Skip to main content

Car sales CV Example

Showcase your automotive sales expertise, product knowledge, and ability to guide customers through the vehicle purchasing process.

Recommended template: VibrantPro

Key Skills to Include

Vehicle SalesProduct KnowledgeTest Drive CoordinationFinance PackagesCustomer Relationship ManagementNegotiationTarget AchievementAfter-Sales Service

Quick Tips

  • Include your sales figures showing vehicles sold per month and revenue generated.
  • Mention the vehicle brands and types you have experience selling.
  • Highlight your ability to explain finance packages and after-sales options to customers.
  • Detail your customer follow-up process and any repeat business rates.

Ready to build your CV?

Start with the Vibrant template and customise it for your sales role.

Upgrade to Pro

How to Write Your Car sales CV

A car sales CV should demonstrate your ability to sell vehicles, build customer relationships, and consistently hit targets in a competitive retail environment. Dealership managers want to see that you can engage customers, present vehicles professionally, explain finance options, and close deals. Your CV should be packed with sales figures that prove your performance — units sold, finance penetration, and customer satisfaction ratings.

CV Structure

Use a reverse-chronological format with a profile that states your experience, brands sold, and key performance metrics. For each dealership role, include the brand, your monthly target, and the types of vehicles you sell. List responsibilities that demonstrate your sales process, followed by quantified achievements. Include a skills section and any manufacturer or industry certifications. Keep the CV to two pages.

CV Format

Choose a bold, professional template that conveys commercial confidence. Automotive sales CVs can be more dynamic in design than traditional corporate CVs — ensure your sales figures and achievements are visually prominent. Keep the layout clean and easy to scan.

CV Profile Examples

Experienced Car Sales Executive

Results-driven car sales executive with six years of experience in franchised and independent dealership environments, specialising in new and approved used vehicle sales across premium brands. Consistently averaging 15 units per month with a strong finance penetration rate of 65%. Skilled in building rapport, explaining finance options, and guiding customers through the full purchasing journey from enquiry to handover.

Senior Car Sales Professional

Top-performing senior sales executive with a decade of experience in automotive retail, progressing from trainee to senior advisor within a multi-franchise dealer group. Expert in consultative vehicle sales, part-exchange appraisal, and after-sales product presentation. Known for generating significant repeat and referral business through excellent post-sale follow-up and customer relationship management.

Car Sales — Entry Level

Ambitious sales professional with eighteen months of experience in automotive retail, demonstrating natural ability in customer engagement and product presentation. Trained in manufacturer sales processes with a solid understanding of PCP, HP, and lease finance structures. Keen to develop further within a dealership that rewards performance and offers progression into senior sales or management roles.

State your years of automotive sales experience, the brands you sell, and your average monthly units. Include your finance penetration rate and one key achievement. This immediately tells a dealership manager whether you match their requirements.

Key Skills for Your Car sales CV

Vehicle Sales

Guiding customers through the vehicle purchasing process from enquiry and test drive to negotiation, finance, and handover.

Product Knowledge

Maintaining comprehensive knowledge of vehicle specifications, features, and competitive positioning across the brand range.

Test Drive Coordination

Planning and delivering professional test drive experiences that showcase vehicle capabilities and build customer excitement.

Finance Packages

Explaining PCP, HP, lease, and cash purchase options clearly, helping customers understand the financial commitment of each.

Customer Relationship Management

Building long-term customer relationships through follow-up, anniversary contacts, and exceptional service delivery.

Negotiation

Negotiating vehicle pricing, part-exchange values, and add-on products to achieve commercially favourable outcomes.

Target Achievement

Consistently meeting or exceeding monthly unit, revenue, and finance penetration targets in competitive dealership environments.

After-Sales Service

Presenting after-sales products including service plans, GAP insurance, and paint protection to enhance the customer package.

Work Experience Examples

For each role, state the dealership group, brand, and your monthly target. Include responsibilities across enquiry handling, test drives, finance presentation, and customer follow-up. Quantify achievements with units per month, target percentages, finance penetration, and customer satisfaction scores. Include repeat business and referral rates as evidence of relationship quality.

Sales Executive

Pendragon PLC — Evans Halshaw BMW

Sold new and approved used BMW vehicles at a high-volume franchised dealership, managing a monthly target of 12 units with an average transaction value of £38,000.

Responsibilities

  • Managed walk-in and online enquiries, qualifying customer requirements and presenting suitable vehicles from stock and factory order options.
  • Conducted professional test drives, demonstrating vehicle features and technology to create an engaging customer experience.
  • Presented and explained finance packages including PCP, HP, and lease options, working with the F&I manager to maximise finance penetration.
  • Appraised part-exchange vehicles using CAP valuations and market data, negotiating trade-in values to facilitate deals.
  • Maintained ongoing customer relationships through post-sale follow-up calls, review anniversary contacts, and service reminders.

Achievements

  • Averaged 16 units sold per month over the last twelve months, exceeding the team average of 11 and ranking first in the sales team.
  • Achieved a finance penetration rate of 68%, contributing an average of £1,200 in finance commission per unit to the dealership.
  • Generated 35% of personal sales from repeat and referral customers through consistent follow-up and exceptional handover experiences.

Trainee Sales Executive

Arnold Clark — Vauxhall

Sold new and used Vauxhall vehicles at a busy regional dealership, learning the full sales process from enquiry handling to delivery.

Responsibilities

  • Greeted showroom visitors, qualifying their requirements and guiding them through the vehicle selection process.
  • Presented vehicle features and benefits, adapting communication style to match each customer's buying motivation.
  • Prepared vehicles for handover, ensuring cleanliness, documentation, and accessories were to the manufacturer's standard.
  • Completed manufacturer-required e-learning modules and in-dealership training to achieve accredited sales advisor status.

Achievements

  • Sold 10 units per month within four months of joining, reaching the team average within the fastest timeframe for a trainee in the dealership's history.
  • Received a customer satisfaction excellence certificate for achieving 100% positive post-sale survey responses in the first quarter.

Education & Qualifications

List any manufacturer sales certifications or accreditations. Include your driving licence status and any business or marketing qualifications. FCA-regulated finance certifications are increasingly valuable for car sales roles.

Manufacturer Sales Accreditation

Brand-specific sales certification demonstrating product knowledge and adherence to manufacturer sales processes.

FCA Authorised Status

Regulatory authorisation to sell regulated financial products such as PCP and HP agreements in the dealership.

IMI Level 2 Automotive Sales

Institute of the Motor Industry qualification covering automotive retail sales skills and customer management.

Full UK Driving Licence

Essential requirement for conducting test drives and vehicle demonstrations in automotive sales roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I include on a car sales CV?
Include the brands you have sold, your average monthly units, finance penetration rate, and customer satisfaction scores. Mention your experience with specific sales processes and finance product presentation. Detail your part-exchange appraisal experience and after-sales product knowledge. Quantify everything — dealership managers assess car sales candidates primarily on their numbers.
How do I show car sales performance on my CV?
State your monthly unit average, your target, and your percentage achievement. Include finance penetration rates, add-on product attachment rates, and revenue figures. Compare your performance to team averages or rankings where possible. Include any awards such as Salesperson of the Month or manufacturer recognition for target achievement.
Should I mention the brands I have sold?
Absolutely. Brand experience matters in automotive recruitment — dealerships prefer candidates familiar with their manufacturer processes. State every brand you have sold, whether premium, volume, or specialist. If you have completed manufacturer-specific training programmes, list these as they demonstrate product expertise and process familiarity.
How important is finance knowledge for car sales?
Finance knowledge is essential for modern car sales roles. Most new vehicle sales involve finance products such as PCP or HP, and finance penetration is a key performance metric. Demonstrate your ability to explain finance options clearly, your penetration rates, and any FCA-regulated qualification you hold. Finance-literate sales executives generate significantly more revenue per unit for the dealership.

More Sales CV Examples

Builder Command Palette

Type a command or search...