Business Development Resume Examples & Writing Guide

Business development resume template

This template uses a clear and effective resume format to emphasize key achievements and qualifications.

Other business development resume examples

Looking for additional inspiration? Here are some other examples of business development resumes:

Business development manager resume

Use this business development manager resume example as a reference when writing your resume:

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Business development manager resume highlights

• Active language: Entries begin with strong action verbs like “develop,” and “mentor,” emphasizing the candidate’s leadership, initiative and tangible contributions.
• Compelling summary: The opening statement immediately highlights the candidate’s experience driving revenue growth and profitability in competitive markets, grabbing the reader’s attention.

Sales development representative resume

Reference our sales development representative resume example to help you write a resume that grabs the attention of hiring managers and lands you your next SDR role:

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Sales development representative resume highlights

• Highlights leadership: Noting leadership skills like training and mentoring new team members demonstrates the candidate’s leadership capabilities beyond their individual contributions to their team.
• Showcases adaptability: The candidate has experience with both inside sales and field sales roles, which shows their versatility and ability to wear many hats.

Business development representative resume

As a business development representative, your resume needs to effectively communicate your ability to identify new business opportunities, build strategic relationships, and drive revenue growth. For example:

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Business development representative resume highlight

• Focuses on impact: The bullet points in the work experience section don’t just list job duties, but emphasize the impact, results, and value the applicant generated for the company.

Director of business development resume

Our director of business development resume example demonstrates how to showcase your strategic acumen, team leadership, and proven track record of success:

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Director of business development resume highlights

• Relevant skills: The Additional Skills section includes skills that are highly applicable to a business development director role, such as strategic planning and contract negotiation.
• Progressive responsibility: Showing a clear progression from Business Development Manager to Senior Business Development Manager to Director of Business Development conveys career advancement and leadership potential.

How to write a business development resume

An effective business development resume should show that you have the confidence, leadership, and business expertise necessary to improve growth and bring an organization to the next level.

Here are four expert tips for writing the best business development resume possible:

1. Highlight your business development skills

To show hiring managers that you’re capable of steering a business in the right direction, you need to demonstrate your ability to innovate and drive results.

That’s why including a detailed skills section that showcases your business development expertise is essential.

“Business Development can be a rewarding career if you love talking to people and are organized. But it has its challenges, too. A couple that come to mind are finding the right leads and facing rejection. If you are confident in these areas, you’ll find success. During the interview process, be sure to verify that the company provides thorough training so you have all the tools you need.”
– Lisa Dean, Director of Internal Business Operations & Recruiting

As a business development professional, you’ll be responsible for identifying new markets, arranging meetings with potential clients, and developing growth strategies depending on the company’s needs.

In this video, Patrick Dang goes over the top three soft skills business development professionals need and that you should showcase on your resume:

And here’s a list of additional skills to include:

• Business forecasting
• B2B sales
• Relationship management
• Microsoft Office
• Problem-solving skills
• Sales experience and strategy
• Communication skills
• Public speaking
• CRM Software (Oracle Eloqua, Salesforce)
• Proposal writing
• Account management
• Vendor management

2. Quantify your business development contributions

Your work experience bullet points let the hiring manager know that you have the job knowledge and experience necessary to succeed in the role you’re applying for.

Consider adding some descriptive examples and quantifiable achievements to your business development resume to show hiring managers what you can accomplish.

Here are some other metrics you can add to your business development resume:

• Increase in revenue/sales
• New customers/clients acquired
• Increase in customer/client base
• Contract value
• Strategic partnerships or vendor agreements
• Sponsorship revenue
• Improvement in lead conversion rates
• Qualified leads generated
• Reduction in administrative overhead
• Ranking or performance among sales team
• Number of sales presentations delivered
• Average contract value per new client
• Percentage of sales quotas exceeded
• Return on investment (ROI) of new initiatives

3. Open with a strong business development resume summary

As a business-savvy professional seeking a career growing profit margins, you need to know how to give a great pitch.

Done well, a resume summary will grab the hiring manager’s attention and convince them to keep reading the rest of your resume.

Here’s an example of what a strong business development resume summary looks like:

4. Fill in your education section

In your education section, highlight any relevant degrees, certifications, or business development training that demonstrate your qualifications.

When listing your education, include the name of the institution, the degree or program, and the graduation year. You can also mention your GPA if it was particularly strong (3.5 or above).

Here’s an examples of how to structure the education section on a business development resume:

Resume examples for different industries

Not sure what your resume should look like? The best way to learn is by taking inspiration from resume examples written by other candidates in your industry.

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Average business development manager salaries in the US

After you’ve written your resume, make sure you use it to apply for jobs within a fair salary range.

The following table includes information from the most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report (May 2024). Here are the ten states with the highest salaries for business development representatives, as well as the national average for your reference when applying for work.