How To Write A Business Development Executive Resume (With Example)

Updated 19 April 2023

Working as a business development executive requires leadership skills and business acumen, which can help these individuals lead organisations to growth and success. These professionals use their communication skills, marketing knowledge and commercial experience to help improve a company's relevance. If you are applying for a position in business development, preparing your resume properly can help you highlight your relevant skills and qualifications to potential employers. In this article, we discuss how to craft a business development executive resume and offer a template and example on which you can base your resume.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

How To Write A Business Development Executive Resume?

Here are steps you can follow when preparing a business development executive resume:

1. Add your contact details

Resumes include the candidate's basic contact information, so ensure your name, phone number and email address are on yours. This helps the employer understand how they can contact you if they want more information about your background or hope to schedule an interview. You can also include a link to a professional website or professional social media profile. This directs employers to learn more about your work and accomplishments, especially if you have demonstrated examples of times you helped previous employers or clients grow quickly.

2. Write a professional summary

Next, you can draft a summary that highlights your most relevant and impressive qualifications. The professional summary is typically two to three sentences that reflect your skills, capabilities and specialised knowledge. Because most organisations want to hire business development executives with substantial industry experience, it may help to designate your years of experience in the field. Many also prioritise candidates with a proven record of achieving results, so you might include a quantitative figure to indicate your ability to help companies meet their goals.

3. Discuss your previous jobs

You can then draft your work experience section, which outlines your previous positions. Include the job title, the employer's name, the location and the dates of your employment. Next, craft a bulleted list for each job, summarising your responsibilities and accomplishments. Try to highlight the positive impact you made on your employer by including outcomes and measurable results. This could increase your credibility and make it easier for hiring managers to understand the value you can provide when skimming your resume.

4. Include your relevant skills

You can add a section describing the professional skills that make you a suitable fit for the position. Aim to include both hard skills, like lead generation and financial modelling, and soft skills, like relationship building and time management, to offer the hiring manager a comprehensive view of your capabilities. You can review the job description to locate any keywords you could add, as many employers list preferred skills. If you notice any software programmes or technologies, processes or character traits mentioned in the job description, consider including them in your skills section if you are familiar with them.

5. Add your educational credentials

While educational requirements can vary between employers, most business development executives have a post-secondary education. List any degrees you hold, along with the name of the educational institution. If you have over three years of experience, which is common for individuals seeking this job title, any further details about your education are unnecessary.

6. List any certifications you hold (optional)

Professional certifications can show hiring managers your dedication to your field, so if you hold any, include them on your resume. List the name of the certification, the name of the organisation that granted it and the year you earned it. Certifications can increase your credibility and link you with industry organisations, and they could also demonstrate any specialised industry knowledge you hold. For example, if you work with technology companies or consumer goods companies, holding a certification that is specific to these industries could impress hiring managers.

Resume Skills For Business Development Executives

Below are some skills that might be beneficial to discuss on your resume for this role:

Negotiation

Negotiation skills include the ability to achieve your ideal outcome in any sort of communication with a secondary party. This can require high emotional intelligence, empathy, planning and even strategy creation. Being confident in your ability to strike an effective relationship can be crucial for a successful career as a business development executive. You might take advantage of negotiation skills when it comes to convincing customers and partnering companies about the services and products a business offers.

Sales

The chief responsibility of a business development executive is to increase sales for a company and grow the customer base. If you have a background in sales, it can be beneficial to leverage this experience when applying for business development jobs. The ability to generate new leads, determine the quality of a lead, effectively pitch the product and solidify a new sale are all vital in this career. People with sales skills typically also know how to manage existing client relationships and encourage loyalty, which is another key aspect of business development.

Commercial awareness

Commercial awareness is a general understanding of how businesses work. This can include keeping up with business trends and how they may impact the area of the business industry you may choose to work. Being commercially aware can mean understanding recent campaigns and movements and using what is successful in continuing to create better customer engagement experiences for a company. Business development executives can clearly understand how changes in the business world can affect their industry and work.

Computer skills

Much of a business development executive's work occurs on a computer, so basic technical literacy can be highly valuable. It is important that candidates demonstrate their ability to use email, customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and cloud storage. These executives often also make data-backed decisions and evaluate company growth using metrics, so the ability to collect, manage and analyse quantitative and qualitative data using digital platforms can be beneficial.

Communication

Communication skills are at the core of this role, as these executives interact with clients and potential clients in person, over the phone and over email. Knowing how to communicate clearly and persuasively can help these professionals achieve favourable business outcomes. Business development executives also represent the company during pitches, presentations and events, so presentation skills can also be influential.

Business Development Executive Resume Template

[First name] [Last name], [Degree or certification if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City], [State or Union territory]

Professional Summary
[Two to three sentences that highlight your years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications, and achievements as a professional.]

Experience

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City], [State or Union territory]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City], [State or Union territory]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

Education
[Degree] | [Name of School or University]

Certifications (optional)
[Certification Name], [Host Organisation] - [Year completed or expiration date]

Example Of A Resume For A Business Development Executive

Here is an example resume you can use as a guide when creating yours:

Shyla Laghari, MBA
+91 712-5667-0022 | slgharimba@email.com | Nagpur, Maharashtra

Professional Summary
MBA-educated Business Development Executive with 14 years of experience helping marketing organisations identify potential clients, build lasting relationships and increase profits. Helped Carran Advertising Group grow its revenue by over $400 million and negotiated contracts up an average of 14%.