Business Development Manager CV examples

A successful business development strategy relies on a solid plan – your CV is no different. If recruiters can’t immediately see your key strengths, they won’t waste time searching for them.

This guide will walk you through how to format your CV, showcase your ability to drive business growth, and present your achievements in a way that ensures hiring managers see your value. By the time you’re done, your CV will be as compelling as your best sales pitch.

A scattered CV is like an unclear sales pitch – if hiring managers don’t see the value fast, they’ll move on. Coherent layouts allow recruiters to quickly assess your expertise and track record in business development.

Here’s the structure you should follow:

• Name and contact details – Place your name and contact information prominently at the top of your CV for quick access. Adding a photo is up to you.
• Profile – Open with a compelling overview of your skills, experience, and value you’ll bring to a company.
• Core skills – List your key abilities in this section, focusing on those that will be most relevant to the job.
• Work experience – Provide a detailed breakdown of your work history, starting with the most recent job first.
• Education – List your qualifications, including degrees and relevant certifications, in reverse chronological order.
• Additional info – Use this optional space for relevant hobbies, awards, or personal pursuits that enhance your application.

Writing a CV which is cluttered is like an unclear business strategy – it just won’t get the results you’re after. Keep your CV format clean and easy to read so visual mistakes don’t district recruiters from your expertise.

The useful tips will help enhance your formatting:

• Bullet points – Use short, sharp bullet points to present your responsibilities and achievements clearly.
• Divide sections – Make use of distinct headings and logical spacing to guide recruiters through your CV.
• Use a clear and readable font – A simple, professional font ensures readability while keeping the layout polished and tidy.
• No more than 2 pages – This gives you the length you need to detail your experience while keeping it concise enough to respect the recruiter’s time.

Now for the part where you hook the recruiters’ attention and convince them that you’re the right one for the job. Your CV profile is your elevator pitch – a brief but powerful introduction that outlines your expertise in business development. It should immediately highlight what you bring to the table and why hiring you is a smart investment.

Your profile should include the following:

• Industry experience – Highlight the sectors you’ve worked in, whether B2B, SaaS, finance, or another market.
• Revenue growth – Showcase how you’ve helped businesses increase sales, acquire clients, or expand into new markets.
• Strategic partnerships – Mention your experience in developing relationships with key stakeholders, clients, or investors.
• Sales and negotiation – If you’ve led pitches, closed major deals, or secured long-term contracts, highlight it here.
• Market expansion – Demonstrate how you’ve helped businesses break into new markets or strengthen their competitive edge.

When recruiters open up any application, they’re already scanning for the keywords that the right candidate would include. Hard, tangible skills will make you stand out and show you can actually get the job done.

The best part? It’s really easy to tailor CV skills to different jobs. If the role is focused on partnerships, highlight relationship management and contract negotiation. If it’s revenue-driven, emphasise lead generation, sales forecasting, and pipeline management.

Employers want to see more than just job titles – they want proof that you can drive results. Your experience should demonstrate exactly how you’ve driven business growth in the past, and how you’ll continue that track record into your new role.

List your roles in reverse chronological order, ensuring each entry is structured with bullet points. If you’ve worked in multiple industries, focus on transferable skills and quantifiable successes.

• Outline – Introduce the company, your role, and the business objectives you were responsible for.
• Responsibilities – List key tasks, such as market analysis, lead generation, or partnership development. Use action words like “negotiated”, “expanded”, and “secured”.
• Achievements – Highlight measurable successes, such as revenue increases, client acquisitions, or market share growth.

While experience is the main selling point for business development professionals, relevant qualifications can strengthen your application. As such, your education section should be short and to the point, but still comprehensive of all your relevant certifications.

List any degrees in business, marketing, or sales, as well as industry-specific certifications or training courses that have helped you develop your skills.