Business Development Officers & Market Researchers and Analysts
Formal Description
“Business development officers and market researchers and analysts conduct research, provide statistical and analytical supports, identify market trends and potential opportunities, formulate policies and manage programs to stimulate industrial and commercial business investment or tourism in urban and rural areas, or to promote commercial or industrial products and services. They are employed by government departments, international organizations, marketing and analytics firms and business associations or may be self-employed.” (NOC 2021)
Sample Job Titles
This category includes a variety of job titles that may not necessarily be reflected by the category title. For a full index of job titles, see the category entry on the ESDC site. Example job titles include:
Aboriginal Economic Development Officer
Category Sales Analyst
Community Development Consultant
Economic Development Officer
International Marketing Specialist
Market Research Analyst
Small Business Counsellor
Tourism Development Officer
Typical Employment and Education Requirements
The requirements listed for each occupational category will tend to vary across particular roles, job titles, and contexts.
The following typical requirements are listed on the ESDC’s 2021 entry for this occupational category:
- A bachelor’s degree in economics, commerce, business administration or public administration is required.
- Certification as a certified economic developer (Ec.D.) may be required.
- Certification as a Certified Marketing Research Professional (CMRP) may be required.
Success with a Social Sciences Undergraduate Degree and Beyond
When reviewing typical requirements, please remember:
- Degree and diploma listings often end with a purposefully open-ended phrase (“or a related field”, “or a similar discipline”) that acknowledges the variety and applicability of social sciences and liberal arts degrees.
- Employers often focus less on the name or title of a candidate’s degree, and more on how they articulate their transferable skills and experiences.
- Many qualifications and certifications are available as post-graduate certificates aimed at recent university graduates; these can make an excellent further education option for a social sciences or liberal arts degree.
Related Sectors
Whereas Economic and Social Development Canada’s ‘occupational’ categories tend to focus more on the duties and functions that people play in specific roles, exploring careers by ‘sectors’ helps us to sort by employer type, industry, or general field of work. Here are just a few of the sectors that may be relevant to this category:
Academic Program Connections
As you select your program of study and the courses you will take, you can chart a path towards success in this sector from any one of our social sciences departments and programs. Here are just a few examples of academic disciplines that have connections with this sector:
Anthropology Learn More
Combining anthropological insights with data analysis and research, students can approach business problems with a human-centered and culturally sensitive lens.
Economics Learn More
Studying economics provides a strong foundation in understanding market dynamics through data analysis.
Environment & Society Learn More
As sustainability, environmental impact and social responsibility become priorities for organizations, a degree in Environment & Society provides a valuable perspective in business analysis.
Political Science Learn More
Students learn critical thinking skills, and how to gather and interpret research data, all of which are central to making informed decisions.
