14 Software Sales Resume Examples for 2024

Crafting a resume for software sales needs focus on both technical know-how and persuasive skills. In this article, we share examples and strategic advice to present your experience effectively. We'll cover how to highlight key achievements and tailor your resume to the job, using terms familiar in tech sales, like "SaaS" and "CRM." This guide aims to improve your resume for better job prospects in software sales.

  Compiled and approved by Steve Grafton
  Last updated on See history of changes

  Next update scheduled for

At a Glance

Here's what we see in standout software sales resumes.

  • Quantifiable Achievements Stand Out: The best resumes show success with numbers. Examples include increase in sales figures, growth in market share, customer retention rates, and reduction in sales cycle length. These figures make your impact clear.

  • : Include CRM software proficiency, SaaS sales knowledge, pipeline management, technical demonstrations, and contract negotiation if they match the job posting and you have them. Only list what you know.

  • : Junior resumes often show lead qualification, while senior ones might list strategy development. Show you understand the job level by focusing on relevant experience.

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Where to place your education information

Presenting education on a resume for software sales can greatly impact your chances. If you're new to software sales or just graduated, put your relevant educational details first. It helps to highlight your grasp of the software and sales concepts. For those who completed a significant continuing education program, such as an MBA or sales management course, list this right before your work experience to explain any work gap.

However, if you've been selling software for a good deal of time, your practical experience should take the stage first. In this case, place your education section lower down on your resume. Remember to always keep your education details relevant to software sales.

Knowledge of software trends

In software sales, it's crucial to have an up-to-date understanding of the latest software trends. You need to convince employers you can keep step with ever-evolving software technologies and consumer demands. Highlight any courses, conferences, or workshops you've attended that indicate your commitment to staying current in the field.

Also, include achievements showing your application of latest software trends to improve sales. It's a great way to demonstrate your innovative use of knowledge to drive business outcomes.

Deciding on the perfect resume length

Your software sales resume should deliver impact, not volume. If you're in the initial or middle stages of your career with less than 10 years experience in software sales, strive for a one-page resume. This should be enough to present your skills, successes, and relevant experience.

If you're a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience, a two-page resume can work better to capture all your achievements and skills. However, remember to avoid crowding the resume with unnecessary details. A neatly organized, clear resume is always better received.

Understanding customer needs in software sales

One unique aspect of breaking into the software sales industry is the need to understand customer problems deeply and present software solutions that solve them. Highlight your ability to understand complex software products and transfer that understanding into user-friendly language for clients.

On your resume, show instances where you've driven sales by tailoring software solutions to customers' requirements. Employers love seeing direct correlations between your work and increased sales figures.

Beat the resume bots

When you apply for jobs in software sales, your resume might first be read by a computer program, not a person. These programs are called Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). They sort and rank resumes by looking for keywords and formats they understand.

To make sure your resume gets seen by human eyes, follow these tips:

  • Use keywords from the job posting. For software sales, words like 'CRM software,' 'SaaS,' 'lead generation,' and 'quota attainment' are important.
  • Format your resume simply. Use clear headings and avoid tables or images that the ATS might not read correctly.

Tailor your resume highlights

When you apply for a job in software sales, make sure your resume speaks directly to the role. This means you should show your skills and experience that match what the job asks for. Your resume will get more attention if it looks like you're a good fit for the job.

  • Focus on your experience with software products, like when you helped increase sales or got more clients to buy software.
  • Show you have good people skills by describing how you worked with a team to meet sales goals or supported clients.
  • If you're new to software sales, talk about times you sold other things or used software in your old job. For example, you could say 'Used CRM software daily to track client interactions.'

Show achievements, not tasks

When you create your resume for a software sales position, remember to focus on what you have achieved, not just what tasks you were responsible for. You want to show how you made a difference.

Here are ways you can turn everyday job duties into impressive achievements:

  • Instead of writing "Responsible for software sales in the Northeast region," you could say, "Grew software sales by 20% in the Northeast region within one year."
  • Rather than stating "Managed client accounts for software solutions," try "Increased client retention by 30% by implementing customized software solutions that met specific customer needs."

Use strong action verbs

When you apply for a job in software sales, your resume should show that you are active and effective. Use verbs that tell the hiring manager about your achievements clearly. Choosing the right verbs can help you stand out. You want to show you can do the job well.

Think about the tasks you do every day in sales. Use verbs that match these tasks. This will help the hiring manager see you are right for the job. Below are some verbs that fit well with software sales roles.

  • To show you can start and close deals, use initiated, closed, negotiated, secured, and finalized.
  • To demonstrate your ability to find new clients, use prospected, identified, acquired, expanded, and captured.
  • For showing how you support clients, use supported, guided, advised, assisted, and serviced.
  • To indicate your role in growing sales, use drove, boosted, increased, enhanced, and amplified.
  • When talking about teamwork and leadership, use led, collaborated, coordinated, directed, and managed.

Want inspiration for other action verbs you can use? Check out synonyms to commonly used action verbs like Improved, Grow, Prepare, Cleaned, Researched.

Essential skills for software sales

When crafting your resume, focusing on the right skills is key. As a hiring manager, I've seen how a well-tailored skills section can make a strong impact. Here's what you need to know:

  • Understand the software you're selling. You don't need to be an expert, but a good grasp of the technical aspects will help you build trust with clients.
  • Know how to demonstrate CRM software proficiency, as it's crucial for managing customer relationships and sales pipelines.

Include these skills in a dedicated section for clarity. The goal is to show you're equipped to handle the job you want. Here are some more skills to consider:

  • Product demonstration
  • Lead generation
  • Contract negotiation
  • SaaS knowledge
  • Market analysis
  • Sales strategy
  • Software licensing
  • Account management
  • Customer engagement
  • Data analysis

You don't have to include all these skills. Choose those that match your experience and the job you aim for. Some might fit better in your work history section if you can show how you used them in past roles. This can help your resume pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which many companies use to filter candidates.

Show your sales impact with numbers

When you write your resume, it is important to show how you have made a strong impact. Numbers can help you do this. In sales roles, especially for software, the right metrics can make your experience stand out. Here's how you can think about your impact in terms of numbers:

  • Consider the revenue growth you achieved. Was there a percentage increase in sales during your tenure?
  • Think about the number of new accounts you secured. How much did these accounts add to the company's customer base?
  • Reflect on your efficiency. Did you decrease the sales cycle time by a certain percentage?
  • Quantify the customer retention rate. A high rate shows you not only sell but also keep customers satisfied.
  • Did your efforts reduce customer support issues? By what percentage?
  • Include any cost savings you helped achieve through efficient sales strategies.
  • Highlight any team targets met or exceeded. Your ability to meet goals is important.
  • Lastly, if you trained others, how did their sales improve? Show this with pre- and post-training performance numbers.

Even if you are not sure of the exact numbers, you can estimate. Think about the size of the deals you worked on and the goals you met. Use numbers to show how you made a difference. This will help hiring managers see your value quickly.

Highlighting leadership in sales

When crafting your resume, it's essential to show any leadership roles or promotions you've earned, especially in software sales. These details can make your resume stand out to hiring managers by showcasing your growth and ability to take on more responsibility.

Here are ways you can reflect promotions or leadership on your resume:

  • Include job titles that show advancement, such as 'Junior Sales Associate' to 'Senior Sales Associate' or to 'Sales Team Lead'.
  • Detail any projects where you led a team, coordinated sales efforts, or trained new team members, using phrases like 'Led a team of four in...'

Think about times when you took the lead in driving software sales, or when your ideas helped improve sales processes. Even if you weren't in a formal leadership role, instances where you went beyond your job description to help others or lead initiatives are worth mentioning.

Showcasing leadership in sales

When you're looking to stand out in software sales, showing your leadership skills is key. Here are some ways to do that:

  • Highlight promotions by listing your job titles in order from most recent to oldest, and show how you moved up in the company. For example, 'Promoted from sales associate to senior sales representative within 2 years'.
  • Include any sales team leadership roles. If you led a project or a team, mention the size of the team and the results achieved, like 'Led a team of 5 to exceed sales targets by 15% for 3 consecutive quarters'.

Tailoring your resume

If you are applying to small companies or startups like HubSpot or Freshworks, you should show your ability to adapt and wear many hats. Mention any experience with multiple roles, such as sales and marketing or sales and customer support. Include phrases like, "Led cross-functional teams to launch new products" or "Adapted sales strategies for rapidly changing markets."

For larger companies like Microsoft or Salesforce, focus on your expertise in specific areas and your ability to meet sales targets. Highlight any experience with large-scale enterprise software sales and complex deal negotiations. Use phrases like, "Consistently exceeded quarterly sales targets by 20%" or "Negotiated multi-million dollar deals with Fortune 500 clients."

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