Business Development Consultant Resume Guide
Business development consultants work to help businesses grow and develop by identifying potential opportunities, analyzing markets, researching competitors, creating strategies for growth, and developing plans of action. They use their knowledge in the areas of financial management, marketing strategy, sales tactics, operations improvement and other business topics to provide solutions that will create a competitive advantage for clients.
Your expertise in business development sets you apart from the competition. To make yourself known to employers, you must write a resume that highlights your best attributes and accomplishments.
This guide will walk you through the entire process of creating a top-notch resume. We first show you a complete example and then break down what each resume section should look like.
Table of Contents
The guide is divided into sections for your convenience. You can read it from beginning to end or use the table of contents below to jump to a specific part.
Business Development Consultant Resume Sample
Desiree Homenick
Business Development Consultant
[email protected]
738-766-5099
linkedin.com/in/desiree-homenick
Summary
Hard-working and creative business development consultant with 6+ years of experience in developing and implementing strategies that increase sales, profitability, and market share. Seeking to join ABC Consulting Group to leverage my skills in client acquisition, targeted marketing campaigns, and partnership management for the benefit of their clients. Proven track record of creating successful strategic plans resulting in an average 25% growth rate over three consecutive years.
Experience
Business Development Consultant, Employer A
Lancaster, Jan 2018 – Present
- Advised clients on business strategies, resulting in a 40% increase of sales revenue over the course of 6 months.
- Coordinated with senior management to develop and implement effective marketing campaigns that generated an additional $20K in profits for clients within the first year.
- Accurately forecasted market trends and identified potential opportunities for new customers; this allowed businesses to expand their customer base by 30%.
- Collaborated closely with stakeholders at all levels across departments to ensure successful integration of corporate objectives while achieving desired outcomes as planned.
- Introduced innovative approaches towards developing client relationships which resulted in 80+ long-term partnerships being established over the past 2 years.
Business Development Consultant, Employer B
Honolulu, Mar 2012 – Dec 2017
- Participated in the development and execution of strategies that generated $2M in new business opportunities annually.
- Implemented comprehensive market research to identify potential customers, resulting in a 20% increase in sales within 6 months.
- Reliably provided innovative solutions for clients’ needs while maintaining excellent customer service standards; grew client base by 25%.
- Assessed industry trends and competitors to create compelling messaging that promoted products and services effectively; increased brand visibility by 15%.
- Utilized cutting-edge digital marketing techniques to reach out to target markets, reducing advertising costs by 10%.
Skills
- Business Development
- Account Management
- Business Strategy
- Strategy
- Team Leadership
- Social Media Marketing
- Time Management
- Contract Negotiation
- Business Planning
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
Certifications
Certified Business Development Professional
American Association of Professional Development Consultants
May 2017
1. Summary / Objective
Your resume summary/objective should be a concise yet compelling snapshot of your skills and experience as a business development consultant. In this section, you can highlight the areas in which you excel – such as developing strategies to increase market share or creating successful sales pitches for potential clients. You could also mention any awards or certifications that demonstrate your expertise in the field.
Below are some resume summary examples:
Well-rounded business development consultant with 5+ years of experience in strategy, research and analysis. Proven track record of improving customer satisfaction levels by 20% at ABC Consulting Group. Skilled in market assessment, product positioning and pricing strategies to drive sales growth for clients across various industries. Recognized as a creative problem solver who is passionate about helping organizations achieve success through effective business solutions.
Accomplished business development consultant with 8+ years of experience in developing and executing strategies for business growth. Proven track record of success in improving customer acquisition rates, launching new products, and increasing sales revenue. Skilled at leveraging market research to identify potential opportunities and negotiating contracts that maximize ROI. Experience working with Fortune 500 companies as well as small businesses.
Passionate business development consultant with 8+ years of experience in managing sales, marketing and customer service initiatives. Proven record of developing successful strategies to increase market share while also improving customer satisfaction. Seeking to join ABC Consulting as a Business Development Consultant where I can use my expertise in identifying areas for improvement, analyzing data, and creating plans that will drive growth.
Enthusiastic business development consultant with extensive experience in strategy and business planning. Proven track record of increasing revenue, market share, and profits for clients across various industries. Experienced in developing strategies to target new markets as well as improving existing operations through cost reduction initiatives. Skilled at building relationships with stakeholders while driving organizational growth goals.
Driven business development consultant with 5+ years of experience in developing and executing strategies for small to medium-sized businesses. At XYZ, developed a comprehensive business plan that saw an increase in revenue by 25%. Proven track record of creating innovative solutions for complex problems and driving growth through customer relationships. Skilled at identifying market trends, analyzing data, and delivering results.
Professional business development consultant with 8+ years of experience in the industry. Proven track record of creating and executing strategies that increase revenue, market share, brand recognition and customer loyalty. At XYZ Consulting Firm, created a sales training program resulting in $5M+ annual growth for client companies. Adept at leveraging data-driven insights to create innovative solutions tailored to specific needs.
Committed and organized business development consultant with 8+ years of experience driving growth and profitability for clients in various industries. Proven track record of creating strategies, building relationships, and leveraging insights to identify opportunities for increased revenue. Looking to utilize my expertise at ABC Consulting to create value-driven solutions that will help the company reach its goals.
Seasoned business development consultant with 7+ years of success in helping companies identify, develop and execute their strategic plans. At Company X, increased annual revenue by $3 million through innovative approaches to problem-solving. Eager to join ABC Consulting and bring a track record of developing long-term relationships with clients while leveraging business acumen for successful client outcomes.
2. Experience / Employment
For the experience section, you should list your work history in reverse chronological order, which means that the most recent job is listed first.
When writing about what you did at each role, use bullet points to make it easier for the reader to take in all of the information quickly. You want to provide detail and explain what results were achieved due to your efforts.
For example, instead of saying “Developed sales strategies,” you could say, “Created a comprehensive strategy outlining how our services would be marketed and sold across multiple channels; this resulted in an increase of 30% year-on-year revenue.”
To write effective bullet points, begin with a strong verb or adverb. Industry specific verbs to use are:
- Generated
- Negotiated
- Analyzed
- Researched
- Strategized
- Developed
- Facilitated
- Implemented
- Collaborated
- Cultivated
- Monitored
- Advised
- Presented
- Managed
- Executed
Other general verbs you can use are:
- Achieved
- Assessed
- Compiled
- Coordinated
- Demonstrated
- Expedited
- Formulated
- Improved
- Introduced
- Mentored
- Optimized
- Participated
- Prepared
- Reduced
- Reorganized
- Represented
- Revised
- Spearheaded
- Streamlined
- Structured
- Utilized
Below are some example bullet points:
- Reorganized and streamlined business strategies for 10+ medium-sized companies, resulting in an overall cost reduction of 15% and increased profit margins by 22%.
- Consistently developed new contacts with potential investors to increase capital investments by $250K annually; facilitated the launch of 4 innovative products in the market within a year.
- Prepared detailed financial analyses, performance reports and marketing plans based on market trends & customer feedback; generated additional revenue streams totaling $100K over 3 quarters.
- Developed strong relationships with strategic partners through networking events, trade shows and conferences to create long-term growth opportunities for clients’ businesses across multiple industries.
- Cultivated successful partnerships between start-ups and venture capitalists that helped secure funding worth $1M within first 6 months of consultancy services provided.
- Improved bottom line profitability of 10 corporate clients by 15% through strategic business development initiatives and long-term planning.
- Managed a team of 15 associates in developing effective sales strategies, resulting in $1 million increase in revenue over the course of 12 months.
- Demonstrated exceptional communication skills when negotiating with vendors to reduce operational costs by 30%.
- Mentored junior consultants on best practices for creating presentations, conducting market research and identifying potential new markets that could generate additional income streams for clients.
- Efficiently managed multiple projects simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines; completed 5 projects ahead of schedule during last quarter alone without sacrificing quality or accuracy of work product produced.
- Reduced client acquisition costs by 20% through successful negotiations with vendors and suppliers.
- Executed innovative marketing campaigns to promote products and services, resulting in a 45% increase in sales revenue over the last year.
- Diligently identified potential new markets for clients’ businesses and mapped out strategic plans for pursuing them; contributed to a 10-point growth in market share within 6 months of implementation.
- Analyzed client needs, preferences and requirements when formulating business strategies that enabled an 30% improvement in customer retention rate across all industries served by the company’s consultants this quarter alone.
- Optimized existing processes related to lead generation, prospecting activities & closing deals, leading to an additional $1M+ dollars worth of closed business opportunities within one month from launch date onward.
- Compiled comprehensive market analyses and identified potential new business opportunities, resulting in the acquisition of over 20 high-profile clients for the company.
- Generated nearly $500,000 in additional net sales within 3 months by successfully negotiating contracts with key partners and suppliers.
- Confidently presented complex solutions to prospective customers while utilizing effective communication strategies to close deals at a rate 10% higher than industry averages.
- Expedited onboarding of new clients through comprehensive training programs that increased customer satisfaction by 25%.
- Researched emerging trends and innovative technologies across multiple industries which enabled successful execution of strategic plans that drove growth year-over-year by 15%.
- Spearheaded the development of business plans and strategies for 25+ clients, resulting in a 48% increase in sales revenues over 6 months.
- Achieved successful product launches by coordinating with multiple teams including marketing, operations, finance and legal; reduced timeline from 12 weeks to 6 weeks.
- Represented company at trade shows & conferences to generate leads and build relationships with prospective customers; increased customer base by 32%.
- Proficiently managed the entire sales process from lead generation through closure; generated $1M+ in annual revenue within 2 years on average per client engagement project.
- Presented ideas and recommendations to senior management regarding new products/services launch or market expansion opportunities that resulted in an additional 8% growth year-on-year for 4 consecutive years.
- Resourcefully developed and implemented a comprehensive business development strategy that increased sales by 15% within the first 6 months.
- Revised existing customer service protocols, resulting in a 20% increase in client satisfaction ratings over 3 quarters.
- Monitored market trends and competitors to identify opportunities for expansion; generated $5 million of additional revenue through new partnerships with key industry players.
- Facilitated multiple training sessions on product positioning & marketing approaches to ensure optimum performance from all sales staff members; achieved an average 10-point jump in team productivity ratings each quarter for 2 years running.
- Formulated data-driven strategies for improving brand visibility across different channels, leading to a 25% growth in online followership within 12 months of implementation.
- Structured and implemented effective business strategies to achieve a 20% increase in customer acquisition, retention and profitability.
- Streamlined operations by negotiating contracts with suppliers resulting in an annual savings of $25K+ for the company.
- Negotiated partnerships with 10+ industry-leading organizations to facilitate increased market access and brand awareness within target markets.
- Thoroughly researched potential new markets, identified growth opportunities and developed actionable plans that resulted in over 50 sales leads per month on average across all departments/divisions of the organization within 8 months’ time frame.
- Strategized innovative methods for increasing visibility online by creating content marketing campaigns; achieved 3x website traffic volume compared to previous year’s performance metrics.
3. Skills
Two organizations that have advertised for a position with the same title may be searching for individuals whose skills are quite different. For instance, one may be looking for a candidate who is an expert in market research and another that requires experience with customer relationship management software.
It’s important to tailor the skills section of your resume to each job you are applying for, as many employers use applicant tracking systems these days which scan resumes for certain keywords before passing them on to a human.
You should also elaborate on the most relevant skills in other areas such as the summary or work experience sections so that recruiters can get a better idea of how well-suited you are for their position.
Below is a list of common skills & terms:
- Account Management
- Advertising
- Analysis
- B2B
- Business Analysis
- Business Development
- Business Planning
- Business Strategy
- CRM
- Change Management
- Coaching
- Cold Calling
- Communication
- Consulting
- Contract Negotiation
- Cross Functional Team Leadership
- Customer Relationship Management
- Customer Satisfaction
- Digital Marketing
- Direct Sales
- Entrepreneurship
- Event Management
- Finance
- Lead Generation
- Leadership Development
- Market Research
- Marketing Communications
- Online Advertising
- Online Marketing
- Operations Management
- Process Improvement
- Product Development
- Program Management
- Project Planning
- Recruiting
- Sales Operations
- Sales Process
- Salesforce.com
- Selling
- Social Media Marketing
- Social Networking
- Solution Selling
- Strategic Partnerships
- Strategy
- Team Leadership
- Team Management
- Teamwork
- Time Management
4. Education
Including an education section on your resume depends on the amount of experience you have in the field. If you just graduated and don’t have much work history to showcase, include an education section below your resume objective. On the other hand, if you are well-established in business development consulting and have plenty of professional accomplishments to highlight, omitting this section might be preferable.
If including an education section is necessary for your particular job application process, try mentioning courses or subjects related specifically to business development consulting that demonstrate your knowledge base.
Bachelor of Business Administration
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011
5. Certifications
Certifications are a great way to demonstrate your expertise and proficiency in specific areas of knowledge. They are also an excellent way to show potential employers that you have actively kept up with the latest industry trends and developments.
Include any certifications relevant to the job you are applying for on your resume, as this will help set you apart from other applicants who may not be certified in the same area.
Certified Business Development Professional
American Association of Professional Development Consultants
May 2017
6. Contact Info
Your name should be the first thing a reader sees when viewing your resume, so ensure its positioning is prominent. Your phone number should be written in the most commonly used format in your country/city/state, and your email address should be professional.
You can also choose to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or other online platforms relevant to your industry.
Finally, name your resume file appropriately to help hiring managers; for Desiree Homenick, this would be Desiree-Homenick-resume.pdf or Desiree-Homenick-resume.docx.
7. Cover Letter
A cover letter is an important part of your job application as it provides recruiters with a more detailed understanding of who you are and why you’re the best fit for the role. It’s typically made up 2 to 4 paragraphs, separate from your resume, and gives you the opportunity to express yourself in a unique way.
Whilst cover letters aren’t mandatory when applying for most positions, submitting one can be beneficial in helping you stand out among other applicants. Writing one is also an excellent way to demonstrate your enthusiasm about working at that particular company or organization.
Below is an example cover letter:
Dear Jamaal,
I am writing to apply for the Business Development Consultant position with your company. With more than 10 years’ experience in business development and sales, I have the skills and knowledge to contribute to your organization’s success.
In my current role as a Business Development Manager with ABC Corporation, I am responsible for generating new business opportunities and developing relationships with key clients. I have successfully increased sales by 20% over the past year through effective market analysis and targeted sales strategies. My ability to think strategically and identify new areas for growth has resulted in numerous successes throughout my career.
I am confident that I can bring the same level of success to your organization as a Business Development Consultant. In addition to my experience, I have excellent communication and interpersonal skills that allow me to build strong relationships with clients. My analytical skills are also an asset in this role, as they allow me to effectively assess customer needs and develop tailored solutions.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience could benefit your company as a Business Development Consultant. Thank you for your time and consideration; I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Desiree