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What is an economic development specialist and how to become one
An economic development specialist plays a vital role in an organization's progress and success. These economic experts run and supervise researches with intent to address certain economical challenges related to product yield and distribution.
They act as main players in bridging and maintaining an organization's strategic corporate relations and business deals. And with the gravity of their duties, they have to be logical, systematic, and engaging communicators. Their field of practice has a wide range as well. They may work for a business, city, county, or state government.
In formulating and striking business deals, they consider political processes and agenda, and employ skills in mathematical reasoning.
To be an economic development specialist, an aspirant needs a bachelor's degree in business, management, human resources, education, or instructional design. Although, greater chances go to those who hold a master's degree in business management, administration, or marketing. This career path is attainable with several years of work experience and, of course, the right attitude and fighting spirit.
What general advice would you give to an economic development specialist?
Chad Miller Ph.D.
Professor of Economic Development, Website
Avg. Salary $52,511
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 8%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%
Asian 5.86%
Black or African American 12.76%
Hispanic or Latino 17.03%
Unknown 6.30%
White 57.54%
Genderfemale 67.47%
male 32.53%
Age - 44American 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 - 44Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Economic development specialist career paths
Key steps to become an economic development specialist
Explore economic development specialist education requirements
Start to develop specific economic development specialist skills
Skills Percentages Medicaid 12.25% Economic Development 8.70% Strong Work Ethic 8.67% Social Work 8.02% Public Assistance Programs 7.30% Complete relevant economic development specialist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New economic development specialists 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 an economic development specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real economic development specialist resumes.Research economic development specialist duties and responsibilities
- Administer HUD CDBG grant program in excess of $1million each year.
- Specialize in CDBG fund projects.
- Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with the public and DCF.
- Create maps, illustrations, maintain GIS database and design/maintain website pages.
Prepare your economic development specialist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your economic development specialist 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 an economic development specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable economic development specialist resume templates
Build a professional economic development specialist 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 economic development specialist resume.
Apply for economic development specialist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an economic development specialist 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 economic development specialist job
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Average economic development specialist salary
The average economic development specialist salary in the United States is $52,511 per year or $25 per hour. Economic development specialist salaries range between $33,000 and $82,000 per year.
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Updated January 8, 2025
