to know how to write your resume (or your sales cover letter) so you are the top candidate in the competitive sales field.
There’s where we come in: we’ve analyzed hundreds of car salesmen resumes from all levels of experience. Then we distilled our knowledge into five car salesman resumes to help you get more interviews (and eventually a job) in 2023.
Why this resume works
- As a car salesman, numbers are your bread and butter. So, on your car salesman resume, you want to prominently display your sales numbers.
- When you can, list your net profits, revenue generated, and lead conversions, as well as your customer service scores, in your work experience bullet points.
- Employers want to know that you pay attention to the details, so make sure you read the sales job description carefully.
- For example, most employers want your resume as a PDF, but some may want a Google doc resume format. Always check the application for submission rules, otherwise you won’t be called for an interview.
Why this resume works
- Your luxury car salesman resume should focus on how your work directly (and positively) impacted the company.
- For example, did you reach all your sales quotas? Did you earn a large commission after a spectacular sale? Did you help internally by training team members or increasing your company’s social media presence?
- Cite specific data-driven examples, including marketing initiatives and customer-centric sales techniques, for the best effect.
- The world of luxury sales is more appearance-focused than other fields, so make sure your resume is aesthetically pleasing.
- To make formatting your resume easier (and faster), try using a resume template so you can switch sections and adjust color, font type, and font size.
Why this resume works
- When you’re looking to break into the car sales industry, you need your work experience bullet points to showcase the moxie and the skills that will help you succeed as a car salesman.
- Even if your past roles weren’t sales related, you can still highlight transferable skills, like customer service or automotive maintenance. Soft skills are your best assets here, as they’re not industry-specific.
- Writing a resume isn’t easy if you’re light on work experience, but there are ways around it. Our tip: try adding a resume objective to your entry-level car salesman resume.
- An objective is a two-to-three-sentence statement that conveys your enthusiasm for the position and the skills you’d bring to the table.
- If you do add an objective, make sure you tailor it for each job by including the company’s name and the position title.
Why this resume works
- Since you’re in a niche area of the car sales industry, the skills section on your resume becomes even more vital.
- This is the place to mention any role-specific talents you have, such as diagnosing Honda vehicles and maintaining repair schedules.
- If you don’t have any specific skills to mention on your Honda car salesman resume, don’t panic. Soft skills like communication and time management are still valuable.
- Whenever you apply for a brand-specific sales role, make sure your resume mentions the brand name somewhere.
- You’re not limited to mentioning it in the title, either; you can also put it in your work experience bullet points or even an optional section like certifications or licenses.
Why this resume works
- Selling used cars is a different experience than selling new cars, so your used car salesman resume should include your expertise in things like state regulations and warranties.
- Speaking of skills, don’t neglect soft skills like time management and negotiation in addition to technical skills. We’d recommend focusing on technical skills 60 percent of the time, with the rest devoted to transferable soft skills.
- If you enjoy cars outside of working hours, then use that to your advantage and include an interests and hobbies section on your resume.
- Do you race? Tinker with collector vehicles? This passion for cars makes you an asset in the car sales industry, so find a way to include it!
