Business Career Center.com

If you are pursuing your MBA, consider a minor in the field of economics. Economics and various financial factors are some of the most interesting aspects of business administration. Human resources come and go and, frankly, complaining customers are not always right, but one thing is certain and solid: numbers don’t lie. If you see yourself as the type of business person who can analyze facts and figures to conclude with solid solutions, then economics may be the perfect concentration for you.

Being an economist or financial planner or consultant enables you to work within that aspect of business that can be predicted and assessed. Viewing a business from across the counter or desk is one thing—it may appear to be successful when it isn’t and may appear to be failing when money is actually being made behind the scenes. Looking at the business from the perspective of its books is quite another matter. When you view a business in terms of its actual inflow and outflow, its capital outlay on initial expenses, its expenditure for advertising, and its investment in employees, you are able to see what makes it tick. As a financial advisor you, above all others, will be able to give business owners the correct advice as to what moves to make in order to improve sales. You, above all others will have the tools to determine the road to success.

If you are interested in becoming an entrepreneur, but don’t know exactly what type of business to start, keep your ears and eyes open. You can get ideas from all kinds of places, for instance:

• News features in publications can alert you as to what is hot right now
• The latest fashions can give you an idea for a trend-setting invention
• New inventions can become investment opportunities
• Changing neighborhoods may become hot new boutique sectors

Once you have an idea, analyze it according to whether or not it will sustain your attention for many years to come, whether or not it is lucrative, and whether it will generate new marketing opportunities. If so, pursue a loan and begin your project.

Whether you choose to work from home and have a business that is entirely online, set up a brick and mortar “mom and pop shop” or aim high and build a gigantic new project such as a resort or other attraction, this small business will become your life for quite a while, so be sure that you are ready to throw your heart and soul into it. Whether your first venture succeeds or fails, it doesn’t really matter. You have gained the experience to move forward and begin more small business enterprises.

If you are interested in a career that focuses on business strategy, then you must be the kind of person who loves to figure out new ways of doing old things. Coming up with exciting and effective new strategies is something every business owner or strategist must do in order to keep sales lively and maintain customer interest. Every business strategy career could use a boost, so here are some strategic ideas for improving your marketing game plan:

• Go to events and do networking there. You can’t do it all on the computer, no matter what they say. You have got to show your face at chamber of commerce meetings, neighborhood business group meetings, and conventions.
• Create handouts such as flyers and brochures. These are useful at those in-person events where you wish to let folks know just a little bit more about yourself and what you do.
• Consider joint ventures. You may have colleagues whose businesses are symbiotic with yours. If you are a copywriter, you may benefit from jointing forces with a graphic designer, for instance. Sometimes two heads are better than one.

Recent college graduates often drift from one job to another before settling on a career. This is a pretty common occurrence and nothing to be ashamed of. Each college graduate faces his or her own demons when it comes to settling into a permanent career. Some wish to spend time traveling and others simply want to explore their options, but when it finally comes down to selecting a career, many choose business.

The reason for business as a wise choice is simply that it never goes out of style. Business has existed as a career since people first began trading cowrie shells for bags of rice and it is still in existence today, with computers and virtual worlds doing much of our trading for us. “Business” basically means “trade.” It is the world of exchanging good and services for money that can buy other goods and services. In that sense, it is the very thing that provides security to millions of individuals the world over. We all engage in business at some time in our lives, whether it is setting up a lemonade stand as a child, or exchanging information in a study group as adolescents. We all give something to get something, and that is the essence of business. So, if you are a college graduate, take your time deciding on a path, but know that in the end, business will be a lucrative career that draws from many of the experiences you have already had in life.

Building a business out of nothing but an idea is a wonderfully ambitious thing to take on. Some people don’t want to take the risk, but others feel they were born for it. If all you can think about is how much better you would manage a business if you were the one in charge, then perhaps you should consider becoming an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurs work long hours for low pay and love it. That’s because having a business is one of the most fascinating and creative acts there is. You get to see every aspect of commerce, from the successes born of advertising, to the revenue that streams in from word-of-mouth recommendations. As a small business owner you are also confronted with ethical issues on a daily basis and must make decisions such as:

• How to handle an underperforming employee
• What to do about disgruntled customers
• When to seek advice from experts
• Dealing with bad suppliers
• Whether to repair damaged merchandise or write off the loss

So small business ownership is both physically demanding and emotionally taxing. Yet, somehow, it still offers incredible satisfaction. If you have the dream to involve your family in a business plan they can all work together, or if you see yourself as someone who can help bring wealth to both yourself and your employees and partners, then small business ownership will be a fascinating adventure for you.

So you want to pursue a career in business? You love making deals, you love negotiating, you love money, and you love sales. This should describe you if you are a natural-born business man or woman. Oh, and one more thing: you love challenge. Any business career is going to be challenging, no matter if you become a small-time entrepreneur or an international financier. You must master:

• Communication skills
• How to build win-win solutions
• Social networking
• Technology
• Human resource management

This is, of course, just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the business skills that will serve you, so you can see what a complex undertaking it is to pursue a business career. But if you are a person who is naturally competitive and driven to succeed, then you are the right type for a business career. They say “take the bull by the horns” and that is exactly what you will need to do to thrive and survive in this challenging career path.

What do you want to do when you grow up? You have heard it asked time and time again, and now that you are considering which college to attend, you have got to decide once and for all. High school students seldom have enough knowledge of the world to know which business career is right for them, so putting this kind of pressure on them can be really hazardous. Students should take some time—even up to two years of their college careers—before deciding which business field is their favorite.

Most colleges and universities don’t require a declaration of a major until two years into the program, so do take that time and experiment along the way. Try:

• different internships
• a variety of elective classes
• join clubs and activity groups
• travel on summer vacations

All of these experiences will help you to know who you are and what your personal interests are. With enough varied experience under your belt, you will be able to choose a business field in which to major. That field will likely send you down a particular career path for life, so it should be one that fascinates you.

Students who enjoy creative pursuits, but wish to become successful and wealthy, know that the road to riches does not lie in a starving artist’s garret. These individuals can be happy in the long run by pursuing a business career with a creative side to it. Some creative business careers include:

• Graphic design
• Marketing
• Advertising
• Music management
• Television producer

These careers all have a creative side to them. This means that as a business person in these fields, you won’t just be making management decisions, you will be creating lasting pieces of art. Whether that art is a stunning television commercial, a magazine layout, a successful album, or a situation comedy, you will have a hand in its production.

Typically, in the business world, the art that is created is done by committee. There are those who design the look, the sound, the writing, and the marketing of each product. This is a unique and rewarding way of looking at the creative process and one that any artist can come to love. It enables more art to be made for the specific uses for which it is intended. So if you love art and creative pursuits, but want to become a successful, wealthy individual, there are many business careers for you to choose from. All you have to do is find the right field for your talents.

Whether you own your own business or work for a major corporation, your career and business concerns make huge demands on your time. This can often take you away from your family and friends and leave you feeling isolated and alone. If this is the case with your career, take a moment to reassess the situation and make a significant change.

Many business men and women feel that putting careers first is a temporary measure that simply must be done until that pinnacle of success is reached. Then, they imagine, things will change, schedules will open up, time for family will somehow magically appear. But these individuals are fooling themselves. What they are doing is creating a habit of constant work. Habits like these stick with you for a lifetime and they are hard to break. Time goes by quickly and, for many business persons, the chance to see your kids grow up and bond with your spouse can pass, never to be regained.

So take some time away from business and spend it with your family. When you see what a balanced life it makes, you will be glad you did. Here are some tips for managing to fit that personal time into your busy schedule:

• Write family events into your day planner and plan around them as if they were business meetings
• Make little connections throughout the day—call your wife at work just to say hello or send your child an email to wish him well on his soccer game.
• Don’t forget to take vacations. They are part of your benefits package, so budget for something special and really get away.
• Don’t take your computer or pda on family vacations. Make it a real escape.
• Take a class in something that interests you (outside of work). It can give you something new and interesting to talk about with those closest to you.

If you want to be a manager, you have set out on a lucrative and fascinating path. Management involves delegating responsibility to others and hiring individuals that can handle the tasks at hand. It also entails unpleasant tasks such as terminating employees, laying them off during slow times, and handling employee discipline issues. Are you up to these tasks?

The best way to prepare for all the challenges of a management career is to become a great communicator. Ideal communication means issuing instructions rather than orders and asking questions more than giving answers. It means giving employees the tools they need to achieve your goals in their own ways. It means respecting their creativity enough to ask them for solutions to problems rather than assuming your solutions will be the best. Good communicators have the following traits:

• Give concise instructions and answers, they don’t talk on and on.
• Ask others for their opinions, then carefully analyze all data before declaring a solution.
• Don’t react immediately, but consider each issue carefully and logically before acting.
• In an emergency, do react immediately and don’t expect the result to be perfection.

A business career is a wonderful ambition, but have you thought to consider what field you would like to pursue? “Business” is no longer an adequate major if one wants to land a dream job. You must take time to consider what your own likes and dislikes are, and what fields fascinate you. Consider some of the biggest business specializations popular today:

• Economics
• Finance
• Analysis
• Database management
• Software development
• Marketing
• Internet marketing
• Online sales
• International finance
• Human resource management

There are so many fields and sub-fields, that there is no reason for a business major to remain a generalist. If you love adventure, maybe international finance will appeal to you. If you enjoy working with people, then consider human resource management. If your proclivity is toward crunching numbers, why not look into economics and finance, try internships, and really experiment within the field until you discover a specialty that could hold your interest for many years to come. In today’s business world, specialization is key. What is your field of interest?

If you envision yourself as a business man or woman, then pursuing your business career should be important to you. It means working hard for good grades beginning in high school and then going on to college or university. It means getting your MBA from a prestigious institution, enduring internships, taking on volunteer work for extra experience, and putting yourself through the process of interviewing for that first entry-level job.

A career in business is a competitive one and an exciting endeavor, so don’t shirk from all the work it will entail to achieve it. But always remember that no career will ensure overall happiness. A career is just a part of the puzzle of your life, and that means making time for family, friends, and romance. When working hard to get that first great career up and running, many ambitious students overwork themselves and get a one-track mind. All they think of is work, work, work. This is neither the way to overall happiness, nor to business success. The best business gurus today emphasize that while hard work is essential, plenty of play and relaxation is also important for keeping the mind sharp and the mood pleasant. Ambitious students, pursue a well-rounded life and your business career will also prosper.

If you are interested in going into business, but are unsure as to what degree to pursue, consider the BS in business administration. Getting your BS can be a stepping stone to an MBA, but it can also stand alone as a perfectly respectable business degree. Those with a BS have qualifications for any entry level management position, and if they have also qualified for a minor in a particular business field, such as economics, finance, marketing, or sales, their qualification will be further increased.

A four-year BS degree is reasonably affordable, and that is one of the advantages of getting that BS, then going straight into the workforce, instead of going all the way toward an MBA right away. But it is important that you receive your bachelor of science in business administration degree from the most reputable college or university possible. If you have the grades, don’t be afraid to apply to Harvard, Wharton, or any other high-ranking business school. The high starting salary you receive because of your prestigious degree will help it pay off in the end, so think long-term, and go for that degree.

Those interested in a career in internet marketing must have a full understanding of how to utilize social media to best advantage. Let’s take, for instance, the idea of promoting a restaurant using internet marketing. Would you know the best methods? Would you be able to find ways to improve revenues? Test yourself by trying to think of ten ways that using social media could help with restaurant marketing. Did you write them down? Good. Now compare them with this list made by expert internet marketing gurus:

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1. Get needed feedback on the dishes, specials, and quality of service
2. Promote new menus and special dishes
3. Offer discounts and coupons to encourage customers to try new items
4. Utilize employee bloggers as outreach coordinators and ambassadors for the brand
5. Encouraging ongoing dialogue with customers and gaining interest from new ones
6. Provide updates on new restaurant openings or remodels
7. Invite customers to participate in contests and give-away programs
8. Form an online community among your franchises
9. Find excellent new workers, managers, and employees
10. Keep abreast of your reputation as it grows and run interference with any complaints that arise.

If you are in the information technology business, then you know that when the recession struck, your formely “hot” job market took a hit. Never the less, IT salaries have been gradually increasing because key skills are so desperately needed. Did you know that:

• Last year increases in average basic pay and bonuses increased by 1.2%?
• At least half of all IT professionals did receive a bonus in 2009?
• IT professionals in inner cities are being paid more than in outlying areas?
• The highest increase in basic salary last year was for junior level IT pros?

The economy certainly hasn’t recovered and the job market is still tough, but as far as information technology goes, the industry is still doing well. College graduates wishing to get into the profession are having success in finding jobs and experienced IT executives are keeping theirs. Computers are, after all, still determining the future of every profession. Firms simply can’t do without computing experts at all levels.

Some career tracks are essentially domestic in nature, but others require you to travel for business meetings and other professional purposes. If so, you should stop and consider whether or not you are a safe and professional traveler. There is so much to know about each and every country you visit, that spending time thinking about the traveling process itself may be something you have overlooked. So let’s take a look at some of the tips airports offer for business travelers:

• Lock everything. You can’t use padlocks, of course, as they may have to search your bags, but you can use zip ties, which they can cut off if necessary. Such a measure simply gives a thief pause when looking for an easy target.
• Purchase tickets online. When you can print your itinerary and boarding pass at home, that simply streamlines the check-in process.
• Minimize the credit cards you bring. Things do get lost and stolen in transit. It happens. It is a hassle and could result in loss if any credit cards are stolen, so simply bring only the ones you plan to use and keep those on your person at all times.

Airports have many security precautions these days, but they can’t protect your personally and your necessary items, so be sure to read up on all the safety tips you can and keep an ongoing study of best travel practices when you are traveling for business.

Are you a strategic sourcer? Is your company taking full advantage of its resources in order to prevent the loss of finance and purchasing management support? You can recession proof your business by testing yourself on how well you comply with the following ten points:

1. Are you utilizing creativity in every aspect, including suppliers and strategies?
2. Do you collect data on every aspect of the market in order to create savings?
3. Do you frequently reassess and examine your sourcing strategy?
4. Have you created a long list of possible suppliers?
5. Do you keep open and frequent communication with suppliers?
6. Do you use a fact-based market picture?
7. Do you negotiate all issues?
8. Do you plan each sourcing action before implementing it?
9. Is your company managed for performance and savings?
10. Are you watching your competitors and how they source and supply?

If the answers to all of the above questions are yes, you have passed the test. If not, use these questions as hints leading you toward creating a better company with enhanced sourcing and supply abilities.

When looking at which firms are successful and which not, statistics only tell half the story. In a recession, a firm that looks successful on paper may actually be failing and vice versa. This is because up and down-turns can happen so quickly, and when one element changes (such as a key employee leaves the firm, prices for a particular supply skyrocket, or laws/regulations change) this can have a domino effect on everything else in the company.

In order to ensure that your business doesn’t fall through the cracks like so many have done, remember that creativity is essential. You must always be flexible enough to come up with solutions that have never been tried before. You must be willing to alter:

• Your marketing strategy
• Your data management methods
• Your employee pool
• Your physical location
• Your sourcing system

If you are able to turn on a dime and make major changes when needed, then your company will be more recession proof. This doesn’t mean to act without afore thought. Indeed, each decision must be well-thought out and carefully planned. The most important thing is that you remember to “think outside the box” and not be afraid to try something new just because it hasn’t been tried before. They say necessity is the mother of invention, and that is why so many creative new inventions and methods have been developed during hard times.

When you interview for a business job, the process is stressful enough as it is, but often there is the added factor of knowing that you may be determining your business career salary as you speak. This is because your resume certainly gives employers a guideline as to what salary range you belong within, but as far as exactly where your salary will fall within that range, that is determined by none other than you.

When interviewing, you must make a good impression—everyone knows that. But exactly how? One of the best ways is to show a great deal of technical proficiency. You do it by asking questions. If you are aware of the latest regulatory changes (you should be), then ask:

• How is this company preparing for the expected transition to xyz?
• In what way will I be expected to comply with xyz?

• Is your system up to compliance with xyz standards, or will achieving that compliance be part of my job description?

Showing that you know the job intimately by asking probing questions like these will impress employers and help you get a salary that is higher in the range to which you are entitled.

Quizzes are a dime a dozen these days. You can find them in women’s magazines, business magazines, and even in online business sites. They may seem silly at first, but in reality they serve the purpose of helping you to focus your intent. When answering quiz questions about, for instance, what type of field interests you, you will be asked:

• Do you have numerous hobbies and interests?
• Do you enjoy reading technical manuals?
• Do you enjoy creative activities?
• Are you a hands-on worker or do you prefer to create big-picture plans?

These types of questions help you realize the ways in which you differ from others. We all have distinct personalities, and some are simply more suited to accounting, some are simply more suited to graphic design. They say you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, and it’s true. It means you can’t just take someone with a natural propensity for numbers and data analysis and turn them into a marketing guru just because that’s where the jobs are. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses. A business career quiz can help you along the way to figuring out just where yours lie.