Business Resume—Professional CV Template & Writing Tips

Business Resume—Professional CV Template & Writing Tips

You’re an important cog in the machine, make sure your business resume reflects this fact by showcasing the value you’ve brought to previous employers.

Bart Turczynski
Bart Turczynski
Career Expert

The world of business can be fiercely competitive—Every advantage you can gain is precious.

So why shoot yourself in the foot with a bad resume? Or even a good resume? Because unless your business resume is the best, you lose—And there are no prizes for second place.

In this guide:

  • A business resume template better than most.
  • Creating the perfect job descriptions for business resumes.
  • How to write a resume for business jobs that stands out.
  • Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing an interview.

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Need a more specific business resume? Thinking of getting an MBA or branching out? Check out our guides:

Business Resume Template You Can Copy and Use

Kelly Ward

Business Development Manager

Personal Info

Phone: 347-622-9014

E-mail: kelly.m.ward@reslab.com

linkedin.com/in/kellymward

Summary

Dynamic business development manager with 6+ years of experience in business development and business administration. Seeking to leverage proven negotiation and cost-cutting skills in developing Basil Group’s business. At Riverlight, reduced HR costs by 17% and identified eight significant new business opportunities worth a combined $1.3 million per year.

Experience 

Business Development Manager

Riverlight

April 2017–present

  • Conducted 30+ in-person interviews with key customers to identify eight new business opportunities worth a combined $1.3M p.a.
  • Reduced HR costs by 17% by outsourcing three administrative functions.
  • Reorganized marketing expenses to extend reach by over 10% at no extra cost to the company.
  • Negotiated payment structure with foreign production facility, cutting labor costs in half over 3 years.

Business Administrator

CommTech

January 2015–March 2017

  • Reduced reporting errors by at least 20%, resulting in savings of up to 32 labor-hours a week company-wide.
  • Implemented standardized business policies and practices, boosting efficiency by over 15%.
  • Led the push for a new, cohort-based induction system that increased retention rates by 17% in the first year.
  • Revamped PR department, reducing impact of labor-dispute incidents on share prices by an average of 24%.

Education 

MBA, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, NY

2013–2015

  • Pursued a passion for risk analysis coursework.
  • Launched a small, online business with three classmates.

Additional Activities

  • Member, American Business Management Association
  • President of Stern MBA Alumni Association, 2015–2019

Languages

  • French: Intermediate
  • Italian: Communicative

Key Skills 

  • Negotiation
  • Customer acquisition
  • Financial planning
  • Policy implementation
  • Project management
  • Problem solving
  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Critical thinking
  • Social media

Now here’s how to write a resume for business professionals they’ll go for:

1. Use an Appropriate Business Resume Format

Appearances and expectations matter—we judge books by their covers all the time. Recruiters won’t get to the substance of your business resume if it doesn’t look the part.

With so many applications to sort through, the process of elimination begins as soon as your resume hits their inbox. Choose a resume format that’ll put you ahead of the pack. Here’s how to create a professional business resume template:

Business Resume Format

Of course, by default, you should save your resume in PDF. But, always double check that something else isn’t required instead.

Expert Hint: If you’re writing a resume with no experience, change the outline of your resume a bit. As education may be your biggest asset, put it above the work experience section.

2. Write an Attention-Grabbing Business Resume Objective or Summary

Elevator pitches, executive summaries, sales pitches—The business world is full of attempts to grab people’s interest and condense information. For your business resume, it’s a resume profile.

Got some relevant work experience? Go with a career summary statement. It’ll help you capitalize on that experience.

Use:

  1. One adjective (dynamic, reliable, dedicated)
  2. Job title (Business Developer, Business Administrator, etc.)
  3. Years of experience (3+, 5+)
  4. How you intend to help (reduce operating costs, maximize ROI)
  5. Two or three of your most impressive achievements (boosted efficiency by over 15%, increased retention rates by 17%)

These business resume examples show how:

Business Resume Summary

Good Example
Dynamic business development manager with 6+ years of experience in business development and business administration. Seeking to leverage proven negotiation and cost-cutting skills in developing Basil Group’s business. At Riverlight, reduced HR costs by 17% and identified eight significant new business opportunities worth a combined $1.3 million per year.
Bad Example
Business-minded business development manager with 6 years of experience. Seeking to spread wings and take flight with a suitably woke company. At Riverlight, reduced HR costs and identified new business opportunities by taking the initiative.

The first example stays on-message with concrete facts backed up by hard numbers. It’s also focused on what the candidate can do for their employer. The second example is tone deaf and expects the employer to care what the candidate wants.

But what if you don’t have enough work experience to write a business resume summary? Write a career objective statement and shift the focus to achievements from relevant non-business jobs as well as your studies:

Business Resume Objective

Good Example
Reliable business studies graduate with a major in business administration. Seeking to apply proven negotiation and reporting skills in working as a financial analyst for Basil Group. Helped ABD Holdings improve buying efficiency by over 10% while reducing risk exposure by 23% as part of a final-year project.
Bad Example
Accomplished business graduate with no real-world experience, but eager to learn and to sore. Looking for a company with plenty of advancement opportunities and good benefits package.

The first example ticks all the boxes and includes achievements in spite of a lack of paid work history. The second example is from the same candidate, but you can hardly tell.

Expert Hint: Write your qualifications summary—whether summary or objective—last. It’s much easier to do a good job when you have your job descriptions and skills sections done.

3. Create the Best Business Resume Job Descriptions and Skills Section

Self-confidence and a can-do attitude are often prized in businessAnd that can become a real problem when you risk being lost in a sea of candidates confident they can do it all.

The solution? Use your resume job description section to show your confidence is justified. Here’s how to write a business resume job description:

  1. Re-read the job ad.
  2. Be on the lookout for any skills and duties mentioned there (it’s called targeting a resume).
  3. Think back to times you wowed employers by applying those skills in similar contexts.
  4. Write resume bullet points that describe those situations, with numbers.

These professional business resume examples show how:

Business Resume Job Description

Good Example

Business Development Manager

Riverlight

March 2017–present

  • Conducted 30+ in-person interviews with key customers to identify eight new business opportunities worth a combined $1.3M p.a.
  • Reduced HR costs by 17% by outsourcing three administrative functions.
  • Reorganized marketing expenses to extend reach by over 10% at no extra cost to the company.
  • Negotiated payment structure with foreign production facility, cutting labor costs in half over 3 years.
Bad Example

Business Development Manager

Riverlight

2017–present

  • Conducted in-person interviews with key customers to identify new business opportunities.
  • Reduced HR costs by outsourcing some administrative functions.
  • Reorganized marketing expenses to extend reach.
  • Negotiated payment structure with foreign production facility.

The second example makes great use of resume “action verbs”, but it just isn’t concrete enough, and part of that is a lack of numbers backing up its claims.

Writing an entry-level resume without much experienceDraw on relevant achievements from non-business jobs.

There’s one more thing: You’ll need skills to put on your resume. And the key to writing up skills for a business resume is to be selective. Stick to what the job ad requires and only include what you can back up with evidence at an interview.

Skills for a Business Resume

Hard Skills

  • Negotiation
  • Scheduling
  • Training
  • Product development
  • Customer acquisition
  • Financial planning
  • Logistics
  • Budgeting
  • Policy implementation
  • Project management
  • Computer skills

Soft Skills

  • Problem solving
  • Time management
  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Critical thinking
  • Creativity
  • Social media
  • Relationship building
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Leadership

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4. Turn Your Education Section into an Asset

Education isn’t always everything in the world of business. But failing to fully leverage what you’ve got is never a winning move.

List degrees (with majors), schools, and years attended. Then, give yourself an edge over the competition: Add bullet points that show your business acumen. This business resume example shows how:

Business Resume Example—Education Section

Good Example

MBA, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, NY

2013–2015

  • Pursued a passion for risk analysis coursework.
  • Launched a small, online business with three classmates.

Not exactly filling reams with business experience? Leverage your resume education section even further by including projects, coursework, and accomplishments that show you’ve got what it takes to be the next Gordon Gekko.

Expert Hint: Make sure you write an ATS-friendly resume by using the same phrases as the job ad. If it asks for “Master’s” degree, don’t abbreviate your degree. Use “Master of Science” or “Master of Arts” instead.

5. Load Your Business Resume With Added Sections

You don’t get ahead by doing the bare minimum. A resume profile, work history, job descriptions, and skills section are the bare minimum—

Go above and beyond by adding one or two extra sections:

These two business resume examples show yes vs no:

Business Resume Examples—Extra Sections

Good Example

Additional Activities

  • Member, American Business Management Association
  • President of Stern MBA Alumni Association, 2015–2019

Languages

  • French: Intermediate
  • Italian: Communicative
Bad Example

Additional Activities

  • American Business Management Association
  • Long-term Business Insider subscriber

Languages

  • French
  • Italian

Not so different, yet only one can get through—And it won’t be the second one. The first one wins by being specific and relevant.

You're almost there. You just need to write a cover letter. The only excuse for not including a cover letter is having been explicitly asked not to do so.

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Key Points

For a business resume that gets results:

  • Use the business resume template given earlier. It’s built for success.
  • Include business achievementsin your resume profile, work history, and education sections to show what you’re made of.
  • Choose the right skills to put in your business resume. The job ad will tell you what those are.
  • Write a business cover letter. Use it to billboard your suitability and passion for the job.

Need clarification on anything mentioned here? Stuck writing your business resume? Leave a comment down below and we’ll get back to you.

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Bart Turczynski

Bart Turczynski’s career advice and commentary have been published by Glassdoor, The Chicago Tribune, Workopolis, The Financial Times, Hewlett-Packard, and CareerBuilder, among others. Bart’s mission is to promote the best, data-informed, and up-to-date career advice through numerous online communities and publications. Bart’s lifelong passion for politics and a strong background in psychology make all the advice he publishes unique and supported by detailed research.

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