Business Development Executives: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of business development executives 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 business development executives to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of business development executives 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 business development executives.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Business Development Executives?
Do business development executives need a degree? What kind of experience do business development executives 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 business development executives to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Business Development Executives
Jobs Postings for Business Development Executives By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 278,961 (51%)
- No Education Listed: 143,190 (26%)
- Master's degree: 59,323 (11%)
- High School or GED: 57,172 (10%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 7,342 (1%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of business development executives. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 51% of positions. In 26% of job listings no education level was listed and in 11% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Business Development Executives
Jobs Postings for Business Development Executives By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 30,450 (10%)
- 2-3 Years: 100,433 (32%)
- 4-6 Years: 109,954 (35%)
- 7-9 Years: 38,684 (12%)
- 10+ Years: 36,782 (12%)
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 business development executives. In 35% of job postings for Business Development Executives, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 32% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 7-9 years of experience was sought in 12% of job postings for business development executives.
What Kind of Degree Do Business Development Executives Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for business development executives, 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 24 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective business development executives, and in 2021 a total of 1,108,580 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 business development executives.
Top Degree Programs for Business Development Executives
Top 5 Degree Programs for Business Development Executives (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 |
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General. | 49,754 |
| 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 |
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General. | 49,754 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 37,634 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 34,937 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,128 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 14,224 |
| Environmental Studies. | 9,893 |
| Environmental Science. | 9,231 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,051 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,791 |
| Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician. | 4,769 |
| Project Management. | 4,155 |
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General. | 3,435 |
| Natural Resources/Conservation, General. | 2,821 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,537 |
| Design and Applied Arts, Other. | 1,336 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 814 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 293 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other. | 242 |
| Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management. | 188 |
| Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management. | 97 |
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What Skills Do Business Development Executives Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by business development executives 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 business development executives, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Business Development Executives
Based on 464,314 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Business Development Executives
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 161,220 | 35% |
| Sales Management | 131,615 | 28% |
| Selling Techniques | 126,468 | 27% |
| Business Development | 116,060 | 25% |
| Sales Prospecting | 99,376 | 21% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Business Development Executives
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 352,137 | 76% |
| Communications | 226,965 | 49% |
| Management | 205,597 | 44% |
| Leadership | 175,254 | 38% |
| Customer Service | 154,901 | 33% |
Based on 464,314 job postings related to business development executives, marketing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 35% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for sales management, selling techniques, business development, sales prospecting and customer relationship management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, sales was the most desired skill found in job postings for business development executives, followed by communications, management, leadership, customer service and presentations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 161,220 | 35% |
| Sales Management | 131,615 | 28% |
| Selling Techniques | 126,468 | 27% |
| Business Development | 116,060 | 25% |
| Sales Prospecting | 99,376 | 21% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 81,374 | 18% |
| Project Management | 54,771 | 12% |
| Salesforce | 50,365 | 11% |
| Sales Strategy | 50,131 | 11% |
| Sales Process | 47,988 | 10% |
| Finance | 44,890 | 10% |
| Regional Sales | 42,814 | 9% |
| Account Management | 39,793 | 9% |
| Sales Territory Management | 38,101 | 8% |
| Business To Business | 35,183 | 8% |
| Market Share | 31,316 | 7% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | 30,961 | 7% |
| Merchandising | 29,389 | 6% |
| New Product Development | 28,809 | 6% |
| Outside Sales | 27,120 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 352,137 | 76% |
| Communications | 226,965 | 49% |
| Management | 205,597 | 44% |
| Leadership | 175,254 | 38% |
| Customer Service | 154,901 | 33% |
| Presentations | 111,544 | 24% |
| Operations | 103,939 | 22% |
| Planning | 92,093 | 20% |
| Writing | 80,225 | 17% |
| Problem Solving | 77,851 | 17% |
| Microsoft Excel | 72,830 | 16% |
| Microsoft Office | 72,276 | 16% |
| Self-Motivation | 71,292 | 15% |
| Negotiation | 68,804 | 15% |
| Coaching | 64,583 | 14% |
| Influencing Skills | 63,670 | 14% |
| Forecasting | 56,188 | 12% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 56,050 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 54,784 | 12% |
| Detail Oriented | 54,665 | 12% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about business development executives? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for business development executives.
What do business development executives do?
How much do business development executives make?
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