Sales CV Example
Updated 14 July 2026
A strong sales CV proves you can hit your number. Recruiters scan for quota attainment, deal size, and pipeline metrics in the first ten seconds. This guide shows you how to structure a results-driven sales CV with real examples across SDR, Account Executive, and Sales Manager roles, grounded in what UK hiring managers actually look for in 2026.
Sales CV examples
Sales Development Representative
entryLeads with prospecting volume and demo-setting metrics, shows progression from cold-calling to qualified pipeline generation.
Account Executive
midShows quota attainment across multiple quarters, specifies deal size and sales cycle, and includes team ranking and President's Club recognition.
Senior Sales Manager
seniorDemonstrates leadership with team quota attainment, territory growth trajectory, landmark deal values, and multiple promotions with explicit progression.
How to write a sales CV
Format and length
UK sales CVs run two pages maximum, reverse-chronological, no photo or date of birth. Lead with a personal statement, then experience, skills, education, and certifications. Every bullet under experience should follow the pattern: action verb, what you accomplished, product or industry context, measurable result.
Personal statement
Open with your sales motion (consultative, transactional, inside), your vertical or product type (B2B SaaS, enterprise, SME), and your CRM proficiency. Example: "Dynamic Account Executive with four years of experience in B2B SaaS, specialising in consultative selling to mid-market accounts. Exceeded quota by 18% for six consecutive quarters, proficient in Salesforce."
Experience section
This is where you win or lose. Every role needs quota attainment as a percentage, ideally with consistency across periods ("exceeded quota by 22% for six consecutive quarters"). State your deal size and deal type explicitly so recruiters can match you to the right role. Show pipeline-generation numbers, not just closed revenue ("built £1.2M pipeline from 150 qualified leads"). Include team ranking and President's Club awards. Make promotions explicit ("Promoted from Account Executive to Major Account Executive in 2020").
Skills
Tailor keywords to the seller sub-type: SDR/outbound (prospecting, cold calling, demo setting), Account Executive (closing, discovery, deal cycles, quota attainment), Account Manager (upsell, cross-sell, renewal, retention). Salesforce and HubSpot are near-universal. Add MEDDIC, BANT, or other named methodologies if you use them.
Education and certifications
List degrees reverse-chronologically. Certifications go in a separate Achievements section: Certified Sales Associate (CSA), Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP), Salesforce certifications. These differentiate you from other candidates with similar experience.
Personal statement examples
Results-driven Account Executive with four years of experience in B2B SaaS sales, specialising in consultative selling to mid-market and enterprise accounts. Exceeded quota by 18% for six consecutive quarters, closing an average deal size of £85K with a 90-day sales cycle. Proficient in Salesforce and skilled in discovery, negotiation, and contract closure.
Hard-working and motivated sales professional looking for a challenging role to use my skills and grow. A good team player who is passionate about exceeding targets and building client relationships.
Writing your experience
The result-plus-metric pattern
Every sales bullet should answer: what did you do, in what context, and what was the measurable outcome? Lead with quota attainment, then deal size, then pipeline volume. Specify the product, industry, and account tier so the reader can judge fit.
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Responsible for managing a portfolio of clients and exceeding sales targets. | Exceeded quota by 24% on average for ten consecutive quarters, closing £3.1M in new business revenue from 22 enterprise accounts with an average deal size of £140K. |
| Generated new business through cold calling and email campaigns. | Cold-called 120+ decision-makers weekly across SME and mid-market accounts, achieving a 12% connect rate and building £420K in qualified pipeline. |
| Worked with the sales team to close deals and support account growth. | Coached three Account Executives to President's Club in 2025, with the team achieving an average of 119% quota attainment across all reps. |
Action verbs for sales
SDR/outbound: prospected, cold-called, qualified, scheduled, generated, built (pipeline). Account Executive: closed, negotiated, exceeded, achieved, converted, secured. Account Manager/leadership: retained, upsold, expanded, coached, led, grew (territory).
Before and after examples
Before: Managed a territory and consistently hit sales targets through effective client engagement.
After: Exceeded quota by 18% for six consecutive quarters, closing £1.4M in new business revenue from 17 mid-market accounts selling HR analytics SaaS with an average deal size of £85K.
Before: Responsible for generating leads and setting up meetings for the sales team.
After: Cold-called 150+ decision-makers weekly, booking 32 qualified demos per month and generating £680K in qualified pipeline over 18 months.
Before: Promoted to senior role after strong performance.
After: Promoted from Account Executive to Major Account Executive in April 2020 after exceeding quota by 30% in 2019 and ranking in the top 5% of a 45-person sales organisation.
Key skills & ATS keywords
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords
Education & certifications
Education
List degrees in reverse-chronological order: institution, degree, field of study, dates. Include honours or distinctions if achieved. A business, economics, or marketing degree is common but not required. Many successful sellers come from unrelated fields or have no degree at all.
Certifications that matter
Sales certifications differentiate you when experience levels are similar. The most recognised:
- Certified Sales Associate (CSA) or Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP) from the National Association of Sales Professionals.
- Salesforce certifications: Administrator, Sales Cloud Consultant, or Advanced Administrator. Salesforce proficiency is expected in most B2B sales roles.
- HubSpot Sales Software Certification: free and widely recognised for inbound and CRM skills.
- MEDDIC or BANT methodology certifications: shows structured qualification and enterprise sales discipline.
Place certifications in a separate Achievements or Certifications section, not under Education. Include the issuing body and year if recent. Avoid listing every online course; focus on credentials recruiters actually recognise.
Common mistakes to avoid
Listing duties instead of quota attainment and deal outcomes.
Lead every role with quota percentage, deal size, and pipeline metrics. Example: "Exceeded quota by 22% for six consecutive quarters, closing £1.4M in new business with an average deal size of £85K."
Omitting deal size and sales cycle length.
Recruiters need to know whether you closed £5K SME deals or £500K enterprise contracts. Always specify average contract value and sales cycle: "£85K average deal size, 90-day sales cycle."
Failing to show pipeline-generation volume.
Pipeline signals prospecting strength independent of close rate. Example: "Built £2.1M in qualified pipeline from 95 opportunities, converting 18% to closed-won deals."
Burying promotions or team ranking.
Make progression explicit: "Promoted from Account Executive to Major Account Executive in April 2020" and "Ranked 4th out of 28 Account Executives in 2025, awarded President's Club."
Using vague language like 'exceeded targets' without percentages.
"133% of quota in 2024" is concrete and comparable. "Above quota during entire tenure" tells the recruiter nothing.
Failing to distinguish new-business vs account-management experience.
Specify hunter vs farmer skills. Example: "Increased client acquisition by 35% through strategic outreach" (hunter) or "Achieved 95% client retention rate and upsold existing clients by 22% annually" (farmer).
Junior vs senior: what changes
| Aspect | Junior | Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Personal statement | Leads with prospecting volume, demo-setting, and CRM proficiency. Example: "18 months of SDR experience, exceeded demo-setting targets by 15%, proficient in Salesforce." | Leads with quota attainment, team leadership, and territory growth. Example: "Nine years leading enterprise sales teams, delivered 128% of team quota in 2025, managing a £4.2M territory." |
| Quota and deal size | Shows demo-setting or pipeline-generation quota ("booked 28 qualified demos per month"), smaller deal sizes if closing (£5K–£20K). | Shows revenue quota attainment over multiple quarters ("exceeded quota by 22% for six consecutive quarters"), larger deal sizes (£85K–£500K+), and team quota delivery. |
| Pipeline metrics | Emphasises volume of outreach and qualified leads generated ("built £420K pipeline from 180 qualified leads"). | Shows pipeline built and conversion rates ("built £2.1M pipeline, converting 18% to closed-won"), plus coaching others to do the same. |
| Achievements and awards | Promotion from SDR to AE, top-performer ranking within SDR team, Salesforce Administrator certification. | Multiple President's Club awards, top-percentage ranking in large sales org, leadership certifications (Certified Sales Leader), landmark deal values ("secured £620K contract"). |
| Responsibilities | Cold calling, lead qualification, demo scheduling, CRM hygiene, supporting Account Executives. | Strategic account planning, contract negotiation, team coaching, revenue forecasting, territory growth, major account closure. |
| Progression narrative | Shows entry into sales and early wins ("promoted to senior SDR tier in January 2026"). | Shows multiple promotions and territory expansion over time ("promoted 3x from AE to Major AE to Senior Sales Manager; grew territory revenue from £2.8M to £4.2M"). |