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: 187,832 (49%)
- No Education Listed: 106,515 (28%)
- High School or GED: 46,359 (12%)
- Master's degree: 40,730 (11%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 5,133 (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 49% of positions. In 28% of job listings no education level was listed and in 12% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Business Development Executives
Jobs Postings for Business Development Executives By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 20,766 (10%)
- 2-3 Years: 68,143 (33%)
- 4-6 Years: 70,581 (34%)
- 7-9 Years: 21,244 (10%)
- 10+ Years: 28,671 (14%)
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 34% of job postings for Business Development Executives, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 33% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 10+ years of experience was sought in 14% 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 25 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective business development executives, and in 2023 a total of 1,067,529 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 (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General. | 49,638 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 335,156 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies. | 333,999 |
| General Studies. | 123,192 |
| Business/Commerce, General. | 57,116 |
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General. | 49,638 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other. | 34,318 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | 29,564 |
| Economics, General. | 21,664 |
| Organizational Leadership. | 15,298 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other. | 13,002 |
| Environmental Studies. | 10,429 |
| Environmental Science. | 9,888 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. | 9,274 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other. | 4,872 |
| Business/Managerial Economics. | 4,864 |
| Project Management. | 4,299 |
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General. | 3,378 |
| Natural Resources/Conservation, General. | 3,026 |
| Design and Applied Arts, Other. | 1,689 |
| Accounting and Business/Management. | 1,214 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 795 |
| E-Commerce/Electronic Commerce. | 415 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other. | 247 |
| Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management. | 131 |
| Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management. | 61 |
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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 329,485 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Business Development Executives
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 129,466 | 39% |
| Selling Techniques | 106,573 | 32% |
| Sales Management | 105,717 | 32% |
| Business Development | 89,127 | 27% |
| Sales Prospecting | 77,607 | 24% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Business Development Executives
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 270,780 | 82% |
| Communication | 156,088 | 47% |
| Management | 142,499 | 43% |
| Leadership | 119,979 | 36% |
| Customer Service | 117,487 | 36% |
Based on 329,485 job postings related to business development executives, marketing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 39% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for selling techniques, sales management, 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 communication, management, leadership, customer service and presentations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 129,466 | 39% |
| Selling Techniques | 106,573 | 32% |
| Sales Management | 105,717 | 32% |
| Business Development | 89,127 | 27% |
| Sales Prospecting | 77,607 | 24% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 66,019 | 20% |
| Sales Strategy | 42,908 | 13% |
| Sales Process | 38,764 | 12% |
| Regional Sales | 36,607 | 11% |
| Salesforce | 35,457 | 11% |
| Business To Business | 33,721 | 10% |
| Sales Territory Management | 31,369 | 10% |
| Project Management | 30,058 | 9% |
| Finance | 28,291 | 9% |
| Market Share | 26,757 | 8% |
| Merchandising | 25,207 | 8% |
| Account Management | 24,989 | 8% |
| Outside Sales | 22,622 | 7% |
| Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | 21,264 | 6% |
| Business Planning | 20,239 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 270,780 | 82% |
| Communication | 156,088 | 47% |
| Management | 142,499 | 43% |
| Leadership | 119,979 | 36% |
| Customer Service | 117,487 | 36% |
| Presentations | 81,153 | 25% |
| Operations | 67,451 | 20% |
| Planning | 65,798 | 20% |
| Problem Solving | 51,448 | 16% |
| Microsoft Office | 49,283 | 15% |
| Writing | 49,276 | 15% |
| Negotiation | 49,250 | 15% |
| Self-Motivation | 46,436 | 14% |
| Microsoft Excel | 44,366 | 13% |
| Forecasting | 41,439 | 13% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 41,126 | 12% |
| Coaching | 40,451 | 12% |
| Influencing Skills | 38,173 | 12% |
| Research | 37,898 | 12% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 36,188 | 11% |
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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