Business Developer CV — ATS-Optimised Guide

Lead with outcomes using clear KPI naming recruiters search for, such as pipeline generated (£), SQL/month, meeting volume, and first-deal revenue. For example, demonstrate how you moved prospects through the funnel with metrics like lead→meeting conversion and meeting→deal conversion. Include timeframes (e.g., “in 9 months” or “quarterly”) so ATS and humans can verify scope quickly. Reference the systems you used to track performance, such as Salesforce dashboards and HubSpot pipeline stages.

When describing impact, connect activities to commercial results, not just tasks. Use structured achievements like “built target lists, executed multichannel outreach, qualified opportunities, and secured signed deals” with a measurable output. Mention the outbound engine you operated, for example Outreach sequences, and show how your messaging improved response rates or booked meetings. If you used ABM, include how you selected accounts and measured engagement using tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator and (where relevant) ZoomInfo or similar enrichment sources.

Specify your prospecting motion and target type so the CV matches role intent: whether you’re generating new business through outbound calling and email, responding to inbound demand, or running ABM campaigns. Describe how you built ICP-aligned lists and prioritised accounts by fit and intent, then executed outreach across channels. Name the tools that make this credible, such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator for research and Outreach for sequence management. Add at least one KPI linked to qualification quality, such as SQL rate, show rate, or conversion to proposal.

Recruiters also want proof of qualification rigour. Explain how you qualified opportunities using a framework like MEDDIC or SPIN, including how you identified pain, budget, decision process, and mutual action plan. Where possible, quantify your effect on sales cycle outcomes, such as reducing cycle length or improving win rate by improving discovery depth. Include evidence of structured deal progression in Salesforce by referencing fields you maintained (e.g., lead status, opportunity stage, next step dates) to show operational excellence.

If your BizDev role included partnerships or co-selling, describe the commercial mechanics and the commercial result, not just the relationship. For example, outline how you recruited channel partners, negotiated mutual value, and set joint pipeline targets that you tracked in Salesforce. Mention how you coordinated across stakeholders such as Product, Marketing, and Legal, and name how you ensured follow-through (e.g., using a shared workspace or a CRM process). Add KPIs such as partner-sourced pipeline (£), co-sell meetings booked, or partner-driven conversion rates.

For multi-stakeholder enterprise or mid-market deals, demonstrate how you managed risk and drove agreement to signature. Include how you ran discovery calls, aligned internal resources, and maintained visibility of next steps and blockers using Salesforce and sales call recordings or insights tools like Gong (if applicable). Show how you improved conversion by surfacing insights early, handling objections with a repeatable approach, and documenting a mutual action plan. When you can, include metrics like proposal→win conversion, average deal size (£), and pipeline coverage ratio.