Is a career in business development right for you?
Business development is all about improving a business and driving profits up. Business development professionals are intelligent, hardworking, and knowledgeable in their field. Many prospective sales applicants are keen to explore a career in business development because these positions can be both mentally and financially rewarding for the right candidates.
Over the next few months, there will be lots of business development roles appearing on Sales Roles, so keep your eyes open for the perfect career opportunity coming soon.
What is business development?
Business development encompasses everything involved in improving a business, from increasing revenue to driving growth and boosting profitability. For example, a business development executive may be needed to assess the suitability of various international markets and decide which market offers the most potential for expansion.
The best business development executives know their product and market inside and out, and are capable of high-level research and analysis. Key skills for business development candidates include:
– Clear communication and leadership
– Excellent product knowledge
– Persuasive negotiation
– Critical thinking
– Organisation
– Analytical skills
Popular business development roles include entry-level roles as a business development executive all the way through to managerial positions and above.
Which industries offer business development roles?
There are business development roles in just about every sector, since all businesses prioritise growth and profitability. It’s even possible to work in business development in the public sector, where the focus will often be streamlining working practices and improving results.
Many business development professionals choose to specialise in a particular industry, and this can be a good idea considering the expertise and knowledge required to excel in this field. There is a huge range of industries in which business development roles are key, including:
– Education
– Fashion
– Leisure and hospitality
– IT
– Manufacturing
– Telecommunications
It’s also possible to specialise in either B2C (business to consumer) and B2B (business to business) business development roles for those candidates who prefer to cover a wider range of industries.
What are typical business development salaries like?
As a career path offering a wide range of jobs varying from relatively junior positions to high-level roles, salaries in business development can vary hugely. On the whole, business development offers good salaries across the spectrum and plenty of room for growth.
– Starting salaries in business development range between around £22,000 to £25,000.
– Mid-level business development roles, which most executives will reach after several years in the field, offer salaries anywhere between £30,000 and £60,000, depending on region and sector.
– High-level roles such as Business Director offer upwards of £60,000, and potentially as high as £80,000 in the right sector.
On top of a generous salary, business development professionals can also expect other perks including a good bonus, pension, and sometimes healthcare membership.
Is a career in business development right for you?
There’s only one way to find out. If you’re a bright, hardworking, ambitious professional keen to explore a rewarding but challenging career in business, you may find that a career in business development is perfect for you. Check out our job listings page (https://www.salesroles.com/job-category/business-development-sales-jobs/) to explore the latest business development roles near you.