Sales representative CV: Example and template you can copy
A copy-and-paste sales representative CV example for South Africa, plus a simple way to show targets and achievements honestly without inventing numbers, territories, or products.
If you're searching for a sales representative CV, the fastest way to improve yours is a clear structure and achievement bullets that prove your performance, without inventing numbers, territories or product categories. Below you'll find a complete copy-and-paste example in South African format, plus an "Evidence + Impact" method you can use even if you don't know your exact target figures.
Quick answer:
- Use this order: header, professional summary, key skills, work experience, education, courses, references.
- Under each job, put achievements first and duties second.
- No exact sales figures? Write what you did regularly and what improved because of it. Never guess numbers.
- Change a few lines depending on whether the job is external sales (on the road) or internal sales (office-based).
What to include in a sales representative CV (South Africa)
A strong sales rep CV is simple, easy to skim and full of proof. A recruiter often looks at a CV for less than a minute. In that time they want to know three things:
- Can you find new customers?
- Can you follow up and close a sale?
- Will you keep customers happy after the sale?
Most recruiters expect these sections, in this order:
- Header: name, location (city and province), cell number, email.
- Professional summary: 3–4 lines matched to the role (internal or external sales).
- Key skills: CRM, lead generation, quoting, closing, after-sales, reporting.
- Work experience: achievements first, duties second.
- Education: matric and any further studies.
- Short courses and certificates: product training, negotiation, CRM training.
- References: "Available on request" is acceptable.
CRM means "customer relationship management". It's software (or sometimes a spreadsheet) that tracks customers, calls and follow-ups. Examples include Salesforce and HubSpot.
If you're building or updating your CV online, you can create a free CV and keep it updated for different roles.
Sales representative CV example (copy and adapt)
Use this as a template. Replace the text in square brackets with your own details, and delete anything that isn't true for you.
Keep it to 1–2 pages for entry-level to mid-level roles. Go longer only if you have extensive experience. See how long a CV should be in South Africa for more.
[YOUR NAME SURNAME]
Sales Representative
[City, Province]
[Cell number] · [Email]
[LinkedIn] (optional)
[Driver's licence + own car / licence only] (optional)
Professional summary
Sales representative with [X] years' experience in [industry, e.g. FMCG / building supplies / telecoms / office consumables / medical devices]. Strong in lead generation, customer relationship management, quoting and closing, and after-sales support. Known for consistent follow-up, accurate reporting and professional client service across [type of customers, e.g. SMEs / retail stores / contractors]. Confident using [CRM name] and MS Excel for pipeline tracking and reporting.
Key skills
- External sales and client visits (route planning and time management)
- Prospecting: cold calling, referrals, walk-ins and reactivating old customers
- Pipeline management and forecasting
- Quotations, pricing requests and basic margin awareness
- Negotiation and objection handling
- CRM and reporting: [CRM], Excel, email follow-ups
- Customer service, after-sales support and issue resolution
- Product knowledge and basic competitor awareness
- Teamwork with admin, dispatch, merchandising and finance
- Languages: [English], [isiZulu], [Xitsonga], [Afrikaans]
Work experience
Sales Representative (External) – [Company Name], [City]
[Month Year] – Present
- Built and kept a consistent prospecting routine (daily call blocks and weekly client visits), with all pipeline activity recorded in [CRM/Excel].
- Converted enquiries into confirmed orders by responding within agreed turnaround times, sending clear quotes and following up until a decision was made.
- Improved account retention by setting follow-up reminders, checking stock and lead times early, and resolving issues with dispatch and admin before they became complaints.
- Supported revenue growth through upselling and cross-selling (e.g. accessories, add-ons, alternative products when stock was limited).
- Kept reporting accurate: weekly pipeline updates, visit reports, and notes on customer needs and next steps.
Key duties: New business development, client visits, quoting, order follow-up, basic credit application support, after-sales queries and coordination with internal teams.
Sales Assistant / Internal Sales Support – [Company Name], [City]
[Month Year] – [Month Year]
- Handled inbound enquiries by phone, WhatsApp and email, making sure customers got the correct product information and pricing.
- Prepared quotes and captured orders accurately, reducing rework by double-checking quantities, product codes and delivery details.
- Supported the external sales team with client confirmations, follow-up calls and updating spreadsheets and CRM notes.
- Built customer trust through polite communication and clear updates on delivery lead times and stock availability.
Promoter / Merchandiser / Call Centre Agent – [Company Name], [City]
[Month Year] – [Month Year]
- Developed confident customer communication and learned to handle objections calmly.
- Explained product benefits clearly and recommended options based on customer needs.
- Captured customer details accurately for follow-up and promotions.
Education
National Senior Certificate (Matric) – [School], [Year]
Subjects: [Optional, if relevant: Maths / Maths Lit / Business Studies / Accounting]
[Certificate / Diploma / Degree] – [Institution], [Year or "In progress"]
Courses and certifications
- [Sales / Negotiation course] – [Provider], [Year]
- [CRM training, e.g. Salesforce / Sage / Pastel / HubSpot] – [Provider], [Year]
- [Product or compliance training] – [Provider], [Year]
Tools
- CRM: [Name] (or "basic CRM experience" if limited)
- MS Excel (tracking, basic formulas), Word, Outlook
- WhatsApp Business and email follow-ups
Additional information
- Driver's licence: [Code]
Own vehicle: [Yes/No] - Willing to travel: [Yes/No]
- Available for weekend promotions: [Yes/No]
- Notice period: [Immediate / 2 weeks / 1 month]
References
Available on request.
Not sure who to ask for references? See how to list references on a CV in South Africa.
A few words from the example, explained:
- Pipeline: your list of possible sales and where each one stands (new lead, quote sent, waiting for decision, won or lost).
- Upselling: helping a customer choose a better or bigger version. Cross-selling: suggesting a related product (e.g. accessories).
- FMCG: fast-moving consumer goods, like food, drinks and toiletries sold in shops.
- Lead time: how long it takes for stock or an order to arrive.
How to show targets and achievements without inventing numbers
Many candidates know they "did well" but don't have the exact monthly target, rand values or unit volumes. Don't guess.
A sales manager may ask about any number on your CV in the interview, or check with your old employer. A made-up figure you can't explain can cost you the job.
Instead, write achievements using verifiable evidence (things a manager could confirm) and process outcomes (what got better because of how you worked).
Use this simple "Evidence + Impact" formula
- Evidence: what you did regularly (routine), improved (process) or were responsible for (accounts, pipeline, region). Don't make up territory or product details.
- Impact: what changed because of it, e.g. faster turnaround, better retention, fewer complaints, more appointments, a cleaner pipeline, stronger relationships.
Here's the difference it makes:
- Weak: "Responsible for following up on quotes."
- Strong: "Called clients within agreed timelines after sending quotes and confirmed decision dates, leading to stronger conversion."
The weak version only says what your job was. The strong version shows what you actually did and why it mattered. (Conversion means turning a quote or enquiry into a real order.)
Examples you can use (edit to fit your role)
Pick the ones that are true for you and change the wording to match your real work.
Achievement bullets
- Pipeline discipline: Kept CRM pipeline consistently up to date with next actions and follow-up dates, improving forecasting discussions with management.
- Lead generation: Booked regular first-time appointments through cold calling and referrals, keeping a steady flow of new opportunities.
- Quote-to-order: Improved quote follow-up by calling clients within agreed timelines and confirming decision dates, leading to stronger conversion.
- Retention: Reactivated inactive customers through check-ins and tailored offers, rebuilding relationships and repeat ordering.
- Customer experience: Resolved delivery and service issues by coordinating between dispatch, admin and customers, reducing escalations.
- Cross-functional: Worked closely with finance on credit applications and with dispatch on delivery scheduling to reduce delays.
If you do have real numbers, use them briefly, e.g. "Met monthly target in [X] of [Y] months". If you don't, focus on what you can prove and explain in an interview.
Tip: Before you write your bullets, look for proof you already have: old performance reviews, payslips with commission, WhatsApp messages from happy customers, or awards from your team. These help you remember what you achieved, and give you real examples to talk about in the interview.
External sales CV vs internal sales CV: what should change?
Recruiters skim for signs that you understand what the job is like day to day. Change a few lines and skills to match the role type in the job ad.
For external sales (field sales)
External sales means you travel to visit customers.
- Emphasise route planning, client visits, relationship management and new business development.
- Mention your driver's licence and that you're ready to travel (only if true).
- Highlight visit reports, pipeline discipline and after-sales follow-up.
For internal sales (desk-based)
Internal sales means you work from the office, mostly by phone, email and WhatsApp.
- Emphasise inbound and outbound calls, fast quoting, admin accuracy and handling many enquiries at once.
- Highlight CRM updating, order capturing and coordination with dispatch and admin.
These changes also help your sales rep CV in South Africa match common job ad wording without keyword stuffing. For more on this, read how to tailor your CV to a job description and how to use CV keywords that match the job ad.
What to write in your summary (3 quick templates)
Your summary is the first thing a recruiter reads. Pick the template closest to your situation, replace anything in brackets, and keep it to 2–4 lines.
Entry-level
Professional summary
Entry-level sales representative with strong customer service experience and confident phone communication. Comfortable with prospecting, follow-up and learning product ranges quickly.
Career changer
Professional summary
Customer-focused professional moving into sales, bringing experience in relationship management, problem-solving and meeting service KPIs. Ready to apply structured prospecting and CRM tracking in a sales role.
KPIs (key performance indicators) are the targets your work is measured against, e.g. calls per day or customer satisfaction scores. If you're switching careers, see our guide to writing a career change CV.
Experienced external sales
Professional summary
External sales representative with experience managing a client base, building pipeline through consistent prospecting, and supporting repeat business through after-sales service and reliable follow-up.
Want more ideas? See how to write a personal profile on a CV.
No sales experience yet? How to adapt this CV
Many sales reps start in other customer-facing jobs. If you haven't had a "sales" job title yet, you can still show you have what it takes.
- Use the entry-level summary above. Focus on customer service, communication and willingness to learn.
- List related work. Cashier, promoter, waiter, call centre and retail jobs all involve persuading and helping customers. Write bullets about recommending products, handling complaints or meeting targets.
- Include informal selling. Selling at school fundraisers, a small side business or a family shop counts. Describe what you did honestly.
- Add courses. Any sales, customer service or computer course shows effort.
- Mention languages. Speaking several South African languages helps you connect with more customers, so list them.
For more help, read how to write a CV with no experience or see our retail assistant CV example.
Common mistakes on a sales representative CV (and how to fix them)
- Only listing duties. Fix: add 3–6 achievement bullets per role first, showing what improved because you were there.
- Big claims with no proof. Fix: avoid "top performer" unless you can back it up. Use evidence-based achievements instead.
- Too generic. Fix: replace "good communication" with specific actions, like prospecting, quoting, follow-up and complaint resolution.
- Messy layout. Fix: use clean headings and the same date format throughout. If you need a layout fast, choose a CV design and keep formatting consistent.
- Leaving out tools. Fix: mention the CRM, Excel and any quoting or order systems you used, even at a basic level.
Avoid this: Don't copy figures, targets or company names from someone else's CV or an online example. Recruiters in sales often phone previous employers, and anything you can't explain in the interview will count against you.
Quick checklist before you apply
- Your CV matches the job ad: external vs internal sales, industry wording and key duties.
- Each role has achievements and duties (not duties only).
- Your contact details are professional and correct. Use an email based on your name, not a nickname.
- Spelling and dates are consistent.
- You saved a clean PDF with a sensible file name: Name_Sales_Representative_CV.pdf
Sending your CV by email? Follow our guide on how to email your CV, and add a short cover letter if the ad asks for one.
To update your details quickly, you can update your CV profile. If you already have an account, log in to CV Hub and tailor a copy for each application.
Related CV example you can use
If your background is more phone-based and KPI-driven, you may also find this helpful: Call centre agent CV: Example and template you can copy.
For more ideas on what to list in your skills section, see skills to put on a CV.
Need help with your CV on CV Hub?
If you're unsure which sections to include or how the builder works, read the CV Hub FAQ. For support, contact CV Hub.
When you're ready, you can also browse the CV database to see how other candidates structure their profiles and sections.
