Post Job

What is a business development officer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Kaustav Misra Ph.D.
introduction image

Business development officers are responsible for identifying business opportunities and developing strategic ways to improve sales and profits in a business. You will need to collect customer feedback data and analyze if customers are satisfied with the service rendered and the product of the company. You are also responsible for managing product development and supervising development programs for staff. Also, you are in charge of meeting potential investors, presenting what your company has to offer, and negotiating business deals with them while also making sure all relationships with company stakeholders and current investors are kept intact.

You must have communication skills, negotiation skills, management skills, decision-making skills, and problem-solving skills. You must also pay attention to details, be able to travel if necessary, and work in a fast-paced environment. Plus, you must have a bachelor's degree in business management, finance, marketing, accounting, or other related courses. You will earn $65,534 per year on average.

What general advice would you give to a Business Development Officer?

Kaustav Misra Ph.D.Kaustav Misra Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Associate Dean, Central Connecticut State University

I have spent almost two decades in the higher education industry and about a decade in administration. I often advised students, and it is astonishing to see how many of these students do not plan for their future. A good plan is a starting point to lead a good and successful career and life. Hence, by all means, it is worth noting that developing a future-oriented focus is important, so taking time to streamline the plan should be an important exercise for every graduate before they begin to do anything.
ScoreBusiness Development OfficerUS Average
Salary
6.1

Avg. Salary $77,778

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
9.6

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.32%

Black or African American 6.13%

Hispanic or Latino 15.01%

Unknown 4.33%

White 67.74%

Gender

female 37.59%

male 62.41%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress Level
9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
9.2

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.6

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Business Development Officer career paths

Key steps to become a business development officer

  1. Explore business development officer education requirements

    Most common business development officer degrees

    Bachelor's

    73.4 %

    Master's

    14.0 %

    Associate

    6.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific business development officer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service12.92%
    Business Administration6.54%
    Financial Services6.34%
    Workplace5.95%
    SBA4.95%
  3. Complete relevant business development officer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New business development officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a business development officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real business development officer resumes.
  4. Research business development officer duties and responsibilities

    • Accomplish business development professional - successfully grow revenue by conduct outside sales prospecting and lead generation for new SBA loans.
    • Follow up on the progress of leads that are generated from origination to conversion, assisting bankers to win business.
    • Lead centralized, electronic referral center coordinating post-acute service needs of patients discharging from multiple acute facilities in Arizona region.
    • Collaborate on entire business model, from lead generation, custom CRM creation/implementation, sales presentations, and employee compensation.
  5. Prepare your business development officer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your business development officer 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 development officer 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 Development Officer Resume templates

    Build a professional Business Development Officer 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 Development Officer resume.
    Business Development Officer Resume
    Business Development Officer Resume
    Business Development Officer Resume
    Business Development Officer Resume
    Business Development Officer Resume
    Business Development Officer Resume
    Business Development Officer Resume
    Business Development Officer Resume
    Business Development Officer Resume
  6. Apply for business development officer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a business development officer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Business Development Officer Job

Zippi

Are you a Business Development Officer?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average business development officer salary

The average Business Development Officer salary in the United States is $77,778 per year or $37 per hour. Business development officer salaries range between $47,000 and $126,000 per year.

Average Business Development Officer Salary
$77,778 Yearly
$37.39 hourly

What Am I Worth?

salary-calculator

How do business development officers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Business Development Officer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

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.

Cons

There's nothing much not to like about this role.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

B2B Communication and Building Relationships, Product\Strategy Development and Implementation, Solving Problems


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

Learn about many businesses and help to improve business profitability with mergers and partnerships.


Working as a Business Development Officer? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse executive management jobs