5 VP Business Development Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

A VP of business development needs to be a master of many trades who can inspire and motive others to achieve the company’s goal. With all of that work experience under your belt, it can be a bit tricky to create a properly formatted resume.

It’s a delicate balance of including relatable work experience with quantifiable data that makes recruiters and hiring managers giddy. All while keeping it in a format that will pass applicant tracking systems.

This guide for building a VP of business development resume includes helpful tips for creating an eye-catching resume that puts your name at the top of the callback list.

You will learn:

• How to properly format each section of your resume so it highlights all of your experience, education, and hard and soft skills
• The importance of creating a business development resume summary that aligns with the company’s culture and specific job duties using relevant keywords and phrases from the job description
• The best way to demonstrate your industry knowledge and showcase how you developed strategic growth initiatives that increased your previous company’s sales and revenue
• The importance of quantifying your achievements using industry-specific metrics and data

Not applying for a VP of business development? Check out these guides on how to create a resume for business development positions:

• Business development resume general guide
• Director of Business development resume
• Business development executive resume

VP of Business Development resume example

Here is a prime example of a VP of business development resume that represents the applicant with an appealing summary, industry-specific work experience, applicable hard and soft skills, education, and personal achievements.

• Quantifying achievements – Taylor Foster's resume effectively uses quantitative achievements (like a 15% increase in revenue and a 20% increase in new project wins) to demonstrate success in sales and business development, which is vital for this role.
• Highlighting multilingual skills – The inclusion of language skills (fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin) is highly beneficial for a Business Development Executive, especially in a diverse and multilingual market like Hong Kong.
• Demonstrating cross-functional collaboration – The resume highlights Taylor's ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, a crucial skill for business development roles that require working with various departments to drive growth and client satisfaction.
• Detailing specific strategies and activities – The resume provides specific details about strategies employed (like go-to-market strategies and consultative selling) and activities (such as organizing and participating in events), which paints a clear picture of the candidate’s approach and expertise in business development.

Did you notice how the resume uses a two-column format instead of a standard single-page format? This format comes in handy when you have a lot of information to tell and want to keep it to one page.

Next, we will dive into how to format your resume correctly.

How to format a VP of Business Development resume

Many companies today use applicant tracking software to weed out any improperly formatted resumes or those that are missing job-related keywords and phrases. This is why your resume needs to be in a specific format.

How do you make your VP of business development resume stand above the rest? Choosing a pre-formatted resume template automatically sets your margins and sections for you.

If you are more hands-on and want to build your resume from scratch, we’ll start with the technical settings:

• Margins – Set your margins to one inch all around
• Document type – Send your resume as a PDF file (.pdf). This will preserve your formatting and is the most widely accepted document type
• Font types – Acceptable fonts include any that are serif and non-serif, with Arial and Times New Roman being the standard for what seems like eons. Our resume builder uses more modern ATS-accepted fonts, such as Rubik, Lato, Montserrat, Raleway, Exo 2, and Volkhov
• Number of pages – The average length of most resumes is between one and two pages.

Now that we have all the technical stuff out of the way, let’s talk a little about the main sections of your resume:

Many recruiters and corporate headhunters use software to shuffle through all of the resumes they receive for a single position.

Don’t believe in the myths of applicant tracking systems. A properly formatted resume will ensure you get a high score from the software and move you on to the next stage of the interviewing process.

Once you have your resume completed, run it through our resume checker software to ensure it looks professional and can pass applicant tracking systems:

Now that you have a firm grasp on how to format your VP of business development resume, we will go over how to integrate your current and past work experience.

How to write your VP of Business Development resume experience

It’s time for the meat and potatoes of your resume. The resume experience section is where you get to show off your relatable work experience and describe how your actions improved the overall monetary health of the company.

Talking about past work experience is where most job seekers don’t do enough to sing their praises.

Take a look at this example of a job description for a VP of business development position in a large media organization in Canada:

What did you think? Not very impressive, is it? It fails to give a clear picture of what the applicant did for the organization and how their actions led to any improvement or growth. It only briefly describes the industry and what the company does.

A VP of business development position is a highly specified role based on the industry and what type of product or service they provide. To give recruiters and hiring managers a better idea of your experience, include a short description of the company.

When listing your job duties, add some details about how your actions led to quantifiable growth.

Here is the same job description but with more details:

Much better, isn’t it? You get a clear picture of what the job is and how the applicant was able to increase revenue and reach a wider audience. It paints a clear picture of the company, what they do, and how their actions produced positive results.

The work experience uses data-driven examples, like “...distributing strategies to grow the whole line of 5000 SKUs while reducing overstock by 15%.” and “grew distribution to over 540 partners.”

This shows evidence of how they were able to save the company money while expanding its reach. When listing your past work experience, include precise details of all related tasks and how those duties created profitable results.

These brief examples show the importance of creating a detailed history of your related work experience when applying for a VP of business development position.

If you are searching for a VP of business development position in a similar industry, you can further tailor this section for a more targeted resume. And in this article we go over in-detail about how to make a Canada-specific resume

How to quantify impact on your resume

Recruiters and corporate headhunters want to see actionable results that they can point to and say, “This is the type of employee we want.”

When listing your past work experience, it is extremely important for you to show how your actions had a quantifying impact on the organization. Potential employers want to see how your actions have improved the overall company and increased sales and revenue.

Here are some ways to show a quantifying impact while detailing your past work experience:

• Include numbers and percentages of revenue growth – “Managed a global lead generation budget of $100M to drive 1.5x growth.”
• Detail the percentage increase in employee acquisition and retention - “Developed a team of 25 dedicated sales agents, growing territory revenues by over 20% in two years while creating a team focused on collaboration, teamwork, and inclusivity.”
• Quantify the size of closed deals and contracts - “Negotiated terms for business contracts that led to a 10% increase in ACV.”
• Mention the value of market expansion - “Led the expansion into bordering state markets that led to a 14% increase in revenue.”
• State the size of teams led and developed - “Managed six teams of sales agents of eight to ten agents per team in different locations across the region.”
• Provide figures on cost savings gained through initiatives to improve operational effectiveness - “Organized and implemented cost-cutting initiatives, such as identifying wasteful practices and implementing new work methods that led to an 8% decrease in cost while increasing productivity by 3%.”
• Indicate the scale of projects managed - “Pioneered new product development that resulted in a 60% increase in sales.”

Including actionable numbers on your resume is vital to show hiring staff that you know the job well and can produce impressive results.

In the next section, we will go over how to create a VP of business development resume for applicants who are looking for their first Vice Presidential role.

How to list your hard skills and soft skills on your resume

A resume should highlight your personal and professional experiences that are essential for becoming an effective VP of business development.

What are hard and soft skills?

Hard skills are those skills you learn in school and work. They include necessary skills like project management, contract management and negotiations, developing revenue growth strategies, account management, and many more.

Soft skills include more personal skills, like showing empathy and compassion, being an effective communicator, and time-management skills. These are the skills you pick up naturally through personal life experiences.

When including your hard and soft skills, study the job description closely and include any required hard or soft skills the company wants.

You can break your skillsets into separate relevant sections:

• Technical skills - list any experience with CRM and data analysis software along with standard office software like Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other business software.
• Interpersonal skills - Employers want to know you can effectively communicate with all levels of employees, from C-suite executives to entry-level employees.
• Industry-specific skills - This includes experience with account management, product development, new hire acquisitions, and other necessary skills.

A quick note about listing hard and soft skills and applicant tracking software. When listing your skills, they need to match what is in the job description.

For example, if the job description lists project management as a required skill and your resume says project managing, tracking software will not recognize it. This is why it is important to study the job description thoroughly.

Check out this guide for a list of hard skills by industry that you can include on your resume.

How to list your certifications and education on your resume

The corporate world loves it when you have a degree and certifications to back up all those years of experience you have. Even if you graduated ten+ years ago, you still want to include your education on your resume.

When adding your education to your resume:

• Begin with the name of the degree program

• On the next line, enter the full name of the school

• The last line will Include the dates of attendance and location of the school

In addition to a bachelor’s or master’s degree, multiple certifications are available for applicants interested in becoming a VP of business development.

Including certifications on your resume shows that you have specialized training in industry-specific areas. When employers see certificates on a resume, it shows them that you are doing all you can to excel in your position.

To add certifications to your resume, be sure to include the following:

• Certification title
• Name of the organization providing the training and testing
• Graduation date or expected graduation date
• Details of the certification

When you find a job you want to apply for, review the job posting carefully as some companies will require specific certifications.

Here are some of the top certifications for a VP of business development:

How to write your VP of Business Development resume summary or objective

A business development resume summary is your chance to show your intent and briefly talk about your past work experience and skills and how they relate to the position. A resume summary is your first chance to:

• Introduce yourself and summarize your career goals and objectives
• Include relevant keywords from the job description
• Describe who you are and what you bring to the company

While researching how to create a VP of business development resume, you may have noticed there are two types of resume introductions; resume objectives and resume summary.

While both methods can be effective in grabbing the reader's attention, there are key differences that you should be aware of.

• A resume summary is a short, professional statement that summarizes your relatable work experience and skill set in 3-4 sentences. It is ideal for those with previous work experience and seeking a new position within the same career path.
• A resume objective is a brief, 2-3 sentence introduction that includes your professional goals and how they relate to the open position. It is best for job seekers who have little to no experience in the industry and those who are looking to switch careers.

VP positions require several years of relatable experience, making a resume summary the preferred method for introducing yourself and highlighting your specific skill set. This is your first chance to show how your past sales, marketing, or business analyst experience can transfer to a VP position.

Let’s take a look at a resume summary sample to give you an idea of what works and what doesn’t.

Kind of humdrum and boring, isn’t it? This is a very generic resume summary and extremely vague about the applicant’s experience and how their actions benefited the company.

There are no specific details about their experience or how they relate to the position and how those skills can transfer to a VP role.

The summary does little to give the reader confidence that they have what it takes to succeed in the position.

This is a great example of what a resume summary can do. It accurately states the years of experience the applicant has and indicates which industries they have experience in.

Employers are more likely to contact applicants who have experience in the specific industry, so be sure to include that in the summary.

The summary briefly covers their experience working with “clients, agency partners, and suppliers,” which also indicates the person is familiar with the various roles they must deal with on a daily basis.

Finally, the summary details how the applicant has “proven ability to lead cross-functional teams,” another critical skill set for VPs.

There is one more important section we need to talk about that can increase your chances of getting hired, especially for those with little to no VP experience.

Additional sections for a VP of Business Development resume

An effective VP of business development template includes the following main sections:

• Introductory header
• Career summary or objectives
• Relatable work experience
• Education
• Soft and Hard skills
• Additional sections to highlight skills

Including additional resume sections can beef up your resume if you have minimal work experience or worked for only one company for several years.

Consider adding the following sections to your resume to highlight your skills and accomplishments:

• Professional associations – Networking with professionals in your industry is very important for developing contacts and potential clients and partners. Some professional associations for business development include
  • National Business Development Association (NBDA)
  • National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS)
  • American Management Association (AMM)

Including a list of networking groups and associations is essential for showing how well-connected you are within the industry.

• Publications – List any published articles and books you wrote that discuss business development. This can include a variety of topics, from entrepreneurship and perfecting negotiation skills to business model generation, analyzing market trends, and many other business development topics.
• Client/Partner testimonials – Adding professional testimonials from clients, partners, and past employers is an excellent way to highlight how your actions created a positive experience.
• Languages – This section is for applicants who are applying for international jobs or those who deal with people from all nations. Only include foreign language skills if the job requires speaking and understanding different languages.

Using a VP of business development resume template is the best way to include the above sections in your resume and improve your chances of getting an interview.

Key takeaways

Your resume is like a handshake. You want it to be firm and confident and state, “I am the best person for this job.”

By now, you should feel more confident in building an impressive VP of business development resume that is:

• Properly formatted and includes all of the necessary sections to showcase your skills and experience

• Accurately details current and past work experience with quantifiable numbers and metrics that indicate positive growth

• Includes relatable work experience that shows you have the skills and experience for the job

• Details your hard and soft skills and the importance of matching how those skills appear in the job description

• Incorporates your education and any industry-specific certifications you have earned

• Has an attention-getting summary and includes specific details of the work you did and the results they produced.