Here are some helpful CV tips to make sure your CV ‘sells’ your business development skills and experience effectively so that you can make the first cut and are on the interview shortlist.
1. Show your figures and be as informative as you can. Try to talk about quota and performance against quota in terms of % and revenue. Also try and provide an average deal length and value, always helps.
2. Keep it succinct but full of relevant information. Try not to waffle too much about the business or irrelevant information. Bullet points are a good way to keep attention and get the point across.
3. Talk about what ‘you’ did and not what ‘we’ did. Potential employers will want to know the impact you had on the business not what the entire team did. They will want to make sure you are not trying to hide behind the successes of other people in the business.
4. If you love business development and consider yourself a ‘Hunter’ then make sure you get that point across. If you are responsible for bringing in new business from initial lead to close, then you should make sure that is clear on your CV.
5. Talk about examples of your biggest wins and what ‘you’ did to secure the business. Again, this is all about your achievements and the chance for you to show what you have delivered in your career. Always detail your achievements.
6. Make sure your LinkedIn profile matches your CV. Seems simple enough, but it is amazing how many profiles are not updated in tandem or do not match up in terms of dates or employers. It is very likely that a potential new employer will review your LI profile as well.
7. Make sure your LinkedIn profile (if you have one) is competed and full of useful information. This includes recommendations, which are a fantastic way to showcase your talents. Try and get as many as you can, if you can get them from previous clients then all the better.
8. Talk about achievements in terms of how they impacted the business. Ii is always good to try and showcase an achievement for each role you have held, but try and consider how it affected the company and the positive impact it had.
9. Be clear about the type of software you have sold, enterprise, SaaS, Cloud, etc. A quick intro on the company is always good as it sets the scene for the reader and provides the relevant information about the product you were selling at the time.
10. Remember this is your first chance to really sell yourself to a new potential employer, it is what you are supposed to be good at so don’t let yourself down with a poor CV. Ensure it looks professional and has no typos – get a friend or member of your family to proofread it for you.
