4 Business Resume Examples & Templates for 2024

A business associate resume is tailored to emphasize an individual's proficiency in supporting business operations, enhancing team productivity, and contributing to strategic initiatives. It highlights the candidate's qualifications, including skills in project coordination, data analysis, and client relations.  

My name is Michael Tomaszewski and I'm a career expert and a Certified Resume Writer. I'm going to show you how to create a job-winning business resume. Below you will find 4 business resume examples for different levels of experience I crafted for you. Have a look!

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Business Resume Example

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Entry-Level / Junior Business Resume Example

Entry-level or junior business jobs are designed for recent graduates or those new to the workforce, offering foundational skills and experiences. Necessary skills include communication, analytical, organizational, problem-solving, technical, teamwork, and adaptability. Responsibilities encompass administrative support, assisting with projects, customer interaction, data management, report preparation, market research, financial tasks, meeting coordination, sales support, and participating in training programs. 

Here’s a sample resume for junior business roles:

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Mid-Level Business Resume Example

Mid-level business jobs usually require 3-5 years of experience and involve managing projects, teams, and client relationships. Essential skills include leadership, advanced communication, strategic planning, project management, and financial analysis. Responsibilities include overseeing operations, developing strategies, managing budgets, mentoring junior staff, and ensuring project success.

 Here’s a sample resume for mid-level business professionals:

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Experienced / Senior Business Resume Example

Senior business jobs demand extensive experience and strategic vision, typically requiring over 7-10 years in the field. Key skills include executive leadership, decision-making, strategic planning, financial acumen, and risk management. Responsibilities encompass shaping company strategy, managing executive teams, driving business growth, overseeing major projects, ensuring financial health, and representing the company to stakeholders. These roles are critical for guiding and sustaining organizational success.

Here’s a sample for a senior business representative resume:

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Resume Templates for Business

Based on the analysis of 11 million resumes made in the Zety Resume Builder, here are the top 3 templates picked for business resumes.

Cascade

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Cascade offers a clean resume design, equipped with robust formatting guaranteed to navigate Applicant Tracking Systems. It delivers style and readability, effectively showcasing your professional achievements.

Concept

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Concept offers a unique resume design for reverse-chronological resumes. It has a thin left sidebar for dates and icons for sections. You can customize the color scheme for headings and the sidebar or reverse it. The white background and black text keep it clean and professional.

Diamond

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Diamond by Zety is a sleek, modern resume template that makes a strong impact. It prioritizes data over infographics, with some infographic elements in the skills section. A left-hand timeline connects education and experience, making it a versatile and professional choice for any industry.

How to Write a Business Resume:

1. Use the Right Business Resume Format

Imagine you’re trying to land a deal with a strategic client. Would you meet them at a Burger King, wearing tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt, then go on and write your email address and phone number on a napkin?

You know the old saying. In business, it’s about both what you say and how you say it. The same applies to your business resume template. Make it elegant and transparent.

Here’s how to format a resume for business:

• Choose the reverse-chronological resume format as it is the golden standard.
• Stick with proven resume fonts like Calibri, or Arial. Use 11–12 size for all entries and 13–14 size for the resume headings.
• Set line spacing to 1, or 1.15, and the margins on your resume to 1 inch on all sides.
• Save the business resume as a PDF, but have a DOC resume in reserve in case the company prefers this file type.

Include the following resume parts:

• Contact information
• Resume Profile
• Work Experience
• Education
• Skills
• Other sections

2. List Your Experience on a Corporate Resume

What matters most to hiring executives is your experience? No one cares what you did. They want to know how well you did it. In your business resume experience section, you need to highlight your achievements.

Here’s what you need to do in your business resume work experience section, step by step:

1. Use the reverse chronological order: start with your current or most recent position. Follow it with your previous job and the one before that, and so on.
2. For each position, add up to 5 bullet points describing your business duties and, more importantly, your professional achievements.
3. Quantify whenever possible. Instead of saying “significantly increased sales,” go for “increased sales by 45% in 4 months.”
4. Use action words. No more droning on about being “responsible for …” Instead, begin your resume bullets with verbs like “spearheaded,” “led,” “managed.”
5. Last but not least—pick phrases from the job ad, and refer to them in your work experience section. List only what’s most relevant for the position or contract you’re trying to land. It’s called tailoring a resume, and it’s super effective. Want to learn more about it? Read how to tailor your resume.

Here are some examples of common responsibilities for business resumes:

Business Keywords for a Resume

• Strategic Planning: Develop and implement business strategies to achieve company goals.
• Financial Management: Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting to ensure fiscal health.
• Marketing: Create and execute marketing campaigns to promote products or services and drive sales.
• Sales Management: Lead sales teams, set targets, and develop sales strategies to boost revenue.
• Customer Relationship Management: Maintain and improve relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Project Management: Plan, execute, and oversee projects to ensure they meet deadlines and budget constraints.
• Human Resources Management: Recruit, train, and manage staff, and develop HR policies and procedures.
• Operations Management: Streamline business operations to improve efficiency and productivity.
• Market Analysis: Conduct market research to identify trends, opportunities, and competitive landscape.
• Business Development: Identify and pursue new business opportunities and partnerships.
• Reporting and Analysis: Generate reports and analyze data to inform decision-making and track performance.

Remember when I mentioned action words? Here are some popular ones you can use:

Business Resume Action Verbs

• Orchestrated
• Managed
• Negotiated
• Streamlined
• Developed
• Achieved
• Enhanced
• Directed
• Implemented
• Coordinated
• Analyzed
• Innovated
• Expanded
• Optimized
• Spearheaded
• Grew

Pro Tip: You might have heard that a proper business resume has to be one page. If you’re very experienced, this is not necessarily the case. If you’re finding it hard to make a one-pager, learn how to make the most of your 2-page resume here: Two Page Resume Format: Examples that Prove It’s OK.

3. Put Your Degree on a Business Resume

Good news: here comes the easy part. For business professionals with at least a couple of years of experience, listing education on a resume is as easy as one-two-three.

Here’s what you have to include in this section:

• List your degree type,
• Add your major and minors, if you’ve got them,
• State the institution name,
• Provide your graduation (or expected graduation) date.

But if you feel anxious about your lack of on-the-job business experience, you can make up for it in your business resume education section. Include extra details such as:

• Relevant coursework
• Favorite fields of study
• Academic achievements
• Extracurricular activities

These will prove your sense of purpose in pursuing a business career: a surefire way to impress recruiters.

Didn’t graduate? See our guide: How to List Unfinished Education on a Resume

4. List Your Business Skills on a Resume the Right Way

There’s one word to keep in mind when creating your business resume skills list: Relevance. You need to make sure you list skills that match the opening you’re eyeing. But on its own, that won’t do. Anyone can claim to have a certain skill set. To stand out, prove you have the right business skills for a resume.

For example, let’s say there’s an opening for a Director of Business Development position in a tech company you always wanted to join. You know they value leadership qualities and an innovative approach to business management.

Here are some popular skills for business resumes:

Skills for a Business Resume

• Attention to Detail
• Critical-Thinking Skills
• Decision-Making Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Management Skills
• Marketing Skills
• Microsoft Office Skills
• Organizational Skills
• People Skills
• Presentation Skills
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Project Management
• Time-Management Skills
• Verbal and Written Communication Skills
• Financial Analysis
• Project Management
• Data Analysis
• Marketing Strategy
• Sales Management
• Budgeting and Forecasting
• Business Development
• Strategic Planning
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Supply Chain Management
• Market Research

Pro Tip: For the best results, provide a mix of hard and soft skills. This way, you’ll show that you know the tools of your trade and can work effectively with other people.

5. Add Extra Sections to Prove Your Value

Business is about verifiable data, not empty promises. Whatever your resume promises so far, you need to punch it up a notch to be truly believable.

That’s where additional sections come in. Use them to give proof of your best assets. Take a look at some ideas of what to include in that extra section of your business resume:

• Industry awards
• Earned certifications
• Publications
• Industry blog
• Relevant hobbies & interests
• Completed projects
• Known foreign languages
• Influencing on social media
• Additional training and participation in conferences

Don’t have any of the above? Get some! Apply for conferences, consider taking a course, get more active on social media. You’re not going to succeed in business if you’re at a standstill.

For more ideas on what to add to your business resume to spice it up, give this handy guide a read: Resume Sections to Include on Your Resume.

6. Write a Business Resume Summary or a Resume Objective

Even if you get your formatting right, chances are recruiters or other potential stakeholders will not read your business resume in full.

To make them do it, put a carefully crafted resume summary or objective at the top of your professional business resume. Get it right, and whoever puts their eyes on your resume will be dying to find out more about your career.

Got years of business experience? Choose the resume summary. Outline your professional path in business and highlight your most impressive wins.

Just starting out in the world of business? Pick a business resume objective. Discuss what skills you’ve mastered so far and how valuable a hire you’ll be.

Here’s how to write this section:

1. Start with an adjective like creative or strategic.
2. Add your title (business analyst, business manager).
3. List years of experience (1, 4+, 10).
4. Cite your goal (contribute to the success of marketing campaigns).
5. Share your most relevant work or academic accomplishments.
6. Proofread to ensure it’s clear and error-free.

7. Include a Business Cover Letter

Someone might have told you that cover letters are no longer important. That’s half-true. Around 50% of recruiters and hiring managers don’t read cover letters anymore.

But, another half won’t even look at your stunning resume if there’s no cover letter attached. So whether you’re writing a business development manager resume or a resume for other corporate and business jobs, attaching a cover letter to your application doubles your chances for success.

To write a great business cover letter:

1. Apply the proper business cover letter format.
2. Address the recruiter/hiring manager by name.
3. Entice them with an interesting opening statement.
4. Prove your business acumen.
5. Finish the cover letter with a call to action.

Read more: Business Cover Letter

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Looking for more specific business resume examples for your position or industry? See one of our dedicated guides here:

• Business Administration Resume
• Business Analyst Resume
• Entry Level Business Analyst Resume
• Business Development Resume
• Business Intelligence Resume
• Business Owner Resume
• Consultant Resume
• Entrepreneur Resume
• Relationship Manager Resume
• The Best Resume Examples for All Jobs

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