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Entry-Level Business Development Manager Resume
This resume example effectively demonstrates the strategic skills and measurable achievements that will attract career changers looking to thrive as business development managers in a competitive market.
Why this resume works:
A strong academic foundation shows the candidate is well-prepared to transition into this role.
Mid-Career Business Development Manager Resume
This resume example is perfect for business development professionals eager to leverage their achievements and experience to advance into leadership roles or specialize in strategic market growth.
Why this resume works:
Mid-career business development managers can highlight achievements like driving a 30% sales increase within one year or securing partnerships with 10 new clients, significantly expanding market presence.
Experienced Business Development Manager Resume
This business development manager resume showcases achievements and leadership skills, making it perfect for experienced professionals aiming for senior-level roles.
Why this resume works:
Leadership roles and advanced certifications underscore the ability to manage complex scenarios.
Looking for something else?
Create Your Standout Resume Today
Use our resume examples for inspiration on organization, color, and design—and learn how to effectively summarize your business development manager skills and experience with confidence.
How to Write a Business Development Manager Resume
Mastering how to write a resume is important for showcasing your unique value as a business development manager, rather than merely listing your qualifications. This approach allows you to present your achievements and skills in a way that stands out to potential employers.
In the upcoming sections, we will guide you through each step of crafting an effective resume, including resume tips on formatting, highlighting your experience, and emphasizing your strengths in business development.
Start with your contact info
The header section contains all your contact information, prominently displayed at the top of your resume. Start with your name in a bold, larger font to ensure it stands out. You may also use a sleek design or contrasting color that aligns with your professional branding, making it visually appealing to recruiters.
Next, include essential contact details such as your email address, phone number, and location; city and state are sufficient. This information is vital for potential employers to reach you quickly and helps applicant tracking systems identify applicants based on their geographical relevance.
Lastly, consider adding links to any relevant certifications or training programs alongside a personal website or online portfolio if applicable. These resources can improve your profile by showcasing your achievements and providing deeper insights into your skills and experience in business development roles.
Write a strong professional summary
A professional summary is an important element of your resume, serving as a brief introduction right below your contact details. This section presents the first impression to recruiters, showcasing who you are and what you bring to the table.
In crafting your summary, focus on highlighting your key qualifications and skills relevant to a business development manager role. Customizing this section for each application is essential, as it demonstrates your genuine interest in the position and alignment with the company's goals.
To guide you in writing an effective summary, explore various resume summary examples available online. These can provide inspiration on structure and content that resonate well with hiring managers.
Strong vs weak business development manager summary
Strong
"Results-driven business development manager with over seven years of experience in driving revenue growth and building strategic partnerships. Proven track record of exceeding sales targets by 30% year-over-year through innovative marketing strategies and client relationship management. Skilled in market analysis, lead generation, and contract negotiation, holding a certification in Strategic Sales Management. Recognized for cultivating high-performing teams that improve organizational success."
Why this example works: This summary effectively describes the applicant’s extensive experience, showcases measurable achievements like exceeding sales targets, highlights essential skills specific to the role such as market analysis and negotiation, and includes relevant keywords commonly found in business development job descriptions.
Weak
"Business development manager seeking a position to use my skills in sales and client relations. I have experience in various industries and enjoy collaborating with teams."
Why this example doesn't work: This professional summary is generic and lacks specific accomplishments, measurable achievements, or details about relevant expertise in business development.
Highlight your ability to build relationships by showcasing interpersonal skills like negotiation and collaboration on your resume. Use specific examples from previous roles that illustrate how these skills led to successful partnerships or increased sales, demonstrating your effectiveness in driving business growth.
Share your work history
Your work history is, arguably, the central and most important part of your resume. List your most recent roles in reverse-chronological order. If you’ve held numerous positions, select the ones most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
When listing your work history, focus on:
- Job title and company name
- Dates of employment (month and year)
- Key responsibilities (What did you do on a daily basis?)
- Achievements and contributions (What did you accomplish? Did you improve processes, reduce costs, or increase efficiency?)
- Measurable results (Use numbers when possible, such as "increased sales by 30%.")
Finally, when describing your achievements, use action verbs to make your work history come alive.
Strong vs weak business development manager work history
Strong
Business Development Manager, ABC Solutions
2018–2023
- Generated over $5 million in new revenue by identifying and securing strategic partnerships.
- Led a team that improved client retention rates by 40% through targeted engagement initiatives.
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive sales strategy that increased market share by 15% in just one year.
Why this example works: A strong work history for a Business Development Manager highlights key achievements and quantifiable outcomes, showcasing your ability to drive growth.
Weak
Business Development Manager
ABC Corp
- Worked on client relations and sales.
- Managed some projects.
Why this example doesn't work: This entry is ineffective because it does not specify the types of clients or projects handled, lacks employment dates, and includes vague descriptions that could apply to any role.
If you have over 10 years of experience as a business development manager, consider using a chronological resume format. This approach effectively highlights your career progression and significant achievements, showcasing your expertise to potential employers.
Highlight your key skills
The skills section of your resume is essential for demonstrating your strengths as a business development manager. Here's a rundown of various skill types and their significance in driving successful outcomes:
- Soft skills are personal attributes that reflect how you collaborate with others, including negotiation, relationship-building, and strategic thinking. For business development managers, qualities such as resilience and effective communication play an important role in driving successful partnerships and fostering growth within competitive markets.
- Hard skills are the specific abilities you gain through training, education, or experience in business development. For a business development manager, examples include market analysis, strategic planning, CRM software expertise, and sales forecasting.
- A business development manager's technical skills encompass expertise with CRM platforms, data analytics tools, and project management software. Notable examples include Salesforce for customer relationship management, HubSpot for inbound marketing, and Microsoft Excel for data analysis.
For business development managers just starting out, position your skills section near the top of your resume to highlight your strengths despite limited experience. If you have a robust background, place this section after your work history to showcase how your experience reflects those abilities.
Top 15 skills for your business development manager resume
When crafting your resume, it's essential to showcase skills that align with business development. Focus on a mix of soft skills like negotiation and relationship-building, along with hard skills such as market analysis. Incorporating transferable skills is important, as they demonstrate your ability to adapt in different contexts.
Below is a list of the 15 most popular skills for business development managers, based on insights from JobHero users. These skills highlight what employers value in applicants and can improve the appeal of your resume in a competitive job market.
Build your education section
For seasoned business development managers, the education section can be minimized. Focus on your extensive work experience and achievements that showcase your strategic planning and client acquisition skills. Place the education section toward the end of your resume, listing only relevant degrees or certifications if necessary.
Conversely, recent graduates or those entering specialized sectors should emphasize their educational background. Position this section near the top of your resume to highlight relevant courses, projects, and any honors that align with business development roles. This approach shows your preparedness for industry challenges.
Applicants in niche areas requiring specific expertise should also prioritize education details prominently. Include specialized training or certifications relevant to the field. This strategy can improve credibility and demonstrate a strong foundational knowledge critical for success in business development.
20 action verbs to add to your resume
Using action verbs in resumes for a business development manager strengthens your application by effectively communicating your experience and creating a compelling narrative. These verbs help highlight your accomplishments and demonstrate proactive engagement in your previous roles.
When selecting action verbs, prioritize those that resonate with the specific skills outlined in job postings. This alignment improves the relevance of your resume and showcases your fit for the position.
- Negotiated
- Strategized
- Facilitated
- Cultivated
- Analyzed
- Improved
- Orchestrated
- Directed
- Innovated
- Executed
- Established
- Promoted
- Spearheaded
- Activated
- Expanded
- Leveraged
- Integrated
- Guided
- Championed
- Forecasted
Consider additional resume sections
While your core resume provides the most critical information, adding targeted sections can showcase your unique qualifications. These sections help hiring managers quickly identify your skills, achievements, and experiences beyond standard resume entries.
Here are optional sections we tend to see on business development manager resumes:
- Key achievements: Highlight notable accomplishments such as revenue growth percentages or successful projects that show your impact on business.
- Industry expertise: Detail specific industries you’ve worked in (technology, finance, healthcare) to demonstrate your understanding of market dynamics.
- Strategic partnerships: List significant collaborations with other businesses or stakeholders that have improved company performance.
- Sales methodologies: Describe any sales strategies or methodologies you've successfully implemented (e.g., consultative selling, solution selling).
- Professional affiliations: Include memberships in relevant organizations such as the Association of Business Development Professionals.
5 Tips for Formatting Your Resume
Proper resume formatting is important for job seekers as it not only captures the attention of recruiters but also increases the chances of passing through ATS-friendly resume templates. By using effective formatting techniques, you ensure that your qualifications are easily visible and that your application navigates through automated filters successfully.
1. Watch your line spacing and margins
Proper spacing helps your resume look clean and organized, making it easy for hiring managers to follow your career narrative. Adequate spacing can improve readability and ensure that key information stands out effectively:
- Maintain margins between 0.5″ and 1″ to balance content with white space.
- Opt for single spacing between paragraphs and bullet points to keep the flow consistent.
- Use a space of 1.5″ or double-spacing between sections to highlight transitions clearly.
2. Use a professional font
Choosing the right resume font is important because it influences first impressions. Opt for professional fonts like these:
- Helvetica
- Garamond
- Trebuchet MS
- Verdana
- Book Antiqua
- Roboto
Consider using a slightly bolder or unique font for your name in the header to create a memorable impact.
3. Organize your resume sections
For a business development manager, a resume should be crisp and engaging. Bullet points are key to showcasing your achievements efficiently. Initiate each bullet with a potent action verb to capture attention—words like "Negotiated" or "Generated" can emphasize your proactive role in driving results.
Highlight measurable accomplishments that reflect your impact on business growth. For instance, stating "Negotiated partnerships that increased revenue by 20% within the first quarter," demonstrates both action and success. Quantitative outcomes speak volumes about your ability to contribute effectively.
To ensure ATS compatibility, use an ATS resume checker which can pinpoint format issues or missing keywords important for passing initial screenings. This helps ensure your resume reaches human eyes without being filtered out due to technical errors.
4. Use colors and design
A well-designed resume can significantly improve your chances as a business development manager by adding visual interest and professionalism. Effective use of color and design elements helps to highlight your qualifications and makes the document stand out.
Begin by selecting a resume template that aligns with your desired layout. The combination resume format is particularly beneficial, as it features a dedicated section for skills next to work history, allowing you to showcase key competencies effectively.
When choosing your color scheme, opt for colors that convey professionalism such as deep blues or muted greens. These tones can be used subtly in headings or section dividers for an elegant touch. Avoid bright colors that may be distracting or unprofessional.
Also, steer clear of any color schemes associated with competitors to ensure your resume reflects your unique brand without confusion. By carefully selecting templates and colors, you'll create a polished presentation that captures attention while clearly communicating your strengths in business development.
5. Keep your resume length to 1-2 pages
Resumes should generally be kept to one page for maximum impact. Most recruiters spend only seconds scanning each resume, so clarity and brevity are essential. Focus on including the most relevant work experiences and accomplishments related to the position you’re targeting. Avoid listing similar tasks under different roles to maintain a clean format.
In some cases, extending your resume to two pages can be appropriate, especially if you have extensive experience or are applying for senior-level positions. For instance, applicants with over ten years in business development may need additional space to fully illustrate their contributions. Additionally, if you're pursuing academic roles, consider using a CV instead of a traditional resume to accommodate your comprehensive background.
FAQ
Do I need to include a cover letter with my resume?
Writing a cover letter can significantly improve your job application, even when it isn’t mandatory. It allows you to showcase your personality and connect your experience directly to the role. By doing so, you not only differentiate yourself from other job seekers but also provide valuable context around your qualifications.
If you're unsure where to start, exploring our collection of cover letter examples can spark ideas tailored to various industries. Once inspired, use our Cover Letter Builder for easy, step-by-step assistance in crafting a compelling letter that complements your resume.
What is the best resume format?
Choosing the right resume format depends on your individual needs as a job seeker. The three primary formats are chronological, functional, and combination, each designed to highlight different aspects of your professional background.
The chronological format works best for those with extensive experience because it showcases their employment history effectively. The functional format focuses on skills and education, which makes it ideal for recent graduates or career changers. Lastly, the combination format offers a balanced approach for mid-career professionals by mixing work experience with relevant skills to appeal to potential employers.
How long should my Business Development Manager resume be?
As a business development manager, your resume should ideally be one page long, particularly if you have under a decade of experience. Recruiters often sift through numerous resumes, so a streamlined format helps highlight your most relevant qualifications effectively.
Emphasize your relevant work history, key achievements, and critical skills. Focus on recent roles that illustrate your ability to drive growth and build relationships. Remove any outdated experiences or unrelated job details that do not showcase your expertise in business development.
A two-page resume may be appropriate for senior-level positions where you possess extensive experience or multiple successful projects. In such cases, additional space can help illustrate the breadth of your accomplishments and leadership capabilities.
How far back should my work history go?
When updating your resume, aim to include work experience from the last 10 years. This guideline helps maintain focus on your most relevant skills and achievements. If you have a longer career history, consider excluding older roles that don’t directly relate to business development or your current job goals. Highlight positions that demonstrate your expertise and contributions in driving growth to make a strong impact on potential employers.
Build a custom resume in minutes with our professional templates and expert tips.
Gabriela Hernandez
CPRW, Career WriterGabriela is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches and has worked in the career industry for more than four years providing comprehensive guidance on resume writing and job search strategies for individuals across diverse career paths. She holds a bachelor's in journalism and is passionate about helping job seekers present their professional story effectively through well-crafted resumes and cover letters that demonstrate their value, skills, and experience to potential employers. Some of her work has been featured on JobHero’s resume examples career center.
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By Gabriela Barcenas | CPRW, Career Writer
By Gabriela Barcenas | CPRW, Career Writer
By Gabriela Barcenas | CPRW, Career Writer
By Gabriela Barcenas | CPRW, Career Writer
