Crafting a CV that effectively showcases your organisational skills and ability to drive sales can be a formidable challenge. Our guide offers tailored strategies to highlight your achievements and expertise, ensuring your application stands out to potential employers.
- Applying best practices from real-world examples to ensure your profile always meets recruiters' expectations;
- What to include in your work experience section, apart from your past roles and responsibilities?
- Why are both hard and soft skills important for your application?
- How do you need to format your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker Software (ATS) assessment?
If you're writing your CV for a niche sales administrator role, make sure to get some inspiration from professionals:
How complex should the format of your sales administrator CV be?
Perhaps, you decided to use a fancy font and plenty of colours to ensure your sales administrator CV stands out amongst the pile of other candidate profiles. Alas - this may confuse recruiters. By keeping your format simple and organising your information coherently, you'll ultimately make a better impression. What matters most is your experience, while your CV format should act as complementary thing by:- Presenting the information in a reverse chronological order with the most recent of your jobs first. This is done so that your career history stays organised and is aligned to the role;
- Making it easy for recruiters to get in touch with you by including your contact details in the CV header. Regarding the design of your CV header, include plenty of white space and icons to draw attention to your information. If you're applying for roles in the UK, don't include a photo, as this is considered a bad practice;
- Organising your most important CV sections with consistent colours, plenty of white space, and appropriate margins (2.54 cm). Remember that your CV design should always aim at legibility and to spotlight your key information;
- Writing no more than two pages of your relevant experience. For candidates who are just starting out in the field, we recommend to have an one-page CV.
One more thing about your CV format - you may be worried if your double column CV is Applicant Tracker System (ATS) complaint. In our recent study, we discovered that both single and double-column CVs are ATS-friendly . Most ATSes out there can also read all serif and sans serif fonts. We suggest you go with modern, yet simple, fonts (e.g. Rubik, Lato, Raleway) instead of the classic Times New Roman. You'll want your application to stand out, and many candidates still go for the classics. Finally, you'll have to export your CV. If you're wondering if you should select Doc or PDF, we always advise going with PDF. Your CV in PDF will stay intact and opens easily on every OS, including Mac OS.
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Incorporate a touch of colour in headers or section breaks, but keep it professional and ensure it doesn’t detract from readability, especially in more conservative industries.
The top sections on a sales administrator CV
- Contact Information ensures the recruiter can reach you.
- Career Objective or Summary showcases your ambitions and fit for the role.
- Work Experience highlights relevant sales admin expertise.
- Key Skills section displays your sales admin abilities.
- Education and Qualifications affirm your academic background.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your organisational skills by detailing specific systems or processes you've implemented to improve efficiency in previous sales administration roles, such as CRM management or order processing enhancements.
- Emphasise your communication abilities by citing examples of how you effectively liaised between sales teams and other departments, or how you've managed customer communications and sales support.
- Showcase your proficiency with various sales software and tools, such as Salesforce, Microsoft Office Suite, or other industry-specific platforms, demonstrating your technical competencies and ability to adapt to new technologies.
- Illustrate your success in supporting sales targets through detailed examples, such as your role in campaign management or contributing to the achievement of sales quotas.
- Detail your experience with sales data by mentioning instances where you've managed and analysed sales figures, prepared reports for management, or provided actionable insights for sales strategy development.
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Tips and tricks on writing a job-winning sales administrator CV header
The CV header is the space which most recruiters would be referring most often to, in the beginning and end of your application. That is as the CV header includes your contact details, but also a headline and a professional photo. When writing your CV header:
- Double-check your contact details for spelling errors or if you've missed any digits. Also, ensure you've provided your personal details, and not your current work email or telephone number;
- Include your location in the form of the city and country you live in. If you want to be more detailed, you can list your full address to show proximity to your potential work place;
- Don't include your CV photo, if you're applying for roles in the UK or US, as this may bias initial recruiters' assessments;
- Write a professional headline that either integrates the job title, some relevant industry keywords, or your most noteworthy achievement.
In the next part of our guide, we'll provide you with professional CVs that showcase some of the best practices when it comes to writing your headline.
Examples of good CV headlines for sales administrator:
- Sales Administrator | Expert in CRM Management | Certified Sales Executive | 5 Years' Experience
- Senior Sales Coordinator | Lead Generation Specialist | B2B Sales Professional | BSc Marketing | 10+ Years
- Junior Sales Support Officer | Order Processing & Customer Service Enthusiast | Degree in Business Administration
- Inside Sales Administrator | Data Analysis and Reporting Savvy | NEBOSH Qualified | 3 Years' Hands-On
- Technical Sales Administrator | IT Solutions Provider | CompTIA Certified | Relationship Management Expert | 7 Years
- Executive Sales Administrator | Strategic Planning & Execution | CIMA Accredited | International Sales Background | 12 Years
Choosing your opening statement: a sales administrator CV summary or objective
At the top one third of your CV, you have the chance to make a more personable impression on recruiters by selecting between:
- Summary - or those three to five sentences that you use to show your greatest achievements. Use the CV summary if you happen to have plenty of relevant experience and wish to highlight your greatest successes;
- Objective - provides you with up to five sentences to state your professional aims and mission in the company you're applying for
CV summaries for a sales administrator job:
- Dynamic Sales Administrator with over 5 years of hands-on experience proficient in CRM systems, adept at order processing and maintaining customer satisfaction. Achieved a 20% increase in sales efficiency by streamlining processes at TechCorp Ltd.
- Meticulous professional with a 7-year track record ensuring seamless sales operations within the pharmaceutical sector. Excelled in managing complex databases and enhancing client relations, resulting in a 30% reduction in operational bottlenecks at PharmaQuick.
- Former customer service manager eager to leverage 6 years of frontline experience towards a sales administration role. Exceptional at relationship building and advanced proficiency in Salesforce, ready to substantially increase operational efficiency in a tech-driven environment.
- Accomplished logistics coordinator aiming to pivot to sales administration, bringing forward 8 years of expertise in supply chain management. Skilful in negotiations and ERP software, aspiring to contribute to sales team productivity and streamline order fulfilment processes.
- Seeking an entry-level position to develop my sales support skills. Eager to apply my keen attention to detail and strong organizational abilities to ensure smooth sales operations, backed by a recent diploma in Business Administration and a passion for achieving sales excellence.
- Aiming to kickstart my career in sales administration with a dedication to customer service and operational management. Highly motivated to learn and apply cutting-edge sales techniques and software tools, while contributing to team success with my quick learning curve and recent business studies background.
More detailed look into your work history: best advice on writing your sales administrator CV experience section
The CV experience is a space not just to merely list your past roles and responsibilities. It is the CV real estate within which you could detail your greatest accomplishments and skills, while matching the job requirements. Here's what to have in your experience section:
- Prove you have what the job wants with your unique skill set and past successes;
- Start each bullet with a strong, action verb, and continue with the outcome of your responsibility;
- Use any awards, nominations, and recognitions you've received as solid proof of your skill set and expertise;
- align your experience with the role responsibilities and duties.
For more help on how to write your CV experience section, check out the next section of our guide:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Managed and updated sales database with client information and interactions, ensuring accuracy and compliance with GDPR regulations.
- Coordinated with the sales team to process orders, invoices, and delivery schedules, improving department efficiency by 15%.
- Assisted in the preparation of monthly sales reports and presentations, providing insights that contributed to strategic planning and increased sales by 10%.
- Liaised with multiple departments, including logistics and production, to ensure customer demands were met promptly and accurately.
- Handled customer inquiries and resolved complaints via phone, email, and in-person, achieving a 95% satisfaction rate.
- Implemented a new CRM system that streamlined customer data collection and lead tracking, resulting in a 20% increase in lead conversion rate.
- Organised and maintained sales collateral and documentation, ensuring all materials were up-to-date and readily available for the sales team.
- Facilitated training sessions for sales staff on new products and sales techniques, enhancing team knowledge and performance.
- Monitored and analysed sales performance metrics, identifying trends and recommending actions to address areas of concern.
- Spearheaded the implementation of CRM software, which increased customer engagement by 35% and supported a monthly sales growth of 20%.
- Developed a comprehensive sales report system that identified trends and opportunities, contributing to a 15% uplift in quarterly revenues.
- Coordinated between sales and supply chain departments to streamline order processing, significantly reducing lead times by approximately 25%.
- Managed a diverse team of sales support specialists, increasing team productivity and efficiency by 40% through targeted training and development initiatives.
- Negotiated and secured advantageous payment terms with key vendors, improving cash flow by £1M annually.
- Oversaw the customer onboarding process and reduced the time-to-market by 30%, enhancing customer satisfaction scores.
- Designed and managed sales administration workflows to align with industry best practices, yielding a 50% increase in process efficiency.
- Led the acquisition and setup of a new sales office, which generated an additional £500K in sales within the first quarter of operation.
- Cultivated strategic partnerships with third-party resellers, expanding market reach and contributing to a 10% year-on-year growth.
- Implemented a data-driven sales strategy that precisely targeted high-value clients, increasing average deal size by 20%.
- Revamped the lead qualification process, which led to a 15% increase in conversion rates and a surge in sales team performance.
- Managed sales invoicing and credit control procedures, improving the accounts receivable turnover ratio by 30%.
- Reviewed and optimized sales order processing, reducing errors and customer complaints by 60%, and enhancing brand reputation.
- Collaborated with IT to develop an automated quoting tool, which decreased quote generation time by 40% and facilitated faster sales cycles.
- Authored a monthly sales analysis report that provided insights into market trends, enabling leadership team to make informed strategic decisions.
- Implemented a new sales tracking system that provided real-time insights into sales funnels, leading to a more agile and responsive sales strategy.
- Managed end-to-end sales order process for a portfolio of 100+ products, ensuring a 98% on-time delivery rate.
- Collaborated on the launch of a new product line, directly contributing to the product achieving £1.5M in sales within the first six months.
- Facilitated internal and external sales training sessions, improving product knowledge and sales techniques across a team of 30 sales representatives.
- Conducted meticulous market research that directly influenced the creation of a targeted marketing campaign, resulting in a 25% increase in brand engagement.
- Liaised with key clients to enhance sales collateral, which was a critical factor in securing large-scale contracts worth over £2M.
- Led a cross-functional project team on a sales process overhaul, which reduced customer acquisition costs by 20% while increasing the customer base by 1500+.
- Masterminded an incentive program for large accounts that fortified client retention rates by 95% year-over-year.
- Drove the adoption of electronic signature technology for contracts, diminishing turnaround times from weeks to days and sharpening competitive edge.
Swapping your professional experience (when you have none) with skills and more
Never underestimate the importance of relevancе when it comes to your sales administrator CV. Even if you don't happen to have much or any standard (full-time contract) professional experience, this doesn't mean you shouldn't apply for the role. Instead of a bespoke CV experience section:
- Showcase more prominently any internships, part-time roles, and volunteer experience that are applicable to the role and have taught you job-crucial skills;
- Feature a strengths or achievements section with your transferrable skills or talents you've obtained thanks to your work or life experience;
- Write an objective statement that clearly outlines your values as a candidate and defines your career ambitions;
- List your education or certificates that match the job profile closer to the top of your CV.
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If applicable, briefly mention a situation where things didn’t go as planned and what you learned from it, demonstrating your ability to learn and adapt.
Describing your unique skill set using both hard skills and soft skills
Your sales administrator CV provides you with the perfect opportunity to spotlight your talents, and at the same time - to pass any form of assessment. Focusing on your skill set across different CV sections is the way to go, as this would provide you with an opportunity to quantify your achievements and successes. There's one common, very simple mistake, which candidates tend to make at this stage. Short on time, they tend to hurry and mess up the spelling of some of the key technologies, skills, and keywords. Copy and paste the particular skill directly from the job requirement to your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Now, your CV skills are divided into:
- Technical or hard skills, describing your comfort level with technologies (software and hardware). List your aptitude by curating your certifications, on the work success in the experience section, and technical projects. Use the dedicated skills section to provide recruiters with up to twelve technologies, that match the job requirements, and you're capable of using.
- People or soft skills provide you with an excellent background to communicate, work within a team, solve problems. Don't just copy-paste that you're a "leader" or excel at "analysis". Instead, provide tangible metrics that define your success inusing the particular skill within the strengths, achievements, summary/ objective sections.
Top skills for your sales administrator CV:
CRM Software
Data Entry
Report Generation
Sales Analysis
Order Processing
Inventory Management
Microsoft Office Suite
Customer Service
Invoicing
Database Management
Communication
Attention to Detail
Problem-Solving
Organisational Skills
Time Management
Teamwork
Adaptability
Initiative
Customer Focus
Stress Management
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Order your skills based on the relevance to the role you're applying for, ensuring the most pertinent skills catch the employer's attention first.
Further professional qualifications for your sales administrator CV: education and certificates
As you're nearing the end of your sales administrator CV, you may wonder what else will be relevant to the role. Recruiters are keen on understanding your academic background, as it teaches you an array of hard and soft skills. Create a dedicated education section that lists your:
- applicable higher education diplomas or ones that are at a postgraduate level;
- diploma, followed up with your higher education institution and start-graduation dates;
- extracurricular activities and honours, only if you deem that recruiters will find them impressive.
Follow a similar logic when presenting your certificates. Always select ones that will support your niche expertise and hint at what it's like to work with you. Balance both technical certification with soft skills courses to answer job requirements and company values. Wondering what the most sought out certificates are for the industry? Look no further:
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If there's a noticeable gap in your skillset for the role you're applying for, mention any steps you're taking to acquire these skills, such as online courses or self-study.
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Key takeaways
Here are five things you need to remember about writing your sales administrator CV for success:
- Sort your experience based on the reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent career items, to showcase how you've grown your career;
- Include within your CV header your relevant contact details, a headline that could spotlight your unique value, and a photo - if you're applying for roles outside the UK or US;
- Decide to use the CV summary, if you happen to have more professional experience, and an objective, if you want to showcase your career goals;
- Within the experience section, write your bullets using action verbs, skills, and success, instead of just merely listing your on-the-job responsibilities;
- Prove your technical skills, using your education and certificates, and your soft skills, with your achievements and strengths sections.
