Proposal Specialists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of proposal specialists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for proposal specialists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of proposal specialists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for proposal specialists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Proposal Specialists?
Do proposal specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do proposal specialists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for proposal specialists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Proposal Specialists
Jobs Postings for Proposal Specialists By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 41,727 (42%)
- No Education Listed: 28,072 (28%)
- High School or GED: 18,321 (18%)
- Master's degree: 10,215 (10%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,481 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of proposal specialists. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 42% of positions. In 28% of job listings no education level was listed and in 18% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Proposal Specialists
Jobs Postings for Proposal Specialists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 10,075 (19%)
- 2-3 Years: 16,852 (32%)
- 4-6 Years: 16,186 (31%)
- 7-9 Years: 5,068 (10%)
- 10+ Years: 4,409 (8%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for proposal specialists. In 32% of job postings for Proposal Specialists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 31% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 19% of job postings for proposal specialists.
What Kind of Degree Do Proposal Specialists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for proposal specialists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 34 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective proposal specialists, and in 2021 a total of 1,121,243 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective proposal specialists.
Top Degree Programs for Proposal Specialists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Proposal Specialists (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 46,381 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 366,667 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 351,860 |
| General Studies. | 129,753 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 55,970 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 46,381 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 37,634 |
| Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration. | 32,143 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician. | 19,361 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 14,224 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,051 |
| International Business/Trade/Commerce. | 9,049 |
| Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies. | 8,340 |
| Operations Management and Supervision. | 7,115 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,791 |
| Fashion Merchandising. | 3,644 |
| Homeland Security. | 3,012 |
| Sustainability Studies. | 3,005 |
| Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management. | 2,897 |
| Small Business Administration/Management. | 2,345 |
| Intelligence, General. | 2,261 |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other. | 1,640 |
| Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism. | 1,569 |
| Taxation. | 1,546 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,537 |
| Retail Management. | 1,008 |
| Energy Systems Technology/Technician. | 906 |
| Securities Services Administration/Management. | 849 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 814 |
| Security and Loss Prevention Services. | 475 |
| Science/Technology Management. | 430 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations, Other. | 387 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 293 |
| Solar Energy Technology/Technician. | 173 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other. | 113 |
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What Skills Do Proposal Specialists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by proposal specialists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for proposal specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Proposal Specialists
Based on 87,149 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Proposal Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 19,055 | 22% |
| Marketing | 13,150 | 15% |
| Auditing | 12,031 | 14% |
| Merchandising | 9,524 | 11% |
| E-Commerce | 8,791 | 10% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Proposal Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 41,791 | 48% |
| Management | 36,781 | 42% |
| Customer Service | 24,003 | 28% |
| Leadership | 21,997 | 25% |
| Sales | 21,133 | 24% |
Based on 87,149 job postings related to proposal specialists, project management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 22% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for marketing, auditing, merchandising, e-commerce and change management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for proposal specialists, followed by management, customer service, leadership, sales and operations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Management | 19,055 | 22% |
| Marketing | 13,150 | 15% |
| Auditing | 12,031 | 14% |
| Merchandising | 9,524 | 11% |
| E-Commerce | 8,791 | 10% |
| Change Management | 7,369 | 8% |
| Finance | 6,419 | 7% |
| Process Improvement | 5,516 | 6% |
| Physical Security | 5,483 | 6% |
| Data Analysis | 5,358 | 6% |
| Warehousing | 5,199 | 6% |
| Crisis Management | 5,193 | 6% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | 5,023 | 6% |
| Accounting | 4,324 | 5% |
| Agile Methodology | 4,085 | 5% |
| Business Process | 3,988 | 5% |
| Risk Management | 3,919 | 4% |
| Analytics | 3,896 | 4% |
| Workflow Management | 3,865 | 4% |
| Risk Analysis | 3,782 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 41,791 | 48% |
| Management | 36,781 | 42% |
| Customer Service | 24,003 | 28% |
| Leadership | 21,997 | 25% |
| Sales | 21,133 | 24% |
| Operations | 19,839 | 23% |
| Writing | 17,154 | 20% |
| Planning | 17,106 | 20% |
| Detail Oriented | 15,880 | 18% |
| Problem Solving | 15,238 | 17% |
| Microsoft Excel | 15,013 | 17% |
| Microsoft Office | 12,760 | 15% |
| Research | 12,288 | 14% |
| Coordinating | 10,858 | 12% |
| Presentations | 10,450 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 9,984 | 11% |
| Self-Motivation | 9,291 | 11% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 9,169 | 11% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 9,006 | 10% |
| Organizational Skills | 8,537 | 10% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about proposal specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for proposal specialists.
What do proposal specialists do?
How much do proposal specialists make?
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