Transition to Tech Through Business Development

Use your USG skills to land roles that generate revenue

Federal work forces you to influence without formal control. That directly maps to closing commercial deals. Sales managers need people who can drive action with limited authority. You already do that.

Your Government Background Is Not a Limitation

Resumes built for internal promotion do not work in tech. Strip every duty description. Replace it with results. Avoid process language. Focus on external outcomes. If your work changed how others acted, that belongs at the top.

Cold applications burn time. Companies do not hire strangers. Internal referrals push your name to the top of the list. If you cannot find someone inside, don’t apply.

Security, compliance and internal risk roles feel safe. They are also crowded and slow to advance. Revenue roles remain in demand during hiring freezes and layoffs. That stability gives you options.

You know how to earn trust in uncertain environments. You identify decision makers quickly. You adjust your approach based on how people respond. That is sales.

Position Yourself with Precision

Do not spend time in peer groups where no one is getting hired. If people are not interviewing or placing, they cannot help you. At least, not now. Focus on contacts who are active inside companies that are hiring.

Accept recruiter calls when they come in. Know what the company sells. Learn who pays for it. Focus on where your skills align with what they need.

Ask how the company defines success. Push for clarity about what happens after the hire. If the position is not a match, refer someone who is. That raises your value to the recruiter and builds long-term trust with hiring teams.

Drive Outcomes That Lead to Offers

You do not need traditional sales credentials. You need evidence of influence. The moment you prove you can guide decisions, you become credible. No one closes deals without that.

Show how your background supports revenue. Use language that makes sense in a commercial setting. Skip clearance levels and interagency coordination. State one example of a win that depended on your involvement. If a decision maker trusted your input, explain why. Link your actions to something your agency or department measured.

Every conversation creates optionality. Recruiters and hiring managers respond to consistent engagement. Stay visible. Follow up with a purpose. Ask directly where you stand.

Offers come from momentum. Revenue roles get approved first, even in slow markets. If you can show value tied to customer expansion or retention, your background becomes a differentiator rather than a question mark.

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Does BD still seem like a bridge too far?

Then you need to join a group where members are getting offers from Anduril, Palantir and a16z-backed startups.

You can also get going solo with my video course on how to network your way into a lucrative AI career.