What Can You Do With a Business
Degree?
If you are currently thinking about earning a degree in
business, you might be wondering what career paths you can take.
Where will a degree in business take you?
The sky is the limit. A business degree is highly versatile,
and it can lead to many different possibilities. Let's take a look at a few of
the many careers you can pursue as a business school graduate.
Accountant
Many businesses all across the nation employ accountants to
keep track of their financial records. These business professionals are
responsible for the accurate recording of all financial transactions a company
makes. Accountants also take care of payroll, paying taxes, complying with laws
and regulations, suggesting ways to reduce costs, auditing, and many other
things that companies can't do without.
Accountants can be found working in many different places.
Just a few examples include businesses of all sizes, non-profit organizations,
accounting firms, government agencies, and others. Accountants can even be
found working at some places you might not have thought of, like the FBI and
CIA. These organizations use forensic accountants to investigate financial
criminal activity.
Financial
Planner
Many people turn to financial planners to help them prepare
for retirement. Financial planners create retirement plans for each individual
or couple to help them grow a financial nest egg so they won't have to worry
about money in their golden years.
Investment
Manager
Investment managers are responsible for overseeing money
entrusted to them by clients. They invest the money in stocks, bonds, precious
metals, real estate trusts, and other financial investments to increase the
value of the portfolio over time.
Business
Manager
Operations management is one of the most common career paths
business majors take. Managers make critical decisions in companies of all
sizes to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Just a few things business managers take care of include
interviewing and hiring new employees, training employees, coaching existing
employees to improve performance, firing employees, conducting performance
evaluations, goal setting, and others.
Entrepreneur
Many business school graduates decide to take the leap and
strike out on their own as business owners. As an entrepreneur, you will be
your own boss. You will be calling all of the shots and making all of the
decisions in your company.
As an employee, the amount of money you can make is usually
capped at a certain amount. It usually doesn't matter how many hours you work
or how hard you work, you are usually paid a salary. It may also be possible to
earn more with bonuses.
As a business owner, however, your earnings potential is
essentially unlimited. If you work hard and make good business decisions, six
and seven-figure annual earnings is a very real possibility. As a business
owner, you can start very small and slowly grow your business over time.
Marketing and Advertising
A marketing professional works to build a company's brand
awareness. She gets the word out about the company and its products through
various advertising channels including television, internet, print media,
radio, and in many other ways.
Many companies have their own marketing departments, but
marketing professionals can also be found working for marketing firms. Those
who specialize in marketing are in big demand because companies know the work
they do is vitally important in maximizing sales revenue.
Sales Representative
Many companies use sales representatives to introduce their products and
services to individuals and businesses. Sales representatives sell just about
everything you can imagine including software, pharmaceuticals, insurance,
aircraft, healthcare products and services, and many other things.
Most sales representatives operate on commission. Depending
on the industry, some sales representatives earn six-figure incomes.
Human Resources Manager
Many companies have human resources departments that take
care of all issues pertaining to their workforce. Human resources managers are
responsible for many things including recruiting new employees, taking care of
administrative tasks, ensuring the workplace is both safe and pleasant, and
handling employee disputes.
Business Analyst
Many companies use business analysts to identify
opportunities for improvement. They also design and implement business systems,
solve various business problems, and create and implement policies and
procedures that are designed to improve operations and processes. These
business professionals are primarily employed by medium and large companies.
Project Manager
Project managers are used by many different companies to
design, implement, and see projects to completion. A few common employers of
project managers include companies involved in engineering, construction, and
architecture.
Actuary
Actuaries are an important component of the insurance
industry. These business professionals are responsible for evaluating data to
measure risk. For example, when someone applies for life insurance coverage, an
actuary will examine the data to see if it makes good business sense to approve
that person for coverage.
Supply Chain Manager
Have you ever been shopping for groceries and wondered how a
store can sell fresh strawberries in February? If so, you can thank a supply
chain manager for sourcing all of that fresh produce from various places around
the globe where the weather is currently suitable for growing crops.
Supply chain managers oversee the logistics of procuring
products, equipment, raw materials, and other things a company needs. In
addition to sourcing, these business professionals are also responsible for
making sure everything they order arrives exactly when it's needed.
Real Estate Broker
Real estate brokers represent buyers and sellers of homes,
land, and commercial property. When a broker lists a property for sale, it
works on behalf of the seller to market and sell the property for the highest
price. And brokers also show properties to prospective buyers. As a buyer's
agent, brokers try to get their clients the best prices possible.
A Degree with Many Possibilities
As you can see, there are many career paths you can take
with a degree in business. This list doesn't even include all of the potential
careers. It just scratches the surface of what's possible.
A degree in business can really take you places. It's one of
the most versatile college degrees there is. As a business school graduate, you
will be armed with a credential that is in-demand and lucrative.
Have you wondered whether studying business is worthwhile?
Does it lead to a host of career options? Will you use what you studied in
other areas of your life? We thought you did, which is we have all the answers
here. Go through them before you decide if this is the right choice for you!
Let's get started…