The assortment of career choices and educational options in the business world cover a wealth of abilities and skills, when you are looking at business as a whole, it is best to evaluate the opportunities based on what you think your personal strengths are. Here are some examples of how to align your personal attributes with potential business careers.
Are you an energetic person comfortable with people? Marketing, advertising and sales are good choices that will require learning how to target broadcast and print advertising, and how to use the unique marketing opportunities that have arisen through the rise of the Web and the social networks. It’s a fascinating niche right now because of the impact that the internet is having on the marketplace. The best educational preparation is a degree in business administration with focus on marketing, or a degree in advertising.
Are you a good communicator? The senior positions in business for people with this ability are in investor relations and corporate communications. Depending on the company, there may also be positions in public relations, in government relations and in employee communications. A degree in communications, in English or in journalism would be a good choice.
Do you enjoy mathematics? Businesses run on numbers and it’s the accountants that keep track of them. Business accounting may include keeping a general ledger, handling payroll accounts, tracking cash flow or managing employee benefits. Business accounting requires the use of a software program that manages the database and that can be programmed to produce the reports required by management. An accounting degree or business administration with a focus on finance is a solid base, while an MBA with focus on accounting or finance will propel you into a leadership position in your employer’s fiscal affairs.
Are you a team leader by nature? If you would rather lead than follow, a degree in business administration, an MBA or any of the degrees in organizational leadership are good choices for a career in administration. Business management is evolving with the technology that is used in operations today and managers coming into the field need to understand employee issues as well as the quarterly report. There are also options to work as a management consultant on organizational matters.
How about team building? The field of human resources (HR) is an entire profession dedicated to the notion of assembling, training and keeping the best work force possible. Employment and placement specialists interview job applicants and put them into jobs where it seems they will fit best. It’s a job that requires good intuition and psychological skills.
Training professionals work with employees and departments providing updates and also trying to imbue a sense of teamwork and pride in accomplishments. Human resources directors oversee all of these functions. There are degrees in human resources, but education in the fields of psychology or the social sciences are also common in this field.