RESUME MISTAKES
Turn Your Sales Manager Resume into a Deal-Closing Weapon
Identify the biggest resume errors and fix them with expert strategies.
How This Page Helps
Help sales managers craft error‑free, high‑impact resumes that pass ATS and impress hiring managers.
Spot the most damaging resume mistakes
Learn actionable fixes for each error
Optimize for ATS systems used by top sales firms
Download a ready‑to‑use formatting checklist
Access a mini‑workshop to rewrite key sections instantly
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Generic Objective StatementMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Provides no value to the recruiter
- Lacks quantifiable results
- Often filtered out by ATS
- Fails to differentiate you from other candidates
How to fix
- Replace the objective with a concise professional summary
- Include years of experience, key achievements, and target role
- Integrate relevant sales keywords
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a challenging sales position.
✓ After
Results‑driven Sales Manager with 8+ years delivering $50M+ in revenue, seeking to lead a high‑performing team at XYZ Corp.
ATS Tip
Replace objective with a keyword‑rich summary of 2‑3 sentences.
Detection Rules
Contains the word 'objective'
Less than 30 words
Lacks quantifiable results
Resumly Tip
Use a 2‑sentence summary that highlights achievements and target role.
Unquantified AchievementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers can’t gauge impact
- ATS scores lower without numbers
- Missed opportunity to showcase ROI
How to fix
- Add specific revenue figures, percentages, and timeframes
- Mention team size or accounts managed
- Use action verbs followed by metrics
❌ Before
Managed a sales team and increased sales.
✓ After
Led a team of 12 reps to exceed sales targets by 25% YoY, generating $3.2M in new revenue.
ATS Tip
Include numbers, percentages, and dollar amounts in every bullet point.
Detection Rules
No digits in achievement bullets
Phrases like 'increased sales' without numbers
Resumly Tip
Add specific revenue, growth percentages, and team size to each achievement.
Keyword GapsHIGH
Why it hurts
- ATS may reject the resume
- Recruiters skim for industry terms
- Reduces relevance score
How to fix
- Extract top keywords from the job posting
- Incorporate terms like 'quota', 'pipeline', 'CRM', 'B2B', 'territory growth'
- Place keywords in summary, skills, and experience sections
❌ Before
Responsible for client relationships.
✓ After
Managed key accounts, driving upsell opportunities and achieving 15% increase in client retention using CRM tools like Salesforce.
ATS Tip
Mirror language from the job description and include at least 8–10 core sales terms.
Detection Rules
Missing common sales keywords (e.g., 'pipeline', 'quota', 'CRM')
Resumly Tip
Run a keyword scan to ensure top 10 terms appear throughout your resume.
Poor Formatting & LengthMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Hard to read quickly
- ATS may misparse sections
- Hiring managers lose interest
How to fix
- Use clean headings and bullet points
- Limit to 2 pages for experienced managers
- Choose standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
- Leave ample white space
❌ Before
Managed sales operations overseeing a large team, responsible for many tasks, achieving growth, and handling client negotiations across multiple regions.
✓ After
• Managed sales operations for a 15‑person team • Achieved 30% YoY revenue growth ($4.5M) • Negotiated contracts with Fortune 500 clients
ATS Tip
Use standard headings and avoid tables or graphics that confuse parsers.
Detection Rules
Paragraphs longer than 3 lines
More than 2 pages
Resumly Tip
Apply Resumly's one‑click formatting template for a clean, ATS‑friendly layout.
Missing Location & DatesLOW
Why it hurts
- ATS expects consistent date/location fields
- Hiring managers can’t verify tenure
How to fix
- Add city, state (or country) and month/year for each role
- Use a uniform format like MM/YYYY
❌ Before
Sales Manager, ABC Corp
✓ After
Sales Manager, ABC Corp – Chicago, IL (Jan 2018 – Mar 2023)
ATS Tip
Use consistent MM/YYYY format and include location in parentheses.
Detection Rules
Job entries without parentheses
No city/state
Resumly Tip
Use the built‑in date/location wizard to standardize all entries.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Header, Professional Summary, Core Competencies, Professional Experience, Education, Certifications, Awards
Naming: FirstName_LastName_SalesManager
Consistency
Length: 2 pages for experienced managers; 1 page for early‑career
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State (or Country)
Resume Quality Checklist
- Include a quantified summary
- Add sales-specific keywords
- Show revenue growth numbers
- Use bullet points for achievements
- Keep dates and locations consistent
- Limit resume to 2 pages
- Save as PDF with standard fonts
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, SmartRecruiters
Keyword Strategy: Focus on terms like 'quota attainment', 'pipeline management', 'CRM', 'B2B sales', 'territory growth'
Heading Format: Use standard headings such as 'Professional Experience' and 'Core Competencies'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current Sales Manager resume text
- Convert objective to summary
- Add metrics to each bullet
- Insert top 10 sales keywords
- Standardize dates and locations
- Apply clean formatting template
Ready to transform your sales resume? Get a free AI-powered review now!
Start My Review
