Optimizing your application to become a Business Developer

Why optimize your Business Developer application?

Studies also show that the average number of applications sent before getting a job, whether to be Business Developer or not, may exceed 100... And this is normal, given the relative quality of the applications sent.

In any case, you will have to send your resume and cover letter numerous times before getting a job. Spending time optimizing them is legitimate. Justified. Indispensable Every word, every sentence should be underweighed. Moreover, to use a startup anglicism, this work is scalable : unlike the time allotted to prepare for an interview, which is only used for one job, the time spent on your resume will benefit all your future applications.

We talk about it a lot about the Akimbo Bootcamp to become a Business Developer!

Two main rules to optimize your Business Developer resume:

1. Clarity will you prefer

It is a safe bet that if the recruiter has not identified the sender and the main parts of the resume in less than 2 seconds, it's over for you. An original design is a risky bet... If your design skills are limited, aim for simplicity instead, you will have other opportunities to stand out from the crowd. Also limit yourself to one page!

➡️️ Design : don't take chances with bright colors. Go for white and a main color. Multiplying colors also means multiplying the risks of lack of taste... Also choose colors that blend well by using a color circle. You can take inspiration from the Dribble design platform to identify the best sources of inspiration. Create a free account and type “resume” in the search bar.

➡️️ Alignment : checks that all elements are aligned horizontally and vertically, especially dates and icons. Don't line them up By hand but by selecting the objects and using the function Align of the software you use (powerpoint, word, keynote, indesign...). Take a step back from the document. Is everything really aligned? To be sure, follow the last tip explained at the bottom of this article.

➡️️ Typos : Ban spaces before brackets, spaces before commas or periods: you will find some essential typography rules hither.

➡️️ Go slowly with the progress bars (gauges) in front of your skills (Microsoft Office, InDesign, Google Analytics...). Prefer adjectives: moderate, experienced, knowledgeable, expert.

2. Persuasion you will aim for

🔤 Spelling : ah the spelling... Nobody likes it, too many bad memories of dictation... But for a recruiter, it's a selection criterion like any other. So how do we do it? Unless you know how to spell hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia 👀, use function Correction of Word and Have it reread your documents by at least two people (friends, family). If your documents are Typo-free, you are already among the top 20%! If you leave Typos on your resume, the recruiter will think (rightly) that you will also leave information on the commercial proposals that you will write as a Business Developer

📈 Figures : Add numbers to each line of your resume, it's crucial. In this way, you show that you work analytically on a daily basis, and the numbers have a Power of persuasion extraordinary! Make an effort to remember if necessary, or find these numbers by doing a calculation on the corner of the table. And update your Linkedin with these numbers. Moreover, don't forget to optimize your Linkedin profile thanks to this excellent item.

🎯 Synthesis : describing your professional experiences is a perilous exercise. Be at the same time synthetic (ex: 5—6 Bullet Points of one line for your last experience, from 3 to 5 for the others), accurate, and sufficient snappy. Insist on scores that you got instead of the tasks, for example by adding numbers again. Don't be afraid to omit some professional experiences, keep the most relevant ones and develop them. But don't underestimate your odd jobs! Also, try to show progress in terms of responsibilities on your resume: use more space to describe your most recent experiences. Finally, your last experience is crucial, it will undoubtedly occupy 80% of the recruiter's attention compared to others.

💌 Personalization : personalize your cover letter AND your resume, to show that you are passionate about the startup you are aiming for and that you have spent time studying it. If you don't do it, others will do it for you. Incorporate the required qualities into the ad because the idea is to prove that you have these qualities to succeed in this position. Mention the startup and its characteristics at least four or five times in your cover letter.

💡 Creativity : be creative if the job requires it: it is a quality that is lost, and creating a video resume could bring you 93 job offers. You can also add a presentation video to your applications using Loom. It's time to put your other skills to good use. Do you like to write? Create a blog on a particular theme, you can contact companies by sharing an article rather than by applying directly. Do you know PowerPoint? Here is the Deck who helped me find a job as a startup investor in Berlin.

Finally, Apply as soon as the ads are published. The probability of getting a job whose offer is online decreases very sharply with the passing days.

Other tips fromAkimbo to optimize your application:

💡 Add Trello and Slack on your resume, learn how to use it in less than an hour and join Channels audiences (like FrenchStartups.io or Kitchen Recruiter) to get familiar with the #1 startup messaging system.

💡 Recontact your former supervisors/colleagues to ask for letters of recommendation. Add them directly after your resume in the pdf (to make sure they are read!).

💡 Highlight your successes : sport, event organization, languages learned, travel, etc., but adapt them to your target 😉.

💡 For the game Skills, consider adding a short introduction at the top of the resume using the keywords of the offer, rather than a very traditional side banner.

💡 Photo: choose one white wall At home, approach several lamps to guarantee good lighting and above all, smile!

‍

‍

💡 The details : be a perfectionist. For example, slightly increase the font size of the first letters of your titles, or save your document in .pdf with a very clear name (first name, last name, position).

💡 Increase margins to save space

💡 Again: zero tolerance for typos ⚠️. Here is the first CV I received for a job in my previous startup, a candidate who was also me recommended.

‍

‍

💡 One last simple and radically effective tip to identify these errors: Print your application ! There is a big difference between rereading a screen and a piece of paper. Repeat until you have your CV printed without errors in your hands.

Once selected, you will have to pass the job interviews.

Akimbo is the leader in the training and support of commercial profiles in Tech.

Our Bootcamp and our training courses for businesses allow you to increase your skills in SDR, BDR, Account Executive, Account Manager or sales roles.