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Leverage Your Communication Knowledge To Help Businesses Grow

Business Development Federation

The Business Development Federation, or BDF, will ensure you get into a high-paying Business Development career where you will leverage your research, analysis, and communication abilities to help companies create long-term plans to ensure growth and increase in revenue. The BDF program leader and board members are Business Developers currently working in industry, and they will mentor you about the Business Development field, how to communicate your relevant experience throughout all steps of the hiring process, and how to find the right Business Development career for you—no matter your background. This is the only program designed specifically for PhDs by other PhDs currently working in top Business Development roles.

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Business Development Federation Career Track

Here Is A Sneak Peek At What BDF Members Get Access To...

Find out more about
Business Development Federation Career Track

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About The Business Development Federation

As soon as you become a BDF member, you get access to the BDF dashboard, which includes 4 modules with 40+ videos, and 8 advanced workbooks. You also get access to monthly members-only webinars about relevant topics in Business Development. Finally, you get lifetime access to a private job referral network of Business Developers and Business Development hiring managers, and guaranteed feedback from these Business Developers 24/7 on any job search-related question so you can get hired as a Business Developer now.

Here’s the Targeted Mentoring You’ll Receive from the Business Development Federation

Module #1 – Business Development: What You Should Know

You know you want to be a business developer, but you aren’t completely sure of what the role encompasses nor which companies hire business developers. This module covers…

  • What business development is and what the role of a business developer encompasses. You’ll get insights on the importance of business development in each department of a company, and what the goals of business developers are.
  • What is a business plan? You will learn why companies need a business plan and how business developers influence this plan. You will also explore the bottom line of business development and what an outstanding business developer should know.
  • How a business development role is different from a role in sales. This module presents the difference between business development and sales, what the goals are for these two departments, and how they interact with each other.
  • The importance of business development. This module will show you why companies need to invest in business development and why a good business development strategy can make or break a company.

Module #2 – A Day In The Life And Relevant Knowledge

You want to know what being a business developer looks like and the keys to success in this position. This module covers…

  • What a day in the life of a business developer looks like. This module explores the main activities that business developers must perform on a day to day basis. It also discusses how to perform each of those tasks efficiently.
  • Salary expectations for business developers. This module gives some insights into the salary expectations of business developers working in different positions and different industries.
  • The types of skills that business developers need. Business developers need a combination of transferable and business skills to succeed in their role. This module dives deep into the most relevant skills for business developers, how they are measured in the role, and how you have developed most of them during your PhD.

Module #3 – The Business Development Job Search Process

When it comes to securing a job offer as a business developer, you can significantly improve your chances with the right techniques. This module covers….

  • Key strategies to build a network that will help you transition into the business development field. Most business development positions are filled through referrals, so you need to have a strong network in place before you start applying. This module will cover the basics of networking, how to set up informational interviews, and how to generate referrals.
  • Critical insights into how to craft a LinkedIn profile and resume that make you look like an experienced business developer and help you improve your visibility and credibility to industry professionals.
  • What the business development hiring process looks like, from phone screens to on-site interviews. This module goes through the different rounds of the interview process and gives valuable insights on how to prepare for each of them.
  • Questions to prepare and questions to ask. You’ll also learn what critical questions you can expect during the interview process, and how to answer those questions to ensure you wow employers.

Module #4 – Career Progression In Business Development

What steps can you take to continue growing professionally and personally once you secure a position as a business developer? This module covers…

  • The differences between Early Stage Startups, Growth Stage Startups, and Established Companies. The business development plan of a company varies greatly depending on its size and position in the market. This module will show you what business developers should consider when targeting each of these company types.
  • The onboarding process. A good onboarding process plays a significant role in employee retention and job satisfaction. This module presents the most relevant aspects of the onboarding process and what you can do to ensure your onboarding is successful.
  • How to progress in your business development career. The business developer position offers many opportunities for career growth. This module examines which vertical moves are more common for business developers and what climbing the vertical ladder looks like for this position.
  • What your future may hold as a business developer. Understand the different career paths you can take once you gain experience in business development. This module will help you understand the potential horizontal moves you can make and how they relate to your business development and PhD experience.

Find out more about
Business Development Federation Career Track

The #1 Business Development Career Library For PhDs

This program will ensure you get into a high-paying Business Development position that will allow you to actively help companies across different industries to set up successful relationships with other companies.

The BDF program leader and board members are Business Developers currently working in industry, and they will mentor you about the Business Development field, how to communicate your relevant experience throughout all steps of the hiring process, and how to find the right Business Development career for you—no matter your background. This is the only program designed specifically for PhDs by other PhDs currently working in top Business Development roles.

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Find out more about
Business Development Federation Career Track

13% increased hiring rate for business developers
$60B+ US & Europe market worth (Harvard Business School)
$127,000 is the average salary for business development managers (Salary.com)
$165,000 average salary for business development managers with 2+ years of experience (Salary.com)
3x the growth rate for companies that hire business developers
33%+ of companies use online business platforms (Roth Associates)

Find out more about
Business Development Federation Career Track