How to Write an Effective Business Development Cover Letter and Resume

When it comes to writing a business development cover letter and resume, professionals often get stuck on how to proceed. Some don’t know what to write, while some struggle with keeping things concise. The ability to write an effective business development cover letter can help open the door for your future career.

There are a lot of ways to create a cover letter and resume. You have to remember, however, that to get a business development position, your cover letter and resume should highlight your skills and relevant experiences. In this guide, you’ll learn how to do that and how to make a solid first impression through the perfect cover letter and resume.

Business Development Cover Letter Guide

If you have no idea what to include in your cover letter, then this section will help you with just that. Take some time to write down all of your essential skills applicable to the job description and then plan how to structure your cover letter. You’ll also want to add some personal touches to give potential employers a glimpse of your personality.

Why Does Your Business Development Cover Letter Matter?

A cover letter is the best chance you have at convincing recruiters that you’re the best choice for the job. If you fail at creating a clear, persuasive cover letter, you’re not likely to get invited for an interview.

A cover letter allows you to showcase your communication and writing skills. You can include key strengths that will help sell your professional skills and get the attention of recruiters during the hiring process. 

Essential Components of Your Business Development Cover Letter

A cover letter is still a standard business letter. There are formats that you should follow. There are multiple sections of your business development cover letter that you should focus on. These components are listed below. 

• Header. Your heading should have your contact information, your full name, your current address, your LinkedIn account or online portfolio, and the date you submitted the letter. It is also important to include the employer’s contact details, the hiring manager’s first and last name, the company name, and the company address.
• Greetings. Greetings or salutations are how you address someone in the letter. The most used word is “Dear”. Be sure to be specific in who you are addressing by including their full name. 
• Opening paragraph. In this introductory paragraph, you should think carefully about what to write since this is your chance to present yourself as the ideal candidate. Begin by expressing interest in the specific role you are applying for. 
• Body paragraphs. This could serve as your speech on why you’re fit for the role. Sell your strengths and the reasons you’ll be a great employee. Don’t forget to put the keywords from the job description in this section. 
• Professional sign-off. Be professional in closing your letter. Your closing paragraph should be followed by your full name. You can write “best regards”, “thank you”, “respectfully”, “sincerely”, or “thank you for your time and consideration”.

5 Tips for Writing a Strong Business Development Cover Letter

Everyone can write a business development cover letter, but not everyone can compose something substantial that quickly impresses future employers. Human resource departments receive hundreds of applications for a single vacancy and only select a few candidates for interviews. Below are some tips you can take note of so you can make a great first impression. 

1. Stick to business cover letter formatting rules. Start writing with the correct format to make your cover letter appealing. An ideal cover letter should fit on one page. Remember to use a professional font in size 11 or 12. You can begin by using a cover letter builder. 
2. Put all of your important information and details in the header. Make sure that if the recruiter wants to reach out to you, they don’t have to search your cover letter or resume to find your details. The most important information you should include is your full name, mobile number, and email address. You can include your LinkedIn account as well.
3. Introduce yourself and inform the company what position you are applying for. Talk about your passions, qualities, and the experiences you’ve had that relate to the job description. Cover letters are expected to be straightforward. You can make your introduction more impressive by sharing your most significant accomplishment.
4. Showcase your relevant skills. As a business developer, you’re expected to have strong communication skills, organizational skills, and an understanding of business practices. You have a very dynamic role in the company, so employers are looking for professionals who can make an impact. 
5. Share your most significant reason for applying. A potential employer will feel more connected to you if you include why you want the position in the cover letter. Talk about how you will help a company achieve its goals.

Business Development Cover Letter Example

No cover letter is perfect, but you can follow some simple steps to come as close to perfection as possible. Below is a sample cover letter that you can use as a guideline.

Business Development Cover Letter Sample

[Your Name]
[Current Position]
[Your Address]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email]

[Date] 

[Hiring Manager]
[Job Title]
[XYZ Company]

Dear Mr./Ms. [Hiring Manager],

I am very interested in the business development manager position at [XYZ Company]. I believe that my set of skills and experiences are what you’re looking for. I am a goal-oriented individual who is always looking for ways to grow the business through exploring new markets and reaching out to existing customers to improve their experience. 

During my time at my [Previous/Current Employer], I created new business and long-term opportunities by cold-calling and giving presentations to prospective clients. I know how essential it is to build customer trust. Furthermore, I was able to do this through engaging presentations to prospective clients. I also committed to attending trade shows that further maximize my skills in networking. As a result, I was able to close a total of $750k in business deals. 

During my [Number of Years] of experience, I have worked with people from different industries like spas, hotels, bakeries, resorts, fitness facilities, pharmaceutical companies, dental offices, and hospitals. With my commitment and hard work, I increased the market share of my previous company against a well-known competitor by five percent.

I am passionate about your company’s mission of helping small and medium-sized companies expand. Like you, I believe in helping others. With my solid experience in strategic planning, implementation, and business analysis, I strongly feel that I can be the right fit for the position. 

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to speaking with you more about how I can contribute to the role. 

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email]

Business Development Resume Guide

Whether you’re using a resume builder or starting from scratch, creating a great resume matters. Read the section below to find out why you need to put serious effort into this essential part of the application process. 

Why Does Your Business Development Resume Matter?

Your business development resume matters because it acts as a line of contact between you and the recruiter. Your resume should stand out from the hundreds of resumes submitted by other candidates. Some recruiters only scan your resume for a few seconds, so you better ensure the details are laid out correctly. 

Your resume is a representation of who you are. It shows a lot about you as a professional in the field and conveys your work experience. Before we show you a sample resume, check out the vital components of a business development resume below. 

Essential Components of Your Business Development Resume

There are a lot of sections your resume could have and they can differ depending on the level of business development you are applying for. Some of the crucial components are listed below.

• Personal information. Include details like your full name, contact number, and email address so that when the recruiter wants to get in touch with you, they’ll be able to see your information quickly. 
• Objective. In this section, you’ll put your professional purpose or goal for your job hunt or career.
• Educational background. If you’re a fresh graduate, include all the schools you’ve attended. If you already have experience, you can include your college degree or master’s degree. 
• Work and related experience. This is an important section of your resume where you’re able to list relevant professional experience. Put the company’s name, a summary of your responsibilities, and the dates you’ve stayed with the company. Start with the most recent experience and work your way back.
• Skills. This is also another essential section in your resume. This is the area where you put business development skills you have.

5 Tips for Writing a Strong Business Development Resume

We’ve listed some tips you can follow below to make sure you’re able to create a resume that attracts the attention of hiring managers.

1. Proofread the whole thing. Listing communication skills on your resume won’t matter if your document is full of grammatical errors. When you’re focused on the content, you might miss some of the other important details. You can ask someone to proofread your resume or run it through grammar-checking software.
2. Be specific. Be straightforward about your past experiences and list specific skills that are related to the business development job you’re applying for.
3. Highlight your most relevant experience first. One technique is to list your most relevant experiences first. Your first two bullet points should be your biggest accomplishments. This way, even if the hiring manager doesn’t read your whole resume, they’ll still be able to know the most important details about you.
4. Use statistics whenever possible. Quantify your achievements and skills with numbers to have a bigger impact on hiring managers.
5. Use bullet points when suitable. When the information is bulleted, things are easier to read and are more visually pleasing than lots of paragraphs describing your job tasks. Each bullet point can be a strong phrase or a description of your duties. 

Business Development Resume Examples

Resumes are hard to write, but following these important tips will help you get started. Below is a sample section and structure that will help you create a strong business development resume. 

Business Development Resume Sample: The Header

James Nichols
555-000-000
james_nich@email.com
Los Angeles, California

Sample Business Development Resume Template

Name
Address
Phone number
Email

Objective

Write your professional goal here.

Professional Background 

Company Name | Year started – year ended

• List of responsibilities
• Task 1
• Task 2
• Task 3

Company Name | Year started – year ended

• List of responsibilities
• Task 1
• Task 2
• Task 3

Educational Background

Name of school | Dates attended

• Degree
• Honors or achievements

Name of school | Date attended

• Degree
• Honors or achievements

Business Development Skills 

• Business Development Skill 1. Describe briefly how you showed this.
• Business Development Skill 2. Describe briefly how you showed this.
• Business Development Skill 3. Describe briefly how you showed this.
• Business Development Skill 4. Describe briefly how you showed this.
• Business Development Skill 5. Describe briefly how you showed this.

Additional Training (optional)

• Certificate
• Certification
• Training course 

Business Development Resume Template Resources

• Job Hero. This template is simple and you can just add your details to fill out the resume builder. The template maximizes the whole page, yet it’s still visually appealing.
• MintResume. This is also another uncomplicated structure where details can be easily added.
• ResumeBuild. For this resume builder, there are section dividers that you can copy so that each section will be presented clearly. 

Importance of a Business Development Cover Letter and Resume

A business development cover letter and resume are important because they act as the initial point of contact between you. These two documents are valuable because they are the means to land you an interview with your future employer.

Your resume will serve as a way to market yourself and show off relevant skills and experiences you’ve gained that would help in the position. Your cover letter gives a comprehensive look at why you are fit for this specific business development job. When you build a strong cover letter and resume, you give the hiring manager a clear picture of who you are as a professional. 

Business Development Cover Letter and Resume FAQ