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What is a business developer and how to become one
A business developer identifies and pursues new business opportunities for a company. They establish and maintain relationships with potential clients, partners, and investors. A business developer researches trends, develops strategies, and negotiates contracts. They may also work with the sales team to meet revenue targets. Business developers also work on product development and launches. They possess communication, negotiation, and analytical skills. A successful business developer helps a company achieve sustainable growth and profitability.
What general advice would you give to a business developer?
Kim Chatani
Assistant Professor, Concordia University Irvine
Avg. Salary $101,635
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 10%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.43%
Asian 8.83%
Black or African American 6.36%
Hispanic or Latino 9.39%
Unknown 4.56%
White 70.43%
Genderfemale 34.18%
male 65.82%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a business developer?
Pros
High earning potential
Opportunity for career advancement
Opportunity to travel for work
Ability to work independently and in a team environment
Potential for job stability
Cons
Can be high pressure and stressful
Can require long hours and tight deadlines
May require extensive travel, which can be tiring and time-consuming
Can be highly competitive, especially in certain industries
Requires a strong understanding of business operations and industry trends
Business developer career paths
Key steps to become a business developer
Explore business developer education requirements
Start to develop specific business developer skills
Skills Percentages Healthcare 9.53% CRM 8.38% Customer Service 7.09% Work Ethic 3.78% Linkedin 3.14% Research business developer duties and responsibilities
- Manage all marketing and sales duties in Asia and Caribbean markets.
- Manage pipeline within SalesForce and maintain accurate prospect/client information.
- Manage logistics, control engineering and design, order placement, vendor relationships, customer utilization and technology.
- Provide enterprise-wide e-business leadership for platform and product development, e-commerce & CRM solutions, and end-to-end customer acquisition strategies.
Prepare your business developer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your business developer resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a business developer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable business developer resume templates
Build a professional business developer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your business developer resume.
Apply for business developer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a business developer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first business developer job
Are you a business developer?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average business developer salary
The average business developer salary in the United States is $101,635 per year or $49 per hour. Business developer salaries range between $66,000 and $156,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do business developers rate their job?
Business developer reviews
Cultivating relationships with customers and accessing customers needs , I like solving their problems with the product or service that I am pre selling to them before passing the lead to a sales executive.
I am passionate about my role as a BDR and there is nothing that I don't like. I don't like to be put in a box so to speak I enjoy reaching high and don't like to limited.
Innovating a business model is key for a profitable business and growth. Without a proper and sustainable business model, even the best product or technology innovations will not flourish. Learn the skills and knowledge needed to start improving your business as you learn through real-life examples from fellow entrepreneurs, innovators and leading experts on business model innovation. Benefit business owners, entrepreneurs, business consultants or business developers who seek better understanding of business models and the tools to develop them.
There's nothing much not to like about this role.
Learn about many businesses and help to improve business profitability with mergers and partnerships.
Updated January 8, 2025
