Business development roles are unique. You should show skills in building relationships and finding new business opportunities. Highlight specific results you achieved in past roles, like new markets you entered or partnerships you built. This shows you can grow a company's business.

Also, be sure to mention any experience with CRM software or tools used for business growth. These show you can use the tools of the trade to achieve results.

In business development, your network is vital. Your resume should show your ability to create and maintain strong work relationships. Highlight work with different teams and success in collaboration.

Include any roles in professional associations or groups related to business growth. This demonstrates you're active in the field and connected to potential business opportunities and peers.

To catch the eye of a hiring manager, your resume should show how your skills fit the role of business development. We focus on results and growth. Show examples of how you've added value in previous jobs. It helps us see you're a good pick for our team.

• Highlight skills like market research, client outreach, and sales growth strategies you’ve used to help your past employers.
• Show numbers to prove your success like 'Increased sales by 20% in one quarter' or 'Grew client base by 15% in six months.'
• If you're moving to business development from another field, find the shared tasks like relationship building or project management, and talk about your experience with them.

When you apply for a role in business growth, your resume should show how proactive you are. You must choose verbs that highlight your ability to drive results and forge new partnerships. These words will help the hiring manager see your potential for making a positive change in their company.

Below is a list of verbs that can make your resume stand out. Use these to describe your past work experience and achievements. These suggestions are tailored for someone seeking a position in business development.

• To exhibit your networking skills, use verbs like connected, engaged, interacted, networked, and partnered.
• Showcase your strategic planning abilities with formulated, developed, planned, orchestrated, and executed.
• To demonstrate your sales acumen, include captured, negotiated, closed, expanded, and secured.
• Highlight your leadership and team-building skills with led, coordinated, managed, built, and directed.
• For showing your ability to innovate and improve processes, use transformed, enhanced, streamlined, integrated, and optimized.

Want inspiration for other action verbs you can use? Check out synonyms to commonly used action verbs like Grew, Acted as, Maintained, Possess, Oversee.

If you've climbed the ranks in business development or have led projects or teams, it's crucial to show this on your resume. Remember, evidence of your leadership is a strong signal to potential employers of your capability to take on more responsibility.

Consider these points to effectively display your leadership experience:

• Detail any promotions by listing your job titles in chronological order, showcasing your progression. For example, if you started as a business development representative and now are a senior business development manager, make sure each title and the corresponding dates are clear.
• Use bullet points to describe the scope of your leadership. For instance, you might write 'Led a team of 10 in developing a new market entry strategy, resulting in a 20% revenue increase.'

When reflecting on your career, think about the moments when you took the lead or were recognized for your performance. Even if you were not formally in charge, instances where you guided a project or influenced strategy are worth mentioning. For example:

• 'Championed a partnership deal with a key industry player, contributing to a significant market share growth.'
• 'Mentored new team members, improving the overall team's sales performance by 15%.'

When you build your resume, it's important to include skills that are a good match for the job you want. In business growth, certain skills can show you are a good fit for the role. Here's a list you may consider:

• Market research
• Sales strategy
• Lead generation
• CRM software
• Financial modeling
• Contract negotiation
• Data analysis
• Project management
• SEO/SEM
• Content marketing

Don't feel like you need to include every skill listed. Choose the ones that are best for the job you're aiming for. Place these skills in a dedicated section on your resume. This makes it easier for hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS) to see your qualifications quickly. ATS is a tool that many companies use to sort resumes, so having the right keywords is key.

For example, if you are good at finding new opportunities, include lead generation. If you can use software to manage customer relationships, add CRM software to your skills list. Always make sure that the skills you list are ones you have experience with or have been trained in. This will make you a more honest and strong candidate.

When you talk about your business growth skills, it's important to show real success. Numbers make your impact clear. Consider these ideas when adding numbers to your resume:

• Think about sales targets you've met or exceeded. For example, if you helped increase revenue, state the percentage of growth. Use revenue growth of 20% over six months.
• Remember times you've brought in new clients. How many did you add in a year? Mention the number of new clients or the percentage increase in your client base.
• If you cut down the time to close deals, include the reduction in sales cycle time, such as from 60 to 45 days.
• Include the size of the deals you've worked on, like a $500,000 contract.
• Mention how you improved client retention. If you increased it by 15%, that shows strong relationship skills.
• Did you help reduce costs? State how much you saved the company, like cutting costs by 10%.
• If you launched a new product or service, include the market share gained or the revenue it generated in the first year.
• Think about your strategic partnerships. Quantify them by the number of partnerships or the revenue impact they had.

Use these numbers to show how you make a real difference. They help you stand out and prove your value in business growth.

When applying to small companies or startups, highlight your ability to wear many hats. Show how you have handled multiple roles and tasks. Mention specific examples like, 'Led market research while managing client relationships.'

If targeting larger corporates, emphasize your expertise in specialized areas. Use phrases like, 'Focused on strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 companies,' or 'Developed a robust pipeline management system.'