Getting Sales Experience: Transferable Skills & 10 Resume Tips

Trying to break into a sales career can feel like a classic Catch-22: you need sales experience to get a sales job, but you can't get a sales job without experience.

This hurdle stops many talented people before they even start. The truth is, while direct, business-to-business (B2B) or Software as a Service (SaaS) experience is valuable, the core skills that make a great salesperson, including communication, negotiation, resilience, and problem-solving, are developed in almost every customer-facing role.

If your background is in retail, fast food, hospitality, or even volunteer work, you have likely used persuasive techniques to influence a decision, resolve a conflict, or meet a goal. That is the foundational experience hiring managers are looking for. You just need to know how to translate it.

Ready to turn that "no experience" narrative into a story of untapped sales potential? Let's break down what counts, what doesn't, and how to turn almost any role into a stepping stone for your sales career.

What Counts as Sales Experience?

Sales experience refers to the skills, knowledge, and practical exposure gained through activities that involve promoting, presenting, and closing a sale—whether that's a product, service, or idea.

This can come from traditional roles, such as B2B sales experience or inside sales experience, but it also appears in places most people overlook.

Part-time jobs, full-time positions, and even volunteer work can all count as sales experience if you've influenced a purchase, solved customer problems, or guided someone toward a decision.

Examples of roles that count as sales experience:

1. Fast food roles absolutely count when you're upselling meal add-ons or handling customer complaints.
2. A cashier job can be solid sales experience if you've recommended products, encouraged upgrades, or helped customers find what they need.
3. Retail sales experience remains one of the most transferable, especially when you're working toward KPIs, managing stock, or building customer loyalty, no surprise considering retail roles account for over 4 million U.S. jobs tied directly to sales functions.

Soft skills are a significant part of what employers consider when evaluating sales experience. Here's how:

• Negotiation emerges when you handle objections effectively.
• Communication shines when you explain products clearly.
• Empathy drives better customer interactions and builds trust.

These skills translate seamlessly into B2B, SaaS sales experience, outside sales roles, and even specialist paths like medical or tech sales.

In short, if you've convinced, guided, recommended, or served in a way that impacted a purchase, it counts. Use it confidently.

Types of Sales Experience Explained

Below is a clear breakdown of the main types of sales experience and what each involves.

How To Get Into Sales With No Experience

The transition into a professional sales career, particularly into specialized fields like medical or tech, requires a strategic approach.

If you've been asking, "How to get into sales with no experience," the answer lies in demonstrating specialized knowledge and a commitment to learning, not just relying on the general skills discussed earlier.

How To Get Into Medical Sales With No Experience

Medical sales, including pharmaceutical and medical device sales, is a highly competitive field. Hiring managers often look for candidates who already understand the complex regulatory environment and clinical workflows.

Pathway:

1. Deep Research: Study the industry. Understand the roles of key players, including doctors, hospital administrators, purchasing committees, and payers (insurance). Familiarize yourself with the various products (devices, diagnostics, pharma).
2. Specialized Certifications: Consider an industry-recognized certification like the Certified National Pharmaceutical Representative (CNPR) or specific medical device sales courses. While these aren't required, they signal to recruiters that you are serious and have invested in understanding the foundational concepts.
3. Gain Entry-Level Experience: Target clinical support roles, entry-level field sales for non-medical products, or even inside sales roles for a company that serves the healthcare industry (e.g., selling software to medical offices). This provides crucial exposure to the customer base and workflow.
4. Networking is Non-Negotiable: Attend medical industry events, connect with current reps on LinkedIn, and ask for informational interviews. Most medical sales jobs are filled via referrals. If you lack sales experience, you must leverage relationships.

How To Get Into Tech Sales With No Experience

Tech sales, especially SaaS sales experience, is one of the fastest entry points into high-earning sales roles, primarily because of the high demand for talent. The typical entry point is the Sales Development Representative (SDR) or Business Development Representative (BDR) role. This gives you foundational inside sales experience.

Steps to Success:

1. Learn the Technology Foundation: You don't need to be a programmer, but you must understand how Software as a Service (SaaS) works, what Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) is, and basic cloud terminology. This is essential for understanding the B2B sales experience meaning in a modern context.
2. Master CRM Software: Most tech companies run on Salesforce, HubSpot, or a similar Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool. Take free or low-cost online courses to become proficient. Listing "Proficient in Salesforce" on your sales experience resume shows you understand the operational backbone of a modern sales team.
3. Leverage LinkedIn and Cold Outreach: As an aspiring salesperson, you should behave like a salesperson. Practice your cold outreach skills by politely connecting with SDRs and sales managers on LinkedIn. Ask what their day-to-day looks like. This demonstrates initiative and practicing the very skills the job requires.
4. Target SDR/BDR Roles: These entry-level positions are designed for learning and provide direct, measurable inside sales experience. They focus on qualifying leads and booking meetings, which is the perfect proving ground for demonstrating resilience and communication skills. They provide a clear pathway to becoming an Account Executive (AE) with full outside sales experience responsibilities down the line.

Cover Letter and Resume Tips for Sales Roles

When creating your application, remember that the document itself is your first sales experience pitch. You are selling the product—you!

So, here are 10 actionable tips to position yourself, whether you have B2B sales experience, inside sales experience, retail experience, or you're coming in with no experience at all.

1. Tailor Your Resume to Sales Metrics

Hiring managers are driven by numbers because sales success is quantified. When detailing your past roles, swap generic descriptions for measurable achievements. This is critical for demonstrating effectiveness, which counts as sales experience. Here's how to do it:

• Vague: "Responsible for customer relations."
• Metric-Driven: "Maintained a 98% customer satisfaction score across 60+ daily transactions, directly impacting loyalty."
• Vague: "Sold products to customers."
• Metric-Driven: "Increased add-on purchases (upselling) by 22% quarter-over-quarter through proactive product recommendations."

If you lack direct revenue figures, quantify interaction volume, speed, or quality. Show that you can handle high pressure and deliver results.

2. Highlight Transferable Skills if You Have No Experience

If you worry, "What does sales experience mean" for someone with only retail or service history, the answer is translation. Every time you dealt with a difficult customer, you handled an objection (a core sales skill). Every time you suggested a higher-priced item, you practiced upselling.

Showcase or use these as proof:

• Customer communication and upselling (suggesting menu items, recommending products)
• Handling objections or complaints
• Working toward targets (daily orders, CSAT scores, conversion goals)

Pro Tip: Frame every responsibility as a sales outcome. For example, "Guided customers to the right product" becomes "Helped customers make informed purchase decisions, driving store conversions."

3. Keep Your Cover Letter Short but Strategic

A strong sales assistant cover letter with no experience should be an irresistible elevator pitch, not a life story. It needs to be clear, confident, and persuasive in the following structure:

• Introduction: Immediately state your passion for sales and your relevant foundational skills. Example: "As a highly motivated communicator with two years of customer relations experience, I am excited to transition my persuasive and problem-solving skills into an entry-level sales role at your firm."
• Body: Briefly highlight a key achievement that demonstrates persuasion or resilience. Focus on why you will succeed in the inside sales experience.
• Closing (Call-to-Action): Always conclude with a confident and direct call-to-action, requesting the next step. Example: "I am eager to discuss how my results-driven approach can contribute to your team's quotas, and I look forward to scheduling an interview."

4. Use Sales Keywords in Your Application

Modern hiring relies on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). To ensure your application for a retail sales associate with no experience makes it past the filter, use natural phrases like:

• "sales pipeline"
• "customer relationship management"
• "lead generation"
• "cold calling / warm calling"
• "CRM software"

5. Showcase Your Sales Tools Knowledge

If you're applying for tech sales with no experience, digital fluency is a huge plus. Any knowledge of sales technology, even gained through free online courses, is valuable.

For example, if you've worked with CRM systems, VoIP tools, or email automation software, highlight them. Even if you've only learned the basics through free trials or courses, it demonstrates initiative and digital fluency.

Examples of what you can include:

• "Completed online CRM training (Ringy and HubSpot) to develop sales tracking skills."
• "Used Excel and Zapier to manage 200+ customer inquiries weekly."

You should know that even basic familiarity with sales tech can boost credibility and distinguish you from the competition.

6. Mirror the Employer's Language

To stand out in sales applications, closely study the job posting and mirror the language used. If the role highlights "consultative selling," "lead nurturing," or "quota achievement," integrate these exact phrases into your resume and cover letter.

Doing so demonstrates that you understand the company's priorities and align directly with the position's expectations.

It also increases the likelihood of passing an ATS that scans for keyword matches. Beyond keywords, reflect the tone and style of the posting. If it's energetic and results-driven, your application should convey the same. This approach subtly signals cultural fit while emphasizing relevant sales skills and experience.

7. Format for Clarity and Conversion

Your resume should be easy on the eyes. So, use a clean, professional template. A recruiter should be able to skim and see your value proposition in ten seconds.

Here are some best practices:

• For those with under five years of experience, stick to one page
• Use bolding judiciously to draw the eye to your metrics and results
• Bullet points instead of paragraphs
• Bold your numbers and achievements
• Clear sections: Skills, Experience, Tools, Certifications, Education

8. Optional: Include a Short "Sales Pitch" Section

Adding a brief sales pitch section at the top of your resume can immediately showcase your enthusiasm and sales potential, especially if you're new to the field.

Keep it 1–2 sentences, emphasizing your willingness to learn sales technology, connect with clients, and exceed targets. Tailor it to the specific role and company. This section acts as a personal brand snapshot, quickly signaling to recruiters that you are proactive, adaptable, and ready to contribute to their sales team.

Example: "Motivated communicator passionate about connecting with customers, learning sales technology, and exceeding targets through persistence and creativity."

9. Mention Training and Certifications

Whether it's a dedicated course on how to get into medical sales with no experience or a LinkedIn Learning certificate on cold calling, include it. It shows initiative and a willingness to self-start.

Certifications help you stand out, especially in competitive fields like SaaS or medical sales.

Good additions:

• LinkedIn Learning sales courses
• CNPR Medical Device Sales Certification
• SDR Bootcamps or SaaS sales workshops
• CRM training (HubSpot, Ringy, Salesforce)

10. Proofread Like a Closer

In sales, first impressions are everything, and a resume full of typos can signal carelessness. Research shows that hiring managers spend less than 10 seconds on an initial scan, so clarity and professionalism matter.

To avoid your resume getting sidelined immediately, do these:

• Read your resume aloud
• Use Grammarly or Hemingway
• Have someone else review it if possible

A carefully proofread application communicates credibility, confidence, and the same precision you'd use to close a deal in the field.

How to Improve and Leverage Your Sales Experience

Sales is a dynamic field that constantly evolves with consumer behavior and technology. To truly succeed and move beyond entry-level roles, whether you're aiming for a complex B2B sales experience or a high-growth SaaS sales experience, you must adopt a mindset of continuous improvement.

This ongoing commitment to learning is what converts foundational what counts as sales experience into highly compensated expertise.

Here's how to level up and make your sales experience work harder for you:

Invest in Ongoing Learning

Staying sharp keeps you relevant and more valuable to employers.

Easy ways to improve your skills:

• Attend sales webinars hosted by sales leaders or CRM providers.
• Take certification courses in areas like consultative selling, cold outreach, negotiation, or industry-specific training.
• Follow experienced SDRs, AEs, and sales coaches on LinkedIn for daily micro-lessons.

This is especially helpful if you're growing your inside sales experience or preparing for more advanced roles like B2B account management.

Learn and Use CRM Platforms (Like Ringy)

A big part of the modern sales experience meaningfully involves technology. CRMs help you track conversations, automate follow-ups, and understand buyer behavior, all without drowning in spreadsheets.

Why CRMs matter:

• Companies using CRMs see sales increase by up to 29% due to better tracking and communication.
• CRM fluency instantly boosts your resume, especially for tech sales or SaaS sales experience.

Skills to develop with CRMs like Ringy:

1. Managing contacts and tracking pipeline stages
2. Setting automated follow-ups and reminders
3. Monitoring conversion metrics and outreach performance
4. Logging calls, notes, and lead activity

Even basic familiarity makes you more hireable because it shows you can operate in a real sales environment from day one.

Ultimately, your commitment to improving your knowledge of both strategy and technology is how you turn "no experience" into "ready for the next challenge." This commitment is the best way to describe your sales experience evolution.

Sales Experience FAQs

We've covered what sales experience is and how to get it, but many common questions arise when you're preparing to step into this career path. Let's tackle some frequently asked questions to solidify your understanding.

What is Sales Experience vs. Marketing Experience?

This is a key distinction, especially when applying for roles that involve both.

In short, Marketing fills the top of the funnel by creating interest, while Sales manages the bottom of the funnel by executing the close. Sales experience is about persuasion and negotiation; marketing experience is about attraction and messaging. They are partners, but they require distinct skill sets.

What Does Sales Experience Mean on a Resume?

On a resume, what does sales experience mean? It means you are proficient in the processes that lead to revenue.

On your sales experience resume, it means showcasing:

• Measurable Results: Quantified achievements in targets, metrics, and efficiency (e.g., "Exceeded weekly call quotas by 15%" or "Managed a $50K pipeline").
• Process Proficiency: Knowledge of the sales cycle, CRM software, and communication tools. This is particularly important for proving you are ready for inside sales experience.
• Resilience and Initiative: Proof that you actively sought out opportunities, handled rejection, and learned from setbacks.

How Can I Get Sales Experience Without a Job?

If you are struggling to land an entry-level position and are still asking how to get sales experience, you need to simulate the job functions and demonstrate initiative.

1. Volunteer to Fundraise: Raising money for a charity or running a capital campaign requires the exact skills needed for direct sales experience: presenting a value proposition, handling objections, and asking for a commitment.
2. Take an Online Sales Course: Certifications from HubSpot, LinkedIn Learning, or even CNPR (if interested in medical sales with no experience) show motivation and teach foundational terminology.
3. Start a Side Hustle: Sell something, anything! Whether it's clearing items on eBay, tutoring, or offering a freelance service, the process of finding a customer, setting a price, and closing the deal gives you tangible, real-world sales experience examples to discuss in an interview.

What Are Examples of Transferable Sales Skills?

If you don't have direct B2B sales experience or outside sales experience, focus on these core transferable skills:

• Active Listening: The ability to hear and understand a customer's underlying needs, not just their stated requests.
• Objection Handling: The skill to address concerns or resistance calmly and persuasively, turning a "no" into a "maybe" or a "yes."
• Time Management & Organization: The ability to manage a large number of leads, prioritize follow-ups, and keep a clean pipeline, often demonstrated by working in a fast-paced environment like retail or customer service.
• Persuasion and Rapport Building: The knack for quickly building trust and influencing someone's decision, often gained in any client-facing role, proving you have the soft skills that are considered sales experience.

Conclusion

A strong sales career starts with knowing how to use the sales experience you already have and learning how to level it up over time.

From understanding what counts as sales experience to breaking into B2B, SaaS, medical, or tech sales with no experience, the key is positioning your transferable skills, using the right tools, and showing measurable impact.

With the right resume, strategic cover letter, ongoing learning, and CRM fluency, you can stand out even in competitive roles.

If you want to manage leads faster, automate follow-ups, and build stronger sales habits from day one, request a demo of Ringy CRM and see how it can accelerate your sales growth.