How to write the perfect resume to become a car dealer?

If you want to sell cars and enjoy all the perks that go with it, the perfect car dealer resume can land the dream job. Personalization is vital, and you'll learn all about it with these great tips.

Car sales has maintained its position as a genuinely glamorous career choice. It doesn't take much for most people to envision themselves waving away the latest happy customer, and the commission checks don't hurt either.

Of course, there's a little more glamor to selling Ferraris than Hyundais, and whether you've already settled on being a car dealer as a career or you're just getting started in the industry, an outstanding car dealer resume can make all the difference.

Jokes around glamor aside, car dealer jobs are highly desirable. The commissions certainly help, but they're also reliable for some fantastic benefits, including health insurance and paid holidays. Of course, most roles also include the use of one or two of the cars from the showroom too.

In short, it's no surprise that these jobs are highly desirable and, as such, hugely competitive. However, the application process generally remains the same as with any other job, and it all comes down to the car dealer resume to get the foot in the door.

Knowing that competition is stiff, it makes a lot of sense to make your resume stand out in the crowd.

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Car Sales Representative Resume Sample

Car Sales Associate Resume Sample

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1. Use the reverse-chronological format of your car dealer resume

Did you know that some recruiters aim to gather what they can about a potential hire's personality based on their resume? However, even before they start reading, their decision-making and organization skills can come across in how they present themselves when approaching the role.

Both are crucial when selling cars. You'll often run on appointments and need to keep time, so organization is key. You'll also need to rely on your instincts to know when to really push for a sale – if that's your style, of course.

One of the best ways to demonstrate these characteristics from the outset is by opting for a reverse-chronological experience listing on your car dealer resume. It indicates that you are indeed organized and know how to present yourself, and it also shows that you're capable of making decisions that can work in your favor.

Most importantly, a reverse-chronological format best demonstrates who you are today. Sure, a recruiter wants to know about your past experience beyond your most recent job, and most will also take your education into account. However, they're not hiring college you or the version of you that was doing a job five years ago. Instead, they're interested in the you of today, complete with more experience and knowledge to make them an outstanding employee.

Also worth bearing in mind is you don't need to worry too much about specific experience. Many car dealers remain with the same company for many years. New talent often arrives from diverse backgrounds. Just because you've never been a car dealer before doesn't mean you can't be in the future – everyone has to start somewhere, after all.

If you don't have specific experience, your job becomes applying what you've learned elsewhere in a way that becomes relevant.

If you've got a background in sales, portray it on your resume in a way that will make the recruiter sit up and pay attention. For example, if you were tasked with selling fifty of something but ended up selling 200, they'll like those numbers. Sure, if your monthly target is to sell fifty cars in a month, you'd do pretty well even to double it. However, selling abilities are a prime example of transferable skills.

When presenting your reverse-chronological experience, think about which of your achievements in each role would make the most sense to someone that wants to sell as many cars as possible.

Taking a lead role in deploying a new payroll system or demonstrable experience of working with senior management can have every bit as much of a positive impact on your career prospects as winning salesperson of the month.

Even if it means cutting your favorite achievements, if they're not going to resonate with the hiring manager, they don't deserve to take up space on your resume.

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2. Impress recruiters with your car dealer professional summary

Even before you decide on what experience to include and where you'll want to provide a brief overview of who you are and what you do. They don't need your hobbies and interest – they want a couple of sentences on why you're suitable for the role.

It's the hook, and, by definition, it can't be boring. Creating your summary or objective could make or break your resume and determine whether the recruiter even sticks around for long enough to read the rest.

With that in mind, don't be vague and don't lull them to sleep with something like:

That doesn't tell anyone anything other than bringing direct attention to the fact that the applicant hasn't done this before. You don't need experience, but when there are dozens of resumes on hand from people that do, you don't draw attention to it.

Instead, avoid pointing out the negatives and make it compelling with facts.

That could easily be the same person. However, this time they've made a point of listing achievements that the recruiter will be able to apply to car sales, even if they weren't initially achieved there. Most importantly, they've avoided any negativity and set the rest of their card dealer resume up with a positive outlook.

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3. Don't get hung up on experience or education

One of the best things about applying for a car dealer role is that you can adjust your resume to suit you. There are jobs out there that will exclude candidates automatically if they lack a particular credential, and often rightly so. After all, a hospital wouldn't hire a doctor that hadn't been to medical school.

However, this is a role without such barriers. Most car salespeople enter the workforce without specific prior experience as on-the-job training is often expected as standard.

Rather than concerning yourself with what you haven't got on your resume, focus on what you have got and how it applies to the role at hand. Even a high school diploma might be enough to take you through to the interview stage, especially if you gained skills that are relevant to selling cars in the process.

Just having a diploma indicates some degree of competence, but the chances are it's not all you achieved. If you sold something, worked well with others, or were part of a team that exceeded expectations, those things matter.

This is one of those roles where recruiters seek to hire based on the person as much as their certificates and accolades. So if you can shape your car dealer resume in such a way that you demonstrate passion, ambition, and communication skills, you've already achieved enough to stand out.