Sales Assistant Resume & Writing Guide

The Sales industry is an exciting environment with many opportunities, roles, and career options one can follow. As a Junior Sales Assistant, you have many opportunities in Sales that can be explored. Because there is a vast range of career fields, you also need to make sure you apply for the dream job. Information, guidance, and help are what we offer with this guide.

We have created this resume sample packed with exciting tips, stellar ideas, and guidelines for structuring a resume. It will also serve as a guide for layout tips and ideas on how to send off a Junior Sales Assistant resume that will attract attention.

See also: Inside Sales Assistant Resumes, Retail Merchandiser, or all our retail resumes

Sales Assistant Resume Examples

Sales Assistant Resume Writing Guide

Resume Sections

  • Contact information
  • Profile Summary
  • Work History 
  • Achievements
  • Education 
  • Skill Section
  • Certification & Licensing
  • Extras: Languages/Awards/Publications/Volunteering/hobbies

1. Contact Information:
Name, Address, Phone Number, Email.

2. Profile Summary:
This introduction to your resume must make an impact on the reader. Include a broad overview of your background, years of industry experience and the industry sectors of interest. You should be specific and state which job you are applying to (1-3 sentences max).

3. Qualifications Summary:
Provide accurate details about the certifications and qualifications you have completed with the institution, qualification name, and dates. Don’t forget to include qualifications you are currently completing too. For some Sales Assistant roles, a degree at Bachelors or Associates level is required. For others, no formal qualification apart from a high school diploma is needed, but the short courses, workshops, and in-house training you have received should then be listed to provide more credibility to your resume.

4. Relevant Sales Experience:
Clearly state your employment history from giving details regarding the last ten years of experience up until your current position. Use punchy sentences with bullet points to list your most important sales activities. Sales Assistant and Shop Assistant jobs usually exist in industries where you interact with customers and consumers face to face, such as retail products, car sales, electronics, food products, garments, gear, medicine and another type of consumer products bought over the counter or from a retail outlet or shop. You have to be specific. State the nature of the product you are selling to customers. Also include the industry sector for example garden equipment, electronics or boutique clothing to name but a few.

5. Other Employment Experience:
This will consist of permanent work history outside of direct customer sales but still in the customer service environment or temporary and vocational jobs where you were actively dealing with clients or customers. Only elaborate on these with job descriptions if you have less than five years of sales experience. Otherwise, just list job title company and duration as to make sure there are no gaps in your employment history.

6. Skills Summary/Key Skills:
Incorporates keywords from the job posting and your specific skill set. This adds much-needed credibility to your resume.

7. Education/Licenses/Certifications/Relevant Coursework/Training: Start with your formal degrees if applicable and post-school diplomas or accreditations. List any professional development courses, workshops or programs you completed that better prepared you to work as a sales assistant such as customer service strategies, negotiation tactics, conflict resolution techniques, industry, and product training.

What to Highlight in a Sales Assistant Resume

Regardless of your experience as a Sales Assistant, there are a few vital things that recruiters and managers need to know about you to ensure that you are the right fit for their team.

The first aspect to highlight is the scope of your sales tenure in product type or industry area. There are millions of businesses out there with every imaginable product on offer to customers. It would be best if you were specific about the product types you have sold to customers before.

Secondly, a Sales Assistant is the ‘’face of the business’’ in the store, display room or shop they are working in. You need to show them that you are capable of providing excellent customer service, handle multiple client requests at the same time, provide information on products being sold and deal with complaints in an appropriate manner.

Next, a sales assistant is also involved in back office support duties as an aid to the store manager. These duties may involve tasks like stocktaking, ordering of stock, tracking product returns and general administrative duties like generating sales reports or doing financial administration. In this section mention the systems and applications you are familiar with like Sharesight, VendHQ, MS Excel, Accpac, Sage or Zoho CRM (these are mere examples).

Finally comes the targets, goals and KPI metrics that you need to hit. Be number specific here for example how many incoming customers in a day, split between regulars and new customers, average daily sales generated, average sales per customer and so on.

*Cool Tip for a stellar resume

You can really create an excellent first impression by breaking your job description down into the main responsibility areas of a Sales Assistant.

Customer Service: Create a welcoming environment and provide excellent customer service including learning about.
Stock: Order and manage inventory. Stock shelves.
Product Knowledge: Suggest products and add-ons to customers, and give advice based on customers' needs and interests.
Queries: Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and payment terms if they have an account with the business.
Pricing: Create quotations, price estimations, credit or contract terms, warranties, and delivery dates.
Point of Sale: Ring up products and print sales slips. Provide refunds. Facilitate cash and credit card payments. Do end of day cash ups.
After Sales Service: Consult with clients after sales to resolve problems and to provide continuous support.
General: Clean, check and arrange shelves. Tidy up aisles and display areas. Ensure that shopping baskets or trolleys are cleaned and sanitized.

Make sure to include the following details:

  • The locations or regions you are willing to work in
  • Many Sales Assistant positions require employees to work during weekends, holidays and for extended hours in the early evening. You need to state your willingness to the outside of regular office hours or workweeks.
  • Also mention the sales administration platforms and customer relationship management (CRM) platforms you are familiar with like Sage, SalesForce, SAP, Oracle, and Vanguard.
  • As a final point list examples of the main products, or product ranges which falls under your KPI’s.

Sales Assistant Career Summary

to get personal; this is where you give potential employers a glimpse of who you are and the person they will consider recruiting. Stay focused on the advertisement for the job and always anchor your summary examples to it. 

Your RESUME personal statement or personal profile should do the same thing. It’s a quick way to get your RESUME to grab hiring managers and keep them engaged. Stick to 3–4 sentences and answer these three questions

  • Who are you? 
  • What can you offer to the prospective company? 
  • What are your career goals? 

Answer the questions depending on how much sales experience you’ve got. 

Write a master list of all strengths associated with a junior sales assistant; this is your product features list and a sure way of promoting your professional experience, skills, and abilities.

Keep in mind that you have to refer to the job advert, check the job description, and make sure you list the skills and experience it requires and match the results with 3–4 points from your list. 

Examples

'A proactive, customer-focused Sales Assistant with four years experience in hi-tech electronics and IT equipment. Currently completing a diploma in Sales and Marketing. Well-developed skills in forming trusting relationships with customers and presenting the most suitable product option earned me the Top Sales Assistant Award two years in a row. Able to work well both in teams and as an individual, with a proven record of contributing to customer retention, increasing recurring customer sales by 20% in the last quarter.'
'The dynamic and assertive retail sales assistant who is motivated by team dynamics where everyone pursues a common goal. Has extensive experience in retail sales and working to achieve and exceed KPIs. Often surpasses sales targets, with drive, ambition and determination. Currently looking for a chance to progress from a retail outlet environment into a more high-end boutique type setting.'
'Seeking a company with high organizational direction where sales experience, positive interaction skills, and industry contacts acquired from twelve years’ experience will be extremely beneficial, thereby ensuring sales results.'
'Seeking a company with high organizational direction where sales experience, positive interaction skills, and industry contacts acquired from twelve years’ experience will be extremely beneficial, thereby ensuring sales results.'
'A highly energetic person, great personality, career-driven, and desire to succeed, seeking a Sales Representative position with ABC company; seeking a work where communication skills and love for all things fashion are required.'
'A highly energetic person, great personality, career-driven, and desire to succeed, seeking a Sales Representative position with ABC company; seeking a work where communication skills and love for all things fashion are required.'

Sales Assistant Responsibilities, Job Descriptions, and Duty Examples

An employer would expect to see the following proven foundational duties and skill sets within an applicant’s resume. Herewith a few examples of primary Sales Assistant duties in various industry environments.

A Junior Sales Assistant may:

  • Research/generate new client leads.
  • Setup up meetings with potential clients
  • Increase client base through active sales
  • Have in-depth knowledge of the market
  • Work together with Executive Directors in developing and accomplishing goals and strategic plans for our industry.
  • Stay on top of the market and industry trends, competitors, and all aspects of the – company’s market.
  • Responsible for marketing, promotions, and launches of new products.
  • Manage trade shows and showrooms, as well as staff helping out at these.
  • Focus on the pre-orders and reorders and try to get customers to pre-/re-order.
  • Responsible for customer segmentation surveys and their classification annually
  • Contact prospects from identified target groups for leads generation
  • Manged generated leads and also responsible for checking if accurate.
  • Render production reports, and be present at all sales meetings as required
  • Contribute innovative solutions and ideas to improve efficiencies and infrastructure
  • Support sales team with necessary client-facing tasks, including new business or renewal communication follow-up.

A Sales Assistant in Retail duties:

  • Meet and greet customers upon entering the shop
  • Operate the point-of-sale system and handle sales transactions
  • Answer queries from customers
  • Receive deliveries from suppliers
  • Perform inventory checks and catalog new stock
  • Replenish stock on displays
  • Perform cleaning and housekeeping duties
  • Clean and tidy up of aisles and display areas
  • Ensure sure baskets are available for customers to use
  • Help customers navigate the store
  • Handle customer complaints regarding products and provide refunds where needed

A Sales Assistant in Automotive Parts duties may be:

  • Receive and complete phone orders for parts
  • Fill customer orders from available stock and place supplier orders for out of stock items
  • Receive payments or request credit authorization
  • Prepare sales invoices and sales contracts
  • Respond to customer complaints and update them about back-ordered parts
  • Label parts and replenish stock levels
  • Mark parts in stockrooms according to inventory systems
  • Pick up and deliver parts to customers within a 10-mile radius and organize courier service for clients further away
  • Examine returned parts for defects and malfunctions
  • Exchange defective parts or refund money where applicable
  • Maintain and clean work stations and inventory areas and stock rooms

A Sales Assistant's duties in an Outlet Store maybe :

  • Assist customers in locating merchandise within the store
  • Offer advice to customers regarding merchandise options as well as gift suggestions
  • Answer questions concerning merchandise availability, special deals, product features
  • Demonstrate the use of merchandise
  • Arrange for special bulk orders and deliveries
  • Process transactions at the till
  • Replenish aisle stock and label merchandise
  • Do inventory checks bi-monthly
  • Clean and organize aisles and display areas

If you do not have formal sales experience, you can focus on relatable expertise, for example:

A marketing background can help you with sales and pitches to clients. If you had a stunt in public relations, your communication and negotiation skills would surely come in handy. 

Think outside the box and see where duties you performed in other industries and jobs are also beneficial and required for your shooting position. 

Highlight Your Accomplishments

Junior Sales Assistant

You may be tempted to copy and paste the list of duties you performed under your accomplishment section. The drawback to doing this though is that you won’t stand out from the other applicants with similar experience (remember that the average number of applications per sales assistant role often exceeds 200).

Your goal is to think about what sets you apart, what you are most proud of, or what you achieved in your previous roles. Now communicate these through action-packed statements that grab the reader’s attention.

Examples:

Flat, Simple Duty:
‘Sell garments to clients and upsell with accessories or special offer merchandise'

Accomplishment Statement:
‘Won top employee prize for two consecutive months, achieving 120% and 200% of monthly targets by upselling accessories and special offer merchandise'

Quantifying Your Resume

When writing your resume, you should be answering questions like “How much?” or “How many?” It would be best if you include numbers which provide a ‘’proof of work’’ element to your resume. For instance:

  • How many customers do you service daily?
  • How many regular customers do you have?
  • How many sales do you make in a month?

Examples of statements that WONT'T spark the interest of the reader:

  • Researched and resolved account information issues for customers improving customer satisfaction and client retention 
  • Verified and processed account application information resulting in many new accounts monthly.
  • Accurately allocated daily sales to sales staff.
  • Calculated and implemented possible price hikes.
  • Managed workflow approvals processed to increase productivity.

A few examples that are QUANITIFIED:

  • I researched and resolved account information issues to improve customer satisfaction and client retention by approximately 30%.
  • Verified and processed new client application information resulting in approximately 13 plus new accounts monthly.
  • Accurately allocated 10 – 15 daily sales valued over $5,000.
  • Implemented and managed quarterly account payments for top clients.
  • Managed training of assistants to increase productivity by 20%.

Sales Assistant Education Section Example

The education section forms an integral part of your resume. In short, indicate What, Where and When regarding your qualifications, certifications or industry licenses obtained. The name of your qualification, institution, and date of completion is more than sufficient. Unless you are a graduate with limited working experience, there is no need to include major subjects or course curriculum topics.

Remember to include current qualifications you are in the process of completing. Regarding courses and certifications, discretion and relevance must be considered. An art course in India does not carry weight if you are applying for a sales assistant role at an IT company in the Mid-West.

Completed Secondary and Tertiary Education must be listed as follows:

Start with commencement date and completion date for diplomas, associate degrees, and bachelor degrees. For courses, you can just list the date of completion. Next comes the full name of the qualification, then the full name of the institution and then the City or abbreviated State name. List your high school diploma details similarly, but only include this when you have less than five years of working experience.

Here are some examples of a Sales Assistant Resume with more than five years’ experience:

2012-2013 Certified Sales Professional (CSP), Mref Institute Denver, CO

2016-2018 Bachelor Degree in Sales and Marketing, University of Ohio, OH

If you have less than five years’ experience, you may also add your majors, minors, GPA scores and accolades, and honors awards:

2016-2018 Bachelor Degree in Sales and Marketing, University of Ohio, OH
GPA: 3.8
Majors: Sales Management, Marketing Management
Minors: Communications, Accounting, Economics
Accolades: Deans Honors List

Skills for the Sales Assistant


Employers will be on the lookout for specific soft skills to indicate whether you are fit for the role they need to fill. There are also technical skills needed, but soft skills are sought after in this industry.

These are the personality traits or skills that indicate to your fit as a Sales Assistant who will add value by meeting set out targets, has adequate knowledge, and sufficient experience to engage and attract customers. Incorporate these into your summary, or profile, and into your accomplishment statements.

Here are some tips to follow: 

  • Always keep the job advert in mind and make sure you understand and know which skills are required. 
  • Draw your own skills’ list
  • Consider your work experience and education and let these guides decide which skills to list, again keep the job advert in mind. 
  • Now you can compare the two lists, see what matches, and put 5–10 of those in your resume.
  • Include a balanced mix of soft skills and technical skills. 

Educational Attainment: A university degree is not generally required to become a Sales Assistant unless you are in a very specialized industry such as Electronics or Information Technology.

Technical Aptitude: Sales Assistants usually work with Customer Information Management (CRM software) often unique to the industry that they are in. Examples are SalesForce, Hubspot, Copper, Freshsales, and Pipedrive. You also need to be familiar with email platforms like Gmail or Outlook (most companies have their in-house email software which should be easy to learn). For cash-ups, sales slips and inventory management applications such as SAP, Accpac, Zoho, TradeGecko, iVend or Sage are most used.

Soft Skill Examples

  • People Orientated
  • Negotiation
  • Customer Service
  • Empathy
  • Diplomacy
  • Perseverance
  • Friendly
  • Approachable
  • Persistence
  • Team Player
  • Promotor
  • Detail Orientation
  • Dedication
  • Physical Stamina
  • Energetic
  • Well Groomed
  • Eloquent

Qualifications/Certifications associated with Sales Assistants

Bachelor of Sales & MarketingHigh School DiplomaPrinciples of Customer Service Certificate

Action Verbs for your Sales Assistant Resume

ClosingIntroducingAttracting
ListeningHelpingInteracting
InfluencingInvolvingNegotiating
ResolvingEngagingCommunicating

Professional Information for Sales Assistants

Sectors: Various
Career Type: Sales, Customer Service, Client Relations
Person type: Negotiator, Engager, Influencer,
Education levels: High School Diploma to Bachelors Degree
Salary indication: $12/hour – $17/hour. From $23k to $41k per year
Labor market: Estimated 9% growth between 2016 – 2026
Organizations: Unlimited

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