What Do Development Specialists Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for development specialists?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what development specialists do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Development Specialists Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about development specialists by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Development Specialists design or conduct work-related training and development programs to improve individual skills or organizational performance. May analyze organizational training needs or evaluate training effectiveness.
Popular Job Titles For Development Specialists
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Training Specialists
- Training Coordinators
- Trainers
- Technical Trainers
- Learning and Development Specialists
- Training and Development Specialists
- Corporate Trainers
- Learning Specialists
- Training Instructors
- Sales Trainers
- Training Supervisors
- Talent Development Specialists
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for development specialists can be found.
Best Industries for Development Specialists
Development Specialists Jobs By Industry
- Restaurants and Other Eating Places: 5.9%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 5.5%
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 4.2%
- Business Schools and Computer and Management Training: 3.5%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 3.3%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 3.3%
- Other: 74.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of development specialists can be found working in the Restaurants and Other Eating Places sector. In 2022, about 5.9% of all jobs for development specialists were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Management of Companies and Enterprises (5.5%), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (4.2%), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (3.5%), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (3.3%) and Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (3.3%).
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What Do Development Specialists Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what development specialists do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work development specialists do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that development specialists tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for development specialists, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Development Specialists
Based on 101,700 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Development Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Management Systems | 15,796 | 16% |
| Project Management | 14,765 | 15% |
| Adult Education | 12,171 | 12% |
| Instructional Design | 11,862 | 12% |
| Curriculum Development | 11,861 | 12% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Development Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 50,056 | 49% |
| Management | 33,841 | 33% |
| Leadership | 25,781 | 25% |
| Operations | 23,873 | 23% |
| Customer Service | 22,796 | 22% |
Based on 101,700 job postings related to development specialists, learning management systems was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 16% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for project management, adult education, instructional design, curriculum development and technical training were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for development specialists, followed by management, leadership, operations, customer service and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Management Systems | 15,796 | 16% |
| Project Management | 14,765 | 15% |
| Adult Education | 12,171 | 12% |
| Instructional Design | 11,862 | 12% |
| Curriculum Development | 11,861 | 12% |
| Technical Training | 9,306 | 9% |
| Auditing | 7,955 | 8% |
| Marketing | 7,735 | 8% |
| Workflow Management | 5,522 | 5% |
| Training Records Management | 4,867 | 5% |
| Process Improvement | 4,724 | 5% |
| Data Analysis | 4,604 | 5% |
| Adult Learning Principles | 4,078 | 4% |
| Organizational Development | 3,910 | 4% |
| Virtual Training | 3,838 | 4% |
| Microsoft SharePoint | 3,623 | 4% |
| Train The Trainer | 3,564 | 4% |
| Sales Training | 3,473 | 3% |
| Change Management | 3,429 | 3% |
| Employee Onboarding | 3,377 | 3% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 50,056 | 49% |
| Management | 33,841 | 33% |
| Leadership | 25,781 | 25% |
| Operations | 23,873 | 23% |
| Customer Service | 22,796 | 22% |
| Writing | 22,271 | 22% |
| Microsoft Office | 21,941 | 22% |
| Presentations | 21,911 | 22% |
| Training And Development | 21,371 | 21% |
| Microsoft Excel | 20,431 | 20% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 20,212 | 20% |
| Planning | 16,874 | 17% |
| Detail Oriented | 15,291 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 14,965 | 15% |
| Research | 14,920 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 14,360 | 14% |
| Sales | 14,046 | 14% |
| Coaching | 13,365 | 13% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 13,290 | 13% |
| Teaching | 12,830 | 13% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Development Specialists
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Training Specialists | 17,913 | 19.1% |
| Training Coordinators | 16,240 | 17.3% |
| Trainers | 8,265 | 8.8% |
| Technical Trainers | 5,554 | 5.9% |
| Learning and Development Specialists | 8,089 | 8.6% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was training specialists, with 7,064 unique job postings. Training coordinators were second, with 3,391 postings, followed by trainers, technical trainers and learning and development specialists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to development specialists.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Training Specialists | 17,913 | 19.1% |
| Training Coordinators | 16,240 | 17.3% |
| Trainers | 8,265 | 8.8% |
| Technical Trainers | 5,554 | 5.9% |
| Learning and Development Specialists | 8,089 | 8.6% |
| Training and Development Specialists | 5,381 | 5.7% |
| Corporate Trainers | 4,248 | 4.5% |
| Learning Specialists | 2,638 | 2.8% |
| Training Instructors | 3,086 | 3.3% |
| Sales Trainers | 2,370 | 2.5% |
| Training Supervisors | 2,766 | 3% |
| Talent Development Specialists | 2,346 | 2.5% |
| Development Specialists | 2,613 | 2.8% |
| Staff Development Coordinators | 2,657 | 2.8% |
| Professional Development Trainers | 1,177 | 1.3% |
| Learning and Development Leads | 1,239 | 1.3% |
| Workforce Development Specialists | 2,267 | 2.4% |
| Technical Training Specialists | 1,514 | 1.6% |
| Capability Developers | 1,029 | 1.1% |
| Engagement Trainers | 2,248 | 2.4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for development specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for development specialists.
How much do development specialists make?
Development Specialists: How do you become one?
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