Business Development Resume—Examples and 25+ Writing Tips

This is high stakes. You’ve got talent like Og Mandino, and you drive Netflix-level growth. But it’s all for nothing if they don’t let you into the negotiation room. Without a standout business development resume, your job search will stagnate.

Don’t worry. In a few minutes, you’ll have a resume Daniel Goleman would appreciate.

In this guide:

• A business development resume sample better than most.
• How to write a business development director resume that sparkles.
• How to craft the perfect business development job description.
• Why you can’t just list business development skills (and what to do instead).

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Are you sure a business development manager resume is right for you? See our guides and examples:

• Account Manager Resume
• Consultant Resume
• Business Manager Resume
• Business Owner Resume
• Business Analyst Resume
• Entrepreneur Resume
• Salesforce Resume
• Loan Officer Resume
• Business Administration Resume
• Management Consultant Resume
• Entry Level Business Analyst Resume
• Program Manager Resume
• Operations Manager Resume
• Project Manager Resume
• Product Manager Resume
• Purchasing Agent Resume
• Executive Resume
• MBA Resume
• CEO Resume
• Manager Resume
• Social Work Resume
• Production Manager Resume
• Chief Financial Officer / CFO Resume
• Pharmaceutical Sales Resume
• Business Resume

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Examples for Any Job.

Business Development Resume Sample You Can Copy and Use

Here’s how to write a business development resume with the right fit:

1. Use a Clean Business Development Resume Format

Disaster. You wrote a flawless business development resume, but the BoD deleted it. Why?

Your clumsy formatting made you look like you came up with New Coke. Resume formatting is like a watch by MVMT or a Tom Ford suit. It has to show professionalism and capability.

Use these tips:

Business Development Resume Format

• Craft a 1–3 page resume depending on your achievements.
• Set margins at one inch.
• Choose a resume font like 11–14pt Lucia Sans or Bell MT.
• Add plenty of white space.
• Write resume sections for Heading, Summary, Work Experience, Education, and Skills.
• Put jobs in reverse-chronological resume order.
• To look your best on all devices, submit a PDF resume.

2. Write a Business Development Resume Objective or Summary

The board will only skim most resumes. To make sure they actually read yours, write a catchy resume objective statement or resume summary statement that gets them to say “Yes.”

Include:

1. One adjective (energetic, versatile)
2. “Business development manager” (or job title from the posting)
3. Years of experience (5+, 8+)
4. What you’ll do, for whom (double sales at Arias Tech Solutions...)
5. Best business development manager resume accomplishments (Grew sales 50%...)

See these director of business development resume examples:

Business Development Resume Summary—Example

Results-driven business development director with 6+ years of experience growing business massively for tech firms. Seeking to double sales at Arias Tech Solutions in 1 year. Grew sales 50% in 15 months at ScreenRoom 3D through 2 new product lines.

Experienced business development director, skilled in growing business and increasing sales revenue. Works swiftly to raise profitability and identify and develop new in-demand product lines. A strong leader and insightful thinker with excellent interpersonal skills.

The last of those business development resume samples says “trust me.” But, the BoD would rather trust the 50% sales increase in example #1. Put a fact like that in your business development manager resume and you’ll look Momo-level.

But what if your business development experience is still conceptual? You can still boost your bottom line. See these entry-level resume samples for business development jobs:

Entry-Level Business Development Resume Objective

Insightful business development manager skilled in collaboration and product development. Seeking to raise profitability at Khyber Strategies, Inc. As sales manager at IntelliRounds Global, worked with engineering, marketing, and leadership to raise sales $500K per year with new offerings.

New business development manager with skills in product development and collaboration. An insightful leader with a track record of increasing profitability and sales. Experienced in leading teams to create new standout offerings.

The second of those entry-level business development resume examples with no experience fails. It says you have a track record, but doesn’t show it like the first example.

3. Right-Size Your Business Development Job Description and Skills Sections

What skills are vital in a business development resume? Here are sample skills to put on a resume for business development jobs:

Business Development Resume Skills

Hard Skills	Soft Skills
Financial Planning	Interpersonal Skills
Sales Management	Leadership
Product Development	Collaboration
D2C Ecommerce Solutions	Communication
Logistics	Time Management
Budgeting	Conceptual Thinking
Team Building and Management	Problem Solving
Customer Acquisition	Critical Thinking
Omnichannel Processes	Creativity
Social Media	Relationship Building

Here you can find even more technical skills. 

Pump the brakes. Don’t ever list the lot in a resume for business development jobs. Nobody will buy it. Rather, customize your resume.

How? With the right choice of resume keywords from the position posting. Let’s say the job wants skills in developing business lines, working with cross-functional teams, market assessments, and outsourcing.

Business Development Job Description for a Resume [Sample]

• Tasked with landing new global accounts through account strategy improvements.
• Responsible for cutting costs through redesigned marketing spending.
• In charge of co-marketing strategy and vendor management.
• Handled off-shoring efforts and streamlining of sales service.

The second of those business development manager resume examples says handled, responsible, in charge, tasked—the death knell! You want specific business development achievements that rocked the boat.

But what if you’re a new business development professional? A resume with no experience needs business development proof from other jobs. See these entry-level business development resume examples with no experience. They’re for a job that needs collaboration and new product lines.

Entry-Level Business Development Resume Job Description [Sample]

Sales Manager

IntelliRounds Global, LLC

2011–2013

• Collaborated with corporate leadership, engineering, and marketing teams to develop new offerings that raised sales $500K in 1 year.
• Increased customer retention by 30% through facilitating the addition of new product lines unexplored by competitors.

Sales Manager

IntelliRounds Global, LLC

2011–2013

• Led sales team of 14 associates to improve KPIs.
• Monitored sales metrics, pinpointed challenges, and developed new solutions.
• Mentored and coached 5 sales associates whose numbers were substandard.
• Worked with marketing to improve branding message.

The last of those business development resume bullets lists targets a sales job! But the first could be a young Eric Ries.

Expert Hint: Research by Harvard Business School shows the Northeast (39%) and West Coast (21%) have the most business development jobs, followed distantly by locations in the rest of the US. Key industries include the tech field (39%), health care (14%), media (11%), consumer products (11%), and manufacturing (11%).

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4. Create a Winning Education Section

Everyone knows your education in a business development manager resume doesn’t matter.

Everyone is wrong. Your resume education section needs to pull its weight.

Don’t just show your degree and school. Put business development skills in it—especially if you’re relatively new. See this business development resume sample:

Business Development Resume Example—Education

Education

MBA

University of Southern California

2009–2011

• Daniel M. Potter Scholar for business strategy & leadership.
• President, Entrepreneur & Venture Management Association.

BS in Product Design

University of California, Berkeley, 2005–2009

 

5. Add Deal Sweeteners to Your Business Development Resume

If you look like everyone else, you don’t have a business development resume.

You have a lottery ticket. Let’s even up the odds. Do it with added sections in your business development manager resume. You can include:

• Certifications
• Volunteering 
• Awards and honors
• Board memberships
• Professional associations (NBDA, etc.)
• Conferences
• Speaking engagements
• Publications
• Media mentions
• Foreign languages
• Additional activities
• Fitness

See these business development resume examples:

Business Development Resume—Other Sections

Additional Activities

• Sailing
• Skating

The first of those director of business development resume samples overflows with competence.

Expert Hint: Make sure you know how to write a cover letter for your resume for business development jobs. It should show how your passions and past wins fit the company mission.

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Key Points

Here’s how to write a business development director resume:

• Use a good business development resume template. Stock it with your best business development accomplishments.
• Include business development skills like product development or team leadership. Use metrics to show those skills are Nvidia-sized.
• Write a business development resume summary to provide a window into your best attributes.
• Add “special” sections with an NBDA membership or a position on a charitable BoD.

Got questions on how to write good resumes for business development jobs? Not sure how to put business development on a resume? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!

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