A marketing, sales, and research consultant can help entrepreneurs develop long-term marketing, sales, and research goals. A bachelor’s degree in business administration is required to work as a business development consultant. An internship with a local business or consultancy can kickstart your consulting career while you’re still in school. After graduation, you can start your career in business development by joining a consulting firm. Another option is to start your own consultancy with the help of your industry contacts and business knowledge.
A bachelor’s degree in business administration will prepare you for a career as a business development consultant. To find your specialty, you can concentrate on elective courses in marketing, investment, and product research and development. Certificate programs in business development, regional economics, and global development may be available at your university, and they can help you advance your career. To advance to management positions, a graduate degree in business administration may be required. If you want to do academic research and teach, you should consider getting a doctorate in business.
An internship may be required to pursue a career as a business development consultant. After your first semester of upper-level business classes, you should begin looking for internships. By contacting local companies and consultancies, you can complete an internship while taking business classes. Spending the summer with a national or international consultancy can add value to your internship. Another option is to submit an application to international development organizations that promote entrepreneurship in developing countries.
By pursuing entry-level work with a reputable consultancy, you can become a business development consultant. To find temporary work with a development firm, send your resume to staffing agencies in your area. Applying for non-consulting work with a consulting firm is another way to break into a business development career. An administrative position with a business development consultancy can help you pay your bills while you learn the ropes.
As a business development consultant, you might consider starting your own company. Your home-based consultancy may begin with nothing more than a computer and a filing cabinet. To generate business for your consultancy, you can use your contacts from school, internships, and part-time work. As your business grows, you can reach out to former classmates and coworkers for help with a growing client list. Establishing your own consultancy can help you become a business development consultant focused on a specific industry or region.