Get your business development manager resume past ATS screening. Paste any job description below, get your keyword match score, and generate a tailored CV in 60 seconds.
These keywords appear most frequently in business development manager job descriptions. Missing even a few can drop your ATS score below the screening threshold.
Hard and soft skills that business development manager ATS systems look for
Common mistakes that cause business development manager resumes to fail ATS screening
Use 'business development' and 'new business' as standalone keywords - ATS for BDM roles heavily weights these phrases vs 'sales' alone
Include 'strategic partnerships' if relevant: partnership-led BD roles are a distinct ATS cluster from pure new logo sales
Quantify pipeline originated (not just closed): 'generated $8.5M in qualified pipeline within 12 months' - BD is often measured on origination, not just closing
Name your CRM and prospecting tools: 'Salesforce', 'HubSpot', 'LinkedIn Sales Navigator', 'ZoomInfo' - these are near-universal ATS requirements for BD roles
Add 'C-suite' or 'executive relationship' keywords: 'C-suite outreach', 'VP-level engagement', 'board-level presentations' - signals appropriate seniority
Include 'RFP' or 'proposal writing' if applicable: government and enterprise BD roles specifically ATS-filter for these bid management terms
Essential keywords: business development, new business, strategic partnerships, pipeline development, revenue growth, Salesforce CRM, B2B sales, enterprise sales, deal origination, go-to-market strategy, RFP management, market expansion, contract negotiation, and C-suite engagement. BDM roles look for both sales execution and strategic thinking vocabulary.
Use pipeline-to-close metrics: 'Originated $12M in qualified pipeline (2023), closed $4.2M within 12-month cycle', 'Secured 3 enterprise partnerships generating $6M in first-year revenue', 'Opened 2 new market verticals - healthcare and financial services - contributing $3.8M ARR.' Include deal size, cycle length, and revenue impact.
BDMs focus on originating new relationships: market analysis, outbound prospecting, partnership development, and opening new verticals. Sales managers focus on optimizing an existing sales motion through a team. BDM resumes use 'new business', 'whitespace', 'partnership', and 'market entry.' Sales manager resumes use 'quota', 'coaching', 'forecast', and 'team performance.'
Yes - channel partnerships, technology alliances, and strategic alliances are common BDM responsibilities. List partner types: 'system integrators', 'technology alliances', 'reseller channels', 'co-sell partnerships.' If you've built partner programs from scratch, include 'partner program design', 'MDF (Market Development Funds)', and 'partner enablement' - these are specialized ATS keywords for alliance-focused roles.
List industries explicitly in a 'Markets' section or within each role: 'developed new business across SaaS, financial services, and healthcare verticals.' Industry coverage signals adaptability, which senior BD roles value. If you're targeting a specific industry, move that vertical's examples to the top of each job's bullet list to optimize for both ATS and human reviewers.
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