Day in the Life of...Business Development Coordinator
Interested in what someone else does during their 9-5? Looking for a new job but want to know the specifics of what they actually do? Sometimes a description online just does not suffice. In this series, we take a deeper dive into our peers' day-to-day tasks - morning routines, lunch hour, end of day assignments - to better inform you in your career decisions. Today, check out the day in the life of a Business Development Coordinator in NYC!
Job Title: Business Development Coordinator
Industry: Architecture
Yearly Salary: $90,000
City: New York City
Age: 22
College Major: Economics
Summary of your job: As a Business Development Coordinator, I analyze the risk and reward of potentially new projects, dependent on the market, length of potential contracts, contractors involved, company’s current financial status, etc. Then, I use these analyses to develop an in-depth proposal and handle client relations for new business purposes. Because I’ve worked in construction, I also work with the marketing team to develop a marketing standard that appeals to both building owners and general contractors/ construction managers.
Routine
What is your morning routine… (1-3 sentences): I don’t have much of a routine but I always make sure to use cold water when I’m getting ready to wake me up. It wakes me up better than coffee most of the time.
What are you doing at 9AM? I’m usually replying to coordination emails and calls that came in the night before. These emails usually involve scheduling and creating agendas for meetings, and the calls are usually in response to voicemails I left the day before.
What are you doing at 11AM? Most likely attending client meetings. These are usually follow-up meetings to ones I had earlier in the day/week. The topics vary, it may include sharing projections for an upcoming project, handling logistics, amending contracts, or fielding new business opportunities. In these meetings, I coordinate the logistics and present the financial projections of a potential opportunity.
What do you do for lunch? Grab something quick near wherever I am. If I know I’ll be in the office around lunch time, I’ll pack lunch the night before.
What are you doing at 2PM? Usually wrapping up meetings that I had earlier in the day. These include handling logistics and any scheduling that needs to be done.
What are you doing at 5PM? Final phone calls for the day and replying to emails that came in throughout the day. Since there is a lot of communication that needs to occur, I do a lot of follow-ups and clarification on any meetings and presentations I attended.
Do you usually work late? Not typically. I start the day early as it’s important in my company to coordinate on logistics and scheduling before it gets too late.
Thoughts
What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry? I didn’t need to stress about school as much as I did to succeed in this industry. I started in construction (at a general contractor) and quickly learned the basics to succeed in managing a site. Working at an architecture firm, I’m exposed to a different phase of real estate development but can apply what I’ve learned through my previous working experience. This includes sharing analyses and presentations to new clients who are looking to develop a property. Honestly, I rarely use what I’ve learned in school at work.
What is your favorite thing about the work you do? Meeting new people. I meet people from big firms of all industries and I always taken the time to speak to them and learn something new. It’s exciting to learn more about their industry, as well as their experiences in the field. I hope they value our conversations as well.
A piece of advice for people entering this field: Don’t hesitate. Real estate development is broad but whatever sector you decide to pursue, you have to hold your own, even if you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing. Chances are the person in front of you has no idea either. You learn on the job and people are always there to help. Don’t be quiet. Have a voice.
What did you think? Let’s chat. Comment below!
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