Business Resume Examples and Templates (Downloadable)

  • Entry level
  • Midlevel
  • Senior level

If you are looking to take the next step in your business career journey, crafting a strong resume can help you catch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. Business encompasses a variety of positions and skill sets. Focusing on your key qualifications and accomplishments and demonstrating how you can benefit your next employer can help you land interviews.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Emphasize specializations: Be specific about your business acumen, related technologies, and how your skills can help the bottom line.
  • Detail quantifiable achievements: Share data to demonstrate the value you have brought to past roles, whether it’s return on investment (ROI), cost savings, productivity, or customer satisfaction ratings.
  • Use keywords for Applicant Tracking Systems: Incorporate business keywords used in the job description to help your resume past Applicant Tracking System (ATS) filters and into human hands.

How To Write a Business Resume Example

Your business resume should showcase your professional experience. Also, highlight key skills that align with the job description to show hiring managers your capabilities are exactly what they’re looking for. Include your education, along with advanced degrees and certifications that establish you as a professional in your field. Begin your resume with a concise, dynamic profile that quantifies your value as a business leader.

The following are the essential components of a business resume and some guidance for writing one that will grab recruiters’ attention.

  • Contact information
  • Profile
  • Key skills
  • Professional experience
  • Education and certifications

1. Share your contact information

Include your location, email, phone number, and a website or LinkedIn profile if you developed an online presence for your career. Your name and contact information should appear at the top of your business resume.

Example

Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn | Portfolio

2. Write a brief summary of your business qualifications

The profile is a snapshot of your business career and successes that hiring managers read in seconds to gain a big-picture perspective of your background. Start by listing your job title, years of experience, and three to four specializations that align with the job posting.

Senior-Level Profile Example

A strategic and result-oriented senior strategy consultant with extensive experience in key decision-making, leadership, team management, and stakeholder management for leading firms such as McKinsey & Company. Armed with an MBA, career highlights include driving growth, optimizing stakeholder relationships, and boosting productivity. Holding a credential as a Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) displays proficiency in financial management, market analysis, and strategic planning.

Entry-Level Profile Example

Highly driven business professional with experience in business analysis and administration, and strong customer service, data analysis, and operational skills to optimize business strategies and customer satisfaction. Certifications by the International Institute of Business Analysis, Project Management Institute, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers demonstrate skill development and willingness to develop as a business professional.

3. Outline your business experience in a compelling list

Write a success-driven professional experience section with bullet points that emphasize your business career achievements. Include data, metrics, and monetary figures to demonstrate how your skills add value to a company.

Senior-Level Professional Experience Example

Senior Strategy Consultant, McKinsey & Company, Boston, MA | January 2019 – present

  • Drove the strategic planning process for key clients leading to an annual revenue increase of 20%
  • Managed a diverse team of 10 consultants, fostering a positive work culture and encouraging professional growth, boosting team productivity by 30%
  • Built and nurtured key stakeholder relationships, identifying areas for collaboration, resulting in improved service delivery

 

Business Analyst, Boston Financial Management, Boston, MA | December 2016 – December 2019

  • Created detailed financial models and forecasts, informing decision-making processes that increased profitability by 15%
  • Conducted comprehensive market analysis that identified emerging trends and informed strategic business initiatives
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align departmental objectives with the company’s broader business goals

Entry-Level Professional Experience Example

Junior Business Analyst, E&J Consultants, Jacksonville, FL | June 2022 – present

  • Conduct comprehensive market research and data analysis to guide the adjustment of business strategies
  • Contribute to cross-departmental collaboration efforts to ensure horizontal alignment of company goals and objectives
  • Assist in developing presentation material and narrative for senior management, contributing to strategic direction decisions

 

Administrative Assistant, Guardian Accounting Group, Tampa, FL | May 2021 – May 2022

  • Managed daily administrative operations including data entry, filing, scheduling meetings, and managing office supplies
  • Effectively addressed client inquiries and complaints upholding company integrity and relationship with customers
  • Assisted in compiling marketing materials and sales presentations impacting the branding strategy of the company

Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience

Data, metrics, and monetary figures quantify your business experience, so include these measures of your success in your business resume. Companies seek candidates who will increase results and revenue. Your resume should showcase how you help organizations save money, improve client retention, and drive efficiency. Including specific numbers adds more credibility to your resume.

Check out our example for a better idea of how to do this:

Do
  • "Completed an in-depth analysis of operational processes and identified opportunities to boost productivity by 15%"
Don’t
  • "Analyzed operational processes"

Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume for each application

Though it’s convenient to have one master resume, tweaking it for each job you apply for can increase your chances of being noticed and landing an interview. Feature some of the same target keywords used in job descriptions, and choose which skill sets to focus on based on how the employer describes the ideal candidate.

What if you don’t have experience?

If you lack expertise in your field, rather than focusing only on skills, your resume should emphasize academic projects, internship experience, or volunteer work. Focus on any leadership roles you have held in those capacities, such as serving as treasurer for a nonprofit organization or running the marketing campaign for a campus event.

4. Add business-related education and certifications

Detail your educational experience by listing the institution and its location, the dates of your time studying business, and the formal name of the degree you earned. If you hold an advanced degree, such as a Master of Business Administration, list this first, followed by your undergraduate degree. Should you have certifications such as a designation from the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), note this in the Education and Certifications section of your resume.

Education

Template:

[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]

Example: 

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Business Administration
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA | 2015

Certifications

Template:

[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]

Examples:

  • Entry Certificate in Business Analysis, International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), 2022
  • Leadership Essentials Certificate, Cornell University, 2020

5. Make a list of your business-related skills and proficiencies

Business leaders resolve complex issues, analyze data, and identify solutions for improving a company’s performance, customer retention, and operational processes. Roles related to business vary depending on a company’s needs. Your resume should list key skills in the job description to show a hiring manager you’re an ideal candidate – and pass ATS filters. Below are some common key skills that can support success in business roles:

Key Skills and Proficiencies
Business analytics Client relations and retention
Coaching and mentoring Cross-functional collaboration
Forecasting Project management
Reporting and documentation Supplier relations
Strategic business planning Team leadership

Resume writer’s tip: Use strong action verbs

Action verbs add impact to your experience section, but you can quickly run short during the resume-building process. It’s easy to become redundant by overusing words like “performed” or “analyzed.” When writing your business resume, use concise language, avoid the passive voice, and vary your action verbs.

Here is a list of common action verbs for business resumes:

Action Verbs
Coordinate Create
Drive Enhance
Execute Generate
Grow Launch
Lead Pioneer

How To Pick the Best Business Resume Template

The best resume template for a business role should be clean, organized, and content-focused while illustrating your leadership skills and experience that align with the job description. White space and proper formatting will allow hiring managers to scan your resume with ease to understand your accomplishments and capabilities.

Business Text-Only Resume Examples and Templates

left
  • Entry level
  • Midlevel
  • Senior level
right

Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
LinkedIn | Portfolio
City, State Abbreviation zip code

Profile

Highly driven with experience in business analysis and administration, and strong customer service, data analysis, and operational skills to optimize business strategies and customer satisfaction. Certifications by the International Institute of Business Analysis, Project Management Institute, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers demonstrate skill development and willingness to develop as a business professional.

Key Skills

  • Accounting basics
  • Administrative tasks
  • Marketing asset creation
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
  • Sales presentations

Professional Experience

Junior Business Analyst, E&J Consultants, Jacksonville, FL 
June 2022 – present

  • Conduct comprehensive market research and data analysis to guide adjustment of business strategies
  • Contribute to cross-departmental collaboration efforts to ensure horizontal alignment of company goals and objectives
  • Assist in developing presentation material and narrative for senior management, contributing to strategic direction decisions

Administrative Assistant, Guardian Accounting Group, Tampa, FL 
May 2021 – May 2022

  • Managed daily administrative operations including data entry, filing, scheduling meetings, and managing office supplies
  • Effectively addressed client inquiries and complaints upholding company integrity and relationship with customers
  • Assisted in compiling marketing materials and sales presentations impacting the branding strategy of the company

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) 
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL | 2021

Certifications 

  • Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP), International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), 2023
  • Certified Manager (CM), Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM), 2021

Frequently Asked Questions: Business Resume Examples and Advice

How do you align your resume with a business job description?

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports business and finance jobs are projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032, mostly to replace the retiring workforce. Business practices are constantly changing because of technology and other factors, so it’s critical to illustrate why your skills and talents are a good match for particular employers and their roles. Read the job description carefully, and connect the dots to your experiences and accomplishments to show the recruiter you are the kind of applicant they are seeking.

What is the best business resume format?

A reverse-chronological order format is ideal for business resumes — a template that lists the most recent positions first. This is the most common format, and hiring managers for business positions may be put off if you get too creative. Stick with the tried and true chronological format.

Andrew Stoner

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

Andrew Stoner is an executive career coach and resume writer with 17 years of experience as a hiring manager and operations leader at two Fortune 500 Financial Services companies, and as the career services director at two major university business schools.

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