Telemarketer Resume Example & Writing Guide

An outstanding telemarketer resume will have your voice shining through to the recruiter who can grant you an interview. But how do you show off your skills, professional persona and experience all in a fairly dry, 1-2 page document?

Let resume.io show you the way. We have powerful resources for job seekers, including resume guides and resume examples for 250+ professions. But we don’t stop there. We also offer an easy-to-use resume builder. Let us help you find your voice and lead you on your way to your next great telemarketer job.

This resume guide, along with the corresponding resume example will cover the following topics:

• What does a telemarketer do?
• Tips and tricks for writing a telemarketer resume
• The best format for a telemarketer resume
• Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education, skills)
• Professional resume layout and design hints.

What does a telemarketer do?

Telemarketers are people who make calls regarding the sales of products or services. They aim to reach target audiences and prospective clients and provide information about new or existing product offers.

Telemarketers serve as a remote sales person, communicating information for businesses with the hopes of increasing sales. Many times, telemarketers are making “cold calls” or calls to people who have not requested information about the product. Telemarketers also might schedule appointments regarding product delivery, sales meetings, and services. They provide pricing information, process orders, and update customer accounts.

A positive side of the job is that telemarketers can often work from home and may be able to use this job as a stepping stone to a career in sales.

Telemarketer job market and outlook

Because of computer calling, commonly known as “robocalls” and caller ID technology, the job market for telemarketers has been steadily declining since 2004, Recruiter.com reports. 

How to write a telemarketer resume

Just as your calls will follow a standard structure, so, too, should your telemarketer resume. Before you begin, you need to know the elements your CV must contain. Here they are:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

Telemarketers don’t have it easy. They often make cold calls to potential customers who may not be happy to hear from them. Cold calls will lead to people disconnecting while you’re talking  or even yelling at you. You have to have a thick skin.

Your telemarketer CV will act as your representative to recruiters. You’ll need to prove your mettle and show your professionalism to get to your goal: the interview.

An telemarketer resume that calls out to recruiters will:

• Personalize to address each employer and their needs.
• Show off your professional demeanor as though you were speaking to a customer.
• Use optimization techniques when applying online to pass by the ATS screening software.

Strategies to overcome the ATS

You’re going to encounter a lot of rejection, much of it before your have a chance to prove yourself. You don’t want that rejection to start even before a person sees your telemarketer resume. You can minimize that occurrence by optimizing for the ATS.

Human resources departments use Application Tracking Systems to complete scan applications and complete initial screenings of resumes. They use algorithms to elevate some candidates and send others to the slush pile. 

There are no guaranteed methods of leaping this hurdle, but you can increase your chances by:

1. Carefully examining the job listing.
2. Take note of the job requirements and the language used to describe them.
3. Review your resume and insert the exact keywords and phrases you noted – don’t “stuff” your resume with these words, recruiters are savvy to that trick. Write your resume in your own voice as much as possible.

Choosing the best resume format for a telemarketer

As a telemarketer, you will likely have a formatted script or structure. Your telemarketer resume format is one chance to show recruiters that you know how to follow guidelines. Therefore, we suggest using the reverse chronological format for your CV. This format mostly affects your work history section, where you will list your jobs from most recent to earliest. 

We’ve already stated one reason this is the preferred format, but here are two more:

1. Recruiters are partial to this format because it easily allows them to see what you have done most recently and scan for other key information.
2. ATS software is set up to scan the text from your resume from your latest job to your earliest.

One of the chronological alternatives or hybrid formats we suggest may be appropriate if you are new to the workforce or are returning after a gap in employment, and since telemarketing is a great stepping stone in these cases, consider these options. For most job hunters, reverse chronological order is the way to go.

Resume summary example: Sales with a smile

Personality plays a big role in the job of a telemarketer. You will need to remain calm and cheerful even when facing repeated rejection. But that’s just the beginning. Telemarketing is really a sales job, so you have to have all the skills and qualities of a great salesperson.

Your resume summary, sometimes called a profile, should aim to highlight all these characteristics while making your case for employment. Introduce yourself, name your biggest career success and show off your professional demeanor – all in 3-4 lines. Check out the summary from our telemarketer resume sample below.

Employment history sample: Call on your experience

Powerful action words and highlights of your career successes make this telemarketer resume section a winner.  Use each bullet pointed achievement in your work experience section to prove that you have what it takes to be a successful telemarketer. Our resume sample below gives you a template for writing your items.

Skills section example: A second to sell it

What is going to make you a great employee and telemarketer? HR people are likely to look at this brief section first to see your answer to this all-important question. If you don’t sell them here, they are unlikely to look on.

Your skills section is also a great place to optimize for the ATS. Review the job listing and choose attributes that your prospective employer seeks. Even if you have not been a telemarketer before, you have skills from other jobs or your academic experiences that are necessary in this career. Check out the resume sample section below for ideas.

Education Section Example

List all degrees and certifications here. Any honors or distinctions should be noted here as well. If you hold a degree higher than a Bachelors Degree, you may leave out your high school. See example content below.

Resume layout and design: First impressions

Telemarketing is a tough business and you’re unlikely to get a second chance. The same holds true for job hunting. That means your telemarketer resume layout and design has to look as fabulous as it sounds. Use these guidelines to help with your design:

• Keep it uncluttered. Stay away from graphics or too much color.
• Use fonts that are easy to read.
• Stick with standard headings for your sections.
• Avoid big blocks of type by varying your line lengths and using bulleted lists.

If you’re not an artist or want to streamline the design process, consider using one of our field-tested resume templates, where the most tedious formatting tasks are taken care of for you.

Key takeaways for a telemarketer resume

1. Telemarketing can be a tough job, but if you can hack it, it can be a stepping stone to a sales career.
2. Your telemarketer resume gives you an opportunity to show off your sales skills as you sell your candidacy.
3. A resume optimized for the ATS can make all this difference between an interview and the slush pile.
4. Take advantage of the online resume builder to speed the job search process and get your applications into the hands of employers faster!