Highlight your sales achievements with metrics

Hiring managers want to see the impact you've made in your previous roles. Use specific metrics to showcase your sales achievements:

• Increased revenue by 25% year-over-year by closing deals with enterprise clients
• Exceeded sales quota by 20% for 3 consecutive quarters
• Generated $500K in new business within the first 6 months

Avoid using vague statements that don't quantify your impact, like:

• Responsible for sales growth
• Helped increase revenue

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   Emphasize your experience in the full sales cycle

Business development managers are involved in the entire sales process, from prospecting to closing deals. Highlight your experience in each stage of the sales cycle:

• Identified and qualified 50+ new leads per month through cold calling and email outreach
• Conducted product demos for key decision-makers, resulting in a 30% increase in conversion rates
• Negotiated and closed contracts worth over $1M with enterprise clients

Avoid focusing too much on just one aspect of the sales process. Show that you have a well-rounded skill set.

   Showcase your industry expertise and network

Hiring managers prefer candidates who have experience in their specific industry and have a strong network of contacts. Highlight your industry expertise and connections:

• Built relationships with key decision-makers in the healthcare industry, resulting in 5 new client accounts
• Spoke at 3 industry conferences on trends in cloud computing, generating 20+ new leads
• Member of the American Marketing Association and attended monthly networking events

Avoid listing generic skills or buzzwords without context, like:

• Strong communication skills
• Extensive network

   Include relevant certifications and training

Certifications and training show that you're committed to your professional development and have the skills needed for the job. Include relevant certifications and courses:

• Certified Sales Professional (CSP) from the National Association of Sales Professionals
• Completed Salesforce Administrator training and earned certification
• Attended a 3-day workshop on consultative selling techniques

Only include certifications and training that are relevant to the business development manager role. Avoid listing generic or outdated courses.

   Tailor your resume to the job description

Hiring managers want to see that you've taken the time to read the job description and tailor your resume accordingly. Here's an example of a generic resume summary:

Business development manager with 5+ years of experience in sales and marketing. Proven track record of success in generating new leads and closing deals.

Instead, tailor your summary to the specific job requirements:

Business development manager with 5+ years of experience in the SaaS industry, with a focus on enterprise clients. Proven track record of exceeding sales quotas by 20% and generating over $5M in new business annually. Skilled in consultative selling, product demos, and contract negotiations.

   Use action verbs to describe your accomplishments

Using strong action verbs helps to convey your impact and makes your resume more engaging to read. Here are some examples:

• Spearheaded a new outbound sales strategy that increased qualified leads by 40%
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop custom solutions for enterprise clients
• Mentored and trained a team of 5 junior sales reps, resulting in a 25% increase in team quota attainment

Avoid using passive language or weak verbs, like:

• Responsible for generating leads
• Helped with product demos
• Worked with other teams