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Job outlook for business development consultants in the United States
Business development consultant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected business development consultant job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 189,200 new jobs for business development consultants are projected over the next decade.
Business development consultant salaries have increased 9% for business development consultants in the last 5 years.
There are over 148,834 business development consultants currently employed in the United States.
There are 168,111 active business development consultant job openings in the US.
The average business development consultant salary is $85,153.
Are business development consultant jobs in demand?
Business development consultant job and salary trends over time
Business development consultant jobs over time
Business development consultant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 148,834 | 0.04% |
| 2020 | 50,482 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 49,728 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 146,996 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 138,526 | 0.04% |
Average business development consultant salary over time
Business development consultant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $85,153 | $40.94 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $81,912 | $39.38 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $79,993 | $38.46 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $79,403 | $38.17 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $78,303 | $37.65 | +1.3% |
Business development consultant jobs by state
Most common states for business development consultants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 877 | 126% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 658 | 49% |
| 3 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 392 | 45% |
| 4 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 556 | 42% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 2,205 | 40% |
| 6 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 417 | 40% |
| 7 | Alaska | 739,795 | 274 | 37% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 1,108 | 36% |
| 9 | Vermont | 623,657 | 224 | 36% |
| 10 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 735 | 35% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 656 | 34% |
| 12 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 954 | 33% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 244 | 32% |
| 14 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 2,095 | 31% |
| 15 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 981 | 31% |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,721 | 30% |
| 17 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 900 | 30% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 322 | 30% |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,670 | 29% |
| 20 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,978 | 29% |
Most common cities for business development consultants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlington | 4 | 16% | $100,227 |
| 2 | Springfield | 3 | 3% | $93,221 |
| 3 | Palo Alto | 2 | 3% | $103,161 |
| 4 | Rancho Cordova | 2 | 3% | $102,911 |
| 5 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $89,098 |
| 6 | Costa Mesa | 2 | 2% | $85,702 |
| 7 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $103,305 |
| 8 | Sacramento | 3 | 1% | $103,146 |
| 9 | Fort Wayne | 2 | 1% | $81,261 |
| 10 | Tallahassee | 2 | 1% | $61,276 |
| 11 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $100,631 |
| 12 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $98,678 |
| 13 | Indianapolis | 2 | 0% | $78,659 |
| 14 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $88,183 |
| 15 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $70,069 |
| 16 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $78,526 |
Business Development Consultant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of business development consultant experts
University of West Florida
Lewis-Clark State College
Penn State University - Harrisburg
Portland State University
Washington College
University of San Francisco
Xavier University
Purdue University Northwest
University of Saint Mary
University of North Florida
Coastal Carolina University
UMass Lowell
University of Nevada, Reno
Lasell University
The Pennsylvania State University
Arizona State University
Bucknell University
Creighton University
Lake Michigan College
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
What will help Business Development Consultants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Haris Alibašić Ph.D., MPA: "In the next 3-5 years, specific skills are poised to become increasingly important in business: Data Literacy, Digital Proficiency, Emotional Intelligence, Sustainability, Resilience, and Social Responsibility. However, the most necessary lasting skill that benefited my career is Effective Communication. Being able to communicate effectively is an indispensable skill."
What skills stand out on Business Development Consultant resumes?
Jenny Scott: -Relevant industry experience (for SR Business Consultant: 10 years)
-Project management
-Strategic Planning
-Team and Executive Leadership
Faiza Abbas
Lecturer of ManagementPenn State University - Harrisburg
School of Business Administration
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Faiza Abbas: Business Management or Business Administration degree and some experience
-Know the business and its products and services. As a business associate, you need to be an expert in your company's offerings to sell them to prospective clients. Work with your organization to expand your knowledge, skills, and abilities, so you can provide answers to your clients.
-Computer skills and Microsoft Office
-Analytical skills like Data Mining and Data Presentation, Diagnostics, Creativity
-Presentation skills like Graphic Design and Data Visualization
-Marketing skills
-Certifications relevant to your field
-Fluency in digital communications
-Critical thinking skills
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
Faiza Abbas: In the current coronavirus scenario or post-Covid time, there are some skills that organizations are willing to pay for; many organizations have a pay-for-knowledge compensation system that bases salaries and wages on the repertoire of skills that an employee possesses and not on job classifications. Having these skills will enable you to earn more than others at the same job level.
-An understanding of how organizations operate
-Strong communication skills (oral and written)
-Analytical and critical thinking
-Problem solving
-Decision making
-Logical thinking
-Presentation and report writing skills
Becky Sanchez
Executive Director of Career & Academic ServicesPortland State University
The School of Business
What skills stand out on Business Development Consultant resumes?
Becky Sanchez: Skills that are directly tied to the particular job the company is hiring for. Having a certain set of skills matters less than having the exact skills the employer needs. See below for common critical skills in business.
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Becky Sanchez: -Conflict resolution
-Interpersonal relationship building
-Team player mentality
-Willingness to jump in and get the work done and focus on living into the company mission
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Becky Sanchez: -Microsoft Excel & Tableau - data visualization skills
-Data analysis skills
-Presentation skills
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
Becky Sanchez: -The ability to concisely and effectively communicate your point
-Negotiation skills
-Understanding of data analysis and how to leverage data to do your job more effectively
-Leadership skills and an interest in managing others
Dr. Michael Harvey
Provost and Dean, John Toll Professor of Business ManagemenWashington College
Business Department
What skills stand out on Business Development Consultant resumes?
Dr. Michael Harvey: Above all, good Business Developers must have excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills. Their work centers on meeting prospective customers and building relationships with them. Their communication skills, in particular, must include good listening skills so that they can truly understand customer needs.
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Dr. Michael Harvey: Across the business, the soft skills most in demand are the "3 C's": collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Employers are especially interested in evidence of projects, experiential learning, and internships, not simply majors and minors.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Dr. Michael Harvey: Quantitative skills and computer coding skills, plus any expertise in a specific technical area, like logistics or GIS.
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
Dr. Michael Harvey: Quantitative skills and computer coding skills are in the highest demand and shortest supply-and people who can combine them with strong, soft skills end up going the furthest.
Marthinus JC van Loggerenberg
Assistant Professor of AdvertisingUniversity of San Francisco
USF Advertising Program
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Marthinus JC van Loggerenberg: -Excellence in communication
-Empathy and collaboration
-Holistic (or systemic) as well as analytical thinking
-Organizational skills that include prioritization and time management
-Confidence, charisma, showing ambition, and leadership
3. What hard/technical skills are most important?
Mike Halloran
Teaching Professor, Management and Entrepreneurship, Taskforce Member, Center for InnovationXavier University
Management Department
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Mike Halloran: -Leadership
-Working well with others
-Oral and written communication
- Thinking analytically, creatively, and strategically
-Leadership
-Time management
- Motivation and drive
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Mike Halloran: Excel
-Digital communication
-Budget management
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
Mike Halloran: -Database analytics
-Digital marketing
-Finance
-Technological innovation
Pat Obi Ph.D.
White Lodging Professor of Finance, Director, Executive MBA ProgramPurdue University Northwest
Finance Department
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Pat Obi Ph.D.: Communication, negotiation, writing, and professional conduct, especially on virtual platforms.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Pat Obi Ph.D.: Data analysis and presentation skills - spreadsheet, statistical software, presentation software.
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
Pat Obi Ph.D.: Data analytics, accounting, risk management, and business analytical skills, especially as they relate to financial data.
Dr. Mark Harvey Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs, Coordinator of All-University Honors ProgramUniversity of Saint Mary
Division of Business and Information Technologies (DBiT)
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Dr. Mark Harvey Ph.D.: First, critical and creative thinking. Employers value problem solvers. A Business Development Managers' problem usually is finding growth opportunities. Candidates need to learn to take the initiative to figure out how to solve problems like those.
Second, writing. The best employees know how to communicate in writing. More and more communication occurs through email and other forms of social media and apps, and as such, this skill is absolutely critical. You don't need to be a creative writing genius, but you do need to know how to write in a professional tone, present your ideas in an organized way, get to the point, and avoid errors. There is a direct line between a student's ability to write an academic essay with a clear thesis and an employee's ability to write a good email or proposal. If you can't do those things, then you risk embarrassment and possibly limited options for promotion.
Third, speaking. The American business world discriminates against introverts-sometimes at their own peril. Everyone needs to know how to give a quality speech, but more importantly, you need to sound confident and assertive in a board room during meetings. You need to be confident in front of clients. Fake it if you have to. The way you present yourself is absolutely critical.
Fourth, social skills. You need to be friendly. Get to know co-workers and clients. Find out what they like and show an interest. Find common ground. Your undergraduate degree hopefully exposed you to a wide diversity of topics you may have thought were irrelevant at some point. Now is the time to remember that stuff and use it to connect with people. Nearly everything you learned will have some application someday. It will help you connect with others. In addition, put away your cell phone when you are at work or on social occasions. To some people, a preoccupation with a cell phone communicates a lack of interest in the person you are with. It can alienate bosses, co-workers, and clients.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Dr. Mark Harvey Ph.D.: Familiarity with software-basic windows packages, particularly MS Word and Excel. Candidates should not be afraid of quantitative data analysis. Analytics are necessary to figuring out what your business is doing and how it can grow. Also, familiarity with whatever social media platforms are used in that industry can be very important.
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
Dr. Mark Harvey Ph.D.: One consideration is, does the position pay commission? If so, the soft skills listed above are extremely important because the more you apply those skills, the more likely you are to grow your business.
When a manager is not on commission, there's little correlation between skills and pay while doing the job. The employer will hire you at a given salary level, and it is your job to negotiate to the best position. Once they have chosen you-that's the moment when you have the most leverage. You will never get a raise that is as substantial as what you might be able to ask for upon hire. After that, most raises are not going to be tied mechanically to performance and skills. Your next chance at a raise will be when you move or are promoted to a new position. Thus, those soft skills can affect your ability to negotiate.
I will repeat a previous theme: education and experience are probably more important than skills in terms of making more money. An employer can't really tell what your skills are from your resume. Just because you say you have a skill doesn't mean that you really do. They can reasonably guess that somebody with a degree is responsible enough to have accomplished something big. Somebody who makes it through a graduate program is probably very good at what they know. And somebody who has been in the industry and/or in a similar job is more likely to be able to walk in with little orientation and know what they are doing. Employers take risks on employees and hope that they can deliver. Thus, with more education and more experience, you are able to apply for higher-level jobs, which usually come with higher salaries.
What skills stand out on Business Development Consultant resumes?
Dr. Mark Harvey Ph.D.: Resumes are hard. It is very difficult to predict what any employer is looking for on any resume. The "skills" section of a resume is probably not the first thing most employers are looking at. The first consideration is probably education. Those with a bachelor's degree will be sorted first in fields-such as those who have business degrees, or particularly sales and marketing majors. Those with MBAs will be placed on the top. Those who have MBAs and marketing concentrations will likely be valued the most. The second consideration would probably be experience. Someone with several years of experience in business development or sales and marketing will be moved to the top. Someone with a bachelor's degree who has a lot of experience might beat out a fresh MBA. However, MBA plus experience beats almost everything. Someone with an MBA going for an entry-level position with little experience needed will likely beat out all bachelor challengers. For new graduates, getting some kind of internship in sales and marketing can differentiate them from those who do not.
Most hiring managers will probably assume that somebody who has sales and marketing education and/or experience probably has the skills necessary to do the job. An interviewer may probe on specific skills. I'll comment more specifically on other kinds of skills below, but it's also fair to say that a candidate's soft skills should shine in the interview. Simply saying that you have certain skills on a resume doesn't mean that you actually have them.
I think that the best thing a candidate can do is to research the company they hope to work for and tailor their resume to that employer. What does the business do? What kinds of things do you think that development manager is going to do in that particular industry? How do your skills as a candidate match what you guess they're looking for? The more you customize your resume, the better chances you have of resonating with the company. Employers are impressed when you already know something about the job and the industry.
Russell Triplett Ph.D.
Interim Chair and Associate ProfessorUniversity of North Florida
Department of Economics and Geography
What skills stand out on Business Development Consultant resumes?
Russell Triplett Ph.D.: We must acknowledge that the pandemic remains a fluid situation with many implications that are not yet easily observed. That said, I see three key trends that are characteristic of our most successful students. First, the shift to remote working situations challenges employers to develop new ways to build teams and foster teamwork. Graduates that are well-prepared to collaborate and contribute in non-traditional ways are in high demand. Second, the pandemic accelerated the growth in platform-based delivery and retail services, generating a need for strong skills in data and business analytics. Third, it has always been true that graduates who are versatile and can think critically about the status quo are especially valuable; the shock of the pandemic created a more fertile ground for creative problem solvers and innovators.
Sourav Batabyal Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Finance and EconomicsCoastal Carolina University
Finance and Economics Department
What skills stand out on Business Development Consultant resumes?
Sourav Batabyal Ph.D.: Problem-solving, Creative thinking, Data Analytics, Competitive Strategies, Communication, Leadership and Team Building, Decision making.
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Sourav Batabyal Ph.D.: Creative thinking, Leadership, Adaptability, Communication, Empathy, Conflict Resolution, Work Ethic.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Sourav Batabyal Ph.D.: Computer skills: Word Processing (MS Word), Spreadsheets (MS Excel), Visual Communication (MS PowerPoint, Prezi, etc.), Database Management (MS Access, SQL, Oracle, etc.), Graphics, Social Media.
Technical skills: Statistical Software(s) (R, SAS, MATLAB, etc.), GIS software(s) (ArcGIS, Tableau, etc.), Python Programming, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Cloud Computing, Coding Language(s) (HTML, C++, Javascript, etc.).
Management skills: Project Management, Business Analysis, Accounting, Economics and Finance, Management and Decision Sciences, Operations Research, Marketing and Sales, Supply Chain, Human Resources, Office Management, Planning, Logistics, Agile software, Scrum management.
Marketing skills: Affiliate Marketing, Marketing Research, and Analytics, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing.
Analytical skills: Data Science, Data Mining, Database Management, Statistics and Econometrics, Analytics and Reasoning, Research, Testing, and Diagnostics.
Writing skills: Research and Report Writing, Editing, Content Management Systems, Social media updates.
Design skills: Adobe Creative Suite (Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.), User Experience (UX) Design, Digital Product Design, Video Production.
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
Sourav Batabyal Ph.D.: Discipline related expertise, Industry-specific certification, Data Science and Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Cloud Computing, Project Management, Mobile Application Development, Software Programming, and Testing, Leadership and People Management, Digital (Social Media) Marketing, User Experience (UX) Design, Content Creation and Open Learning Resources.
What's a common interview question, and would you prepare to answer it?
One of the most common interview questions is "Why are you interested in this position?"
By asking this question, your employer tries to understand that you have a true connection to the company and a passion for the job you have applied for. You should start your answer by explaining why you are the best-fit candidate in terms of professional skills. Research about the organization's culture before your interview and articulate how you embrace that mission personally and add values towards that mission. Show your enthusiasm and confidence while answering the interview questions.
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Program Coordinator, Masters of Science in EntrepreneurshipUMass Lowell
Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship & Innovation
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: In addition to the above, in today's environment, it is important that people are adept at improvising. For long-term career success in any field, sound leadership skills are critical. It is important to be able to formulate, communicate and execute a compelling vision for where you want to take your organization.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Michael Ciuchta Ph.D.: Many people would consider communication a "soft" skill, but there is a technical aspect of it that is overlooked. Programming and data analytics are probably the most marketable skills right now.
Jim McClenahan
Director of Career and Corporate OutreachUniversity of Nevada, Reno
College of Business
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Business Development Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Jim McClenahan: Rethinking work locations. Companies may recruit in areas that have lots of talent, cheaper cost of living and better quality of life. As an example, Incline Village is a small community on Lake Tahoe about 40 minutes from our campus. Every store is packed and the traffic is worse than any holiday weekend. Silicon Valley companies (about 4 hours away) have seen lots of people "temporarily relocate" to Lake Tahoe from the Bay Area. Now that some companies have permanently moved to at least a portion of their workforce as "work anywhere," communities like Reno, Boise, Missoula-ones with lower cost of living and better quality of life compared to the Bay Area may experience a mini-boom. It's already happening more in Reno.
The best candidates will be "swiss army knives." They have lots of different skillsets and with the flexibility everyone has demonstrated during the pandemic knowing how to do a lot of different things allows organizations to run a little leaner. Someone told me I was the ultimate "utility infielder" last week which I took as a high compliment! I think mastering lots of different skills is a key to employability for the candidate and success for the organization.
Finally, I expect small business hiring to be a mixed bag. Some are doing very well and expanding. Many others are struggling to survive and waiting to see how quickly lockdowns end and business returns before they start hiring.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Business Development Consultants to find work opportunities?
Jim McClenahan: The trend of great opportunities consolidating in major metropolitan areas seems to be reversing. With working remotely appearing to be a permanent feature/benefit, find a place to live that offers a lower cost and great quality of life for you and your family! Build a variety of skills and achievements in different areas and find the right culture that matches your skills.
Dr. Brian Wardyga
Professor of Communication; General Manager, 109.2FM WLAS & LCTVLasell University
School of Communication and The Arts
What skills stand out on Business Development Consultant resumes?
Dr. Brian Wardyga: Today's business consultant should be able to showcase skills in project management, business strategy & outlook, and supply chain management & optimization. Evidence of collaboration & teamwork is also a big plus.
Within these constructs, one should identify key technical skills, evidence of decision making & critical thinking, verbal and written communication skills, and creative thinking or problem-solving examples. Lastly, evidence of working in focus groups and leading workshops or presentations are also standouts.
James Wilkerson Ph.D.
Business Program Coordinator, Project and Supply Chain Management Program CoordinatorThe Pennsylvania State University
Business Department
What skills stand out on Business Development Consultant resumes?
James Wilkerson Ph.D.: Skills, experience, knowledge, and abilities that matter especially strongly include target market analysis (including market research skills and knowledge), product/service positioning within competitive field, project work or coordination with sales staff, major client relationship management, and enough general business and industry knowledge to be able to relate business development to operational/production realities.
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
James Wilkerson Ph.D.: Verbal skills (both speaking and writing), negotiation skills, unfailing honesty, ability to empathize with clients' wants, and teamwork skills suitable for working collaboratively with sales and operations staff.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
James Wilkerson Ph.D.: Spreadsheet (Excel) skills (including graph production from data), basic statistical knowledge, and online information search skills.
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
James Wilkerson Ph.D.: Skill at rapidly learning market trends, relating business development to product development, and persuading major prospective clients when brought in to help with closing sales. Bottom line: the business development manager must be on the cutting edge of new market conditions and new business opportunities to help the firm organically grow its sales, especially in new markets or product/service lines.
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.
Professor of Supply Chain ManagementArizona State University
W. P. Carey Supply Chain Management
What skills stand out on Business Development Consultant resumes?
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.: Effective communication, leadership, critical thinking skills. Can you be entrepreneurial in the face of adversity? Demonstrating situations where the candidate has been able to persevere and solve problems in the face of diversity would be very attractive to employers.
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.: In general, people skills: leadership, effective communication and negotiation skills, the ability to work effectively with people in different cultures and in a team environment.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.: Data analytics skills are currently in high demand, so is understanding the impact of emerging technologies and digitization on business
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
Adegoke Oke Ph.D.: Imagine the perfect candidate that possesses the combination of all the skills mentioned above. But in truth, some combination of good people skills and appreciation of the digital environment and its impacts will help.
Neil Boyd Ph.D.
David J. & Deborah West Professor of Management; Chair, Management and Organizations DepartmentBucknell University
Management and Organizations Department
What hard/technical skills are most important for Business Development Consultants?
Neil Boyd Ph.D.: Project management, understanding and using concepts, models, and theory from management science, analytics, excel/SPSS/R, Powerpoint/Google Slides.
What soft skills should all Business Development Consultants possess?
Neil Boyd Ph.D.: Humility, empathy, integrity, emotional intelligence, a concern for others, a desire to create community at work, a concern for social and environmental justice.
What skills will help Business Development Consultants earn the most?
Neil Boyd Ph.D.: A combination of hard and soft skills, but at the end of the day, soft skills are critical to truly helping clients. And, for sure, they can be learned. This is a challenge for management education, but places like the Freeman College of Management at Bucknell work hard to develop soft skills in students primarily through coaching, experiential and community-based pedagogies, and professional development programming.
Natalie Gerhart Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Business Intelligence & AnalyticsCreighton University
Department of Business Intelligence & Analytics
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Business Development Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Natalie Gerhart Ph.D.: We have clearly seen a big shift in the job market due to COVID-19. Workers went home quickly, which had a ripple effect across industries. While some workers are enjoying remote life, many are anxious to get back to a more social workplace. Working from home has benefits for the worker of multi-tasking and comfort, but also has drawbacks with work/life balance, distractions, and home office expenses (i.e. broadband, space, etc.). There are also benefits for businesses such as reduced footprint for office space, but drawbacks such as increased security risk with decentralized workers. In my opinion, we won't see workspaces completely go away, but I anticipate more flexibility and hoteling options when the workforce settles.
For job seekers, these factors have a ripple effect. Currently, we are seeing a contraction in internships. For students, internships provide experience and a gateway to jobs. With less internships, the up-and-coming workforce will be less skilled as they enter the job market. Several factors are at play. Many businesses had to eliminate skilled workers last year. Many businesses froze hiring. Many businesses asked more of their remaining workforce. As a result, there are more skilled workers on the market, less jobs, and higher expectations. This puts new graduates in a difficult position.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Business Development Consultants?
Natalie Gerhart Ph.D.: For BIA students, like all students, having the ability to be adaptable and grow your skills is important. Technology is rapidly changing and will continue to change over the course of most student's careers. It is important for students to demonstrate their adaptability through multiple tools, as well as their inquisitive nature that drives life-long learning. A machine learning course is a must as well as exposure to open source tools such as Python or R. Also we are seeing an uptick in demand for visualization skills (i.e. Tableau). While I haven't seen an overwhelming benefit of certifications for our students, there are certainly several available that never hurt. Google and AWS certifications are popular.
Currently, all business students need to have a basic understanding of analytics. That no longer means simply statistics, but how to use statistics to derive understanding and business insights. Further, all business students need to have an understanding of the strategic nature of technology in a business. Simply having technology is not enough.
How have salaries changed over time for Business Development Consultants?
Natalie Gerhart Ph.D.: Technology is not going away and is becoming increasingly relevant in the strategy of businesses. As a result, salaries in these fields have been trending up, and will, overall, continue to do so, I think. We have been seeing an increasing in IT spend, which doesn't always correlate with salaries, but does show an uptick in the value being placed on technology. As technology continues to evolve and become more ubiquitous, the value placed on advanced technology skills will continue to rise.
Bradley Byerle, JD
Criminal Justice InstructorLake Michigan College
Department of Business, Hospitality, and CIS
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Business Development Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Bradley Byerle, JD: In the various career pathways of criminal justice, the majority of employers will need to continue to hire, regardless of the pandemic. Many of these employers will need to continue with practices such as extensive background investigations to determine if potential employees possess the exceptional moral character needed to work in any criminal justice field. However, the interview process may change in some ways, depending on the department and the position. Many criminal justice employers require oral board interviews as part of the hiring process. These can be intimidating, face-to-face interviews with a panel full of interviewers. They tend to ask difficult questions which prod into the candidates' background and character. Some employers may choose to conduct remote interviews due to concerns with the pandemic. However, I see that happening more in the initial stages of the interview process. I believe that criminal justice employers will still want to conduct face-to-face interviews at later points in the hiring process. In all, as challenging as it can be to navigate the hiring process during a pandemic, many criminal justice employers will have to continue on as usual, with the addition of basic precautions such as mask wearing and social distancing.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Business Development Consultants?
Bradley Byerle, JD: For the majority of criminal justice positions, there are specific educational requirements or certifications needed to obtain employment. To become a corrections officer, candidates will generally need to graduate from an approved local or state corrections academy. The same is true if candidates want to become a police officer -- they will have to graduate from an approved local or state police academy. Often times there are specific educational requirements that must be met prior to entering into one of these academies. The majority of remaining criminal justice positions, such as probation and parole officer positions, will require candidates to earn a minimum of a bachelor's degree to be eligible for employment.
How have salaries changed over time for Business Development Consultants?
Bradley Byerle, JD: In the criminal justice field, salaries and hourly wages can vary greatly from position-to-position and location-to-location. Salaries and hourly wages tend to be smaller than that of many other careers, however they are also trending upward.
Dr. Dianne Welsh
Hayes Distinguished Professor, Founding Director Entrepreneurship Cross-Disciplinary ProgramThe University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality & Tourism
What will help Business Development Consultants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Dianne Welsh: Finding opportunities that evolve in a myriad of situations. These can be while a graduate in entrepreneurship works for a small/medium enterprise, a non-profit, or a larger company or even themselves. All businesses need entrepreneurs which is "to be creative and innovative in anything that creates value" (Welsh 2014). From my book Creative Cross-Disciplinary Entrepreneurship (Palgrave-Macmillan). Entrepreneurs are needed in every organization. By finding opportunities, bringing them to the attention of companies or individuals, or pursuing the opportunity themselves, an entrepreneur increases their earning potential. Finding opportunities is a daily endeavor.