Business careers are often seen as a safe bet for college graduates. The job pool is large compared to other fields, and the salaries can be very attractive.
However, this means nothing without a clear idea of which business jobs would suit your skillset and qualifications. The range of business careers is vast and diverse, and while some require specific qualifications, others may be accessed through relevant work experience.
So which field of business would suit you best? What qualifications do you need? Do you even need a college degree to get where you want to be? In this guide, we’ll take a look at the most common business careers, what they entail, and how you can get into them.
Business Careers Discussed in This Article
Table of Contents
- Education and Training for Business Careers
- Tips for Success in Business Careers
- What Are Some Popular Business Fields?
- Business Careers
- Alternative Career Paths in Business
- Conclusion: Business Careers
Education and Training for Business Careers
There are various educational pathways and degrees relevant to business careers, including:
- Associate’s Degree in Business: This two-year program provides a foundation in business principles and practices, suitable for entry-level positions or further studies.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration: A four-year program that covers a range of business disciplines, such as finance, marketing, and management, preparing graduates for a variety of business careers.
- Master of Business Administration (MBA): An advanced degree that builds upon the knowledge gained in a bachelor’s program, often focusing on specialized areas of business and leadership skills.
Continuous learning and professional development are essential in the business world, as industries and practices evolve rapidly. Staying up-to-date with the latest trends, tools, and technologies can help you maintain a competitive edge and advance in your career. Participating in workshops, attending conferences, and earning industry-specific certifications are some ways to demonstrate your commitment to ongoing professional growth.
Building a successful business career also involves gaining practical experience through internships, mentorships, and networking. Internships provide hands-on experience and a chance to apply the theories learned in the classroom to real-world situations. Mentorships offer guidance and insights from experienced professionals, helping you navigate the complexities of the business world. Networking allows you to establish connections with other professionals in your field, opening doors to new opportunities and career growth.
Tips for Success in Business Careers
Several factors contribute to success in business careers, including effective networking, mentorship, staying updated on industry trends and news, and developing essential skills and competencies. Networking allows professionals to build relationships with peers, potential clients, and industry leaders, expanding their reach and creating opportunities for collaboration and career advancement. Attending industry events, joining professional associations, and leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn are excellent ways to expand one’s professional network.
Mentorship is another critical factor in achieving success in business careers. Having an experienced professional to offer guidance, share insights, and provide support can help individuals navigate their career paths, overcome challenges, and make informed decisions. To find a mentor, professionals can leverage their network, seek out programs offered by professional associations, or approach someone they admire in their field.
Keeping up with industry trends and news is essential in the rapidly evolving world of business. Reading industry publications, subscribing to relevant newsletters, and following thought leaders on social media can help professionals stay informed and gain insights that may inform their career decisions or job performance. Additionally, it’s crucial to continuously develop essential skills and competencies, such as communication, leadership, and problem-solving, as these transferable skills can serve as valuable assets in any business career.
Types of Business Jobs
You can divide business careers into three main camps:
- Administrative business jobs (business administration, operations management, human resources)
- Target-driven business jobs (sales management, project management)
- Analytic business jobs (business intelligence, economics)
Of course, there is room for crossover in some of these categories. For example, operations management is also a highly analytical job and target-driven to a degree. Still, these categories should help give you an idea of where you might best apply your skillset.
So what are the differences between these business jobs?
Administrative Business Jobs
Administrative business jobs are well-suited to applicants who possess strong organizational skills and understand how to balance separate areas of a business. Working in administration is all about finding the most efficient solutions to problems.
Target-Driven Business Jobs
Target-driven business jobs are suited to candidates who like to have clear-set goals and are skilled at driving things forward. If you find that delivering results on fixed-term projects is where you flourish, target-driven business careers are a solid choice. These professions may not require high levels of education.
Analytic Business Jobs
Analytic business jobs involve gathering and assessing information that informs the decision-making of administrators. Careers in analytic professions require great attention to detail and a keen eye for trends in data. Analytic jobs (especially as an economist) tend to require at least an undergraduate degree.
What Are Some Popular Business Fields?
Now we’ll take a look at the specifics of several popular fields of business.
Business Administration
If a company were an orchestra, then the business administrator would be the conductor. As a business administrator, you are responsible for overseeing all areas of a business and promoting synergy between them. In other words, everything is your problem.
These business jobs require an understanding of all areas of a corporation and how they depend on each other. Business careers in this field often require a degree at either undergraduate or Master’s level, although experience in relevant fields can also qualify you for this position.
Business Intelligence
The business intelligence is a field that uses analytics to help streamline a company and direct it towards growth. This is a tech-heavy path, so expect to spend a lot of time on a computer making graphs out of numbers.
The purpose of business intelligence is to notice:
- What a company is doing that isn’t working
- What a company isn’t doing that could give it a competitive edge
Due to their highly technical nature, these business careers almost always require a degree in math, computer science, or a similar area. However, with the growing number of alternative education options, you may be able to supplement your current undergraduate degree with a micro-degree in business analytics.
Economics
A company’s economist works as an analyst for external trends rather than internal. An economist’s job is to keep track of market trends and forecasts and understand their relevance to the company.
The economist presents information to the administration to enable the company to take advantage of opportunities and shield itself against external threats.
Economists are usually highly educated, with most corporate economist business jobs requiring a Master’s degree.
Sales Management
Sales management involves overseeing the corporation’s sales force and ensuring that targets are being met. This tends to be a very hands-on role, with a 2015 study finding that 32% of a sales manager’s day was spent managing the workforce. Sales management is characterized more by a commitment to consistently achieving daily goals than big picture analysis.
Sales management business jobs are very diverse, and managers come from all walks of life. Many work their way up from the sales team. Some come straight from management degrees, while others transfer from other managerial roles and business careers.
Project Management
Project management is concerned with facilitating fixed-term projects and seeing them through to a successful conclusion. These business jobs are part administrative and part target-driven — in this sense, project management lies somewhere between sales management and business administration.
Project management roles tend to be more dependent on experience than qualifications. This field requires you to be skilled in organization, communication, and problem-solving.
Operations Management
Operations management is the field most directly involved with the product or service a company puts out. An operations manager is responsible for ensuring that production runs smoothly.
A company’s entire operation rests on the product or service it eventually sells. The operations manager makes sure that all parts of the company are working efficiently towards this goal and that the final product is satisfactory. Operations managers may also be responsible for areas such as allocating budgets, hiring, and invoicing.
As this role is closely involved with the technical side of production, business careers in this path often call for a degree in a field such as industrial technology or commerce.
Human Resources
Human resources is the area of management concerned with a company’s workforce. This can range from employee grievances to payroll and requires excellent interpersonal skills. Organization and the ability to prioritize are also essential for an HR professional.
Many human resources professionals have qualifications, although experience is the most important factor in this career path. While less technical than some areas of administration, a successful HR manager requires a deft and delicate hand.
Business Careers
Now that we’ve covered the areas that make up an organization, it’s time to ask which business careers would suit you best. Below we describe several potential business careers along with their education requirements. We’ve also provided outlook and salary estimates for these business jobs.
Note on salaries: salary information for these business jobs is gathered using the median salary from indeed.com, as it offers a breakdown that details years of experience and bonuses/commission. Other sources may provide alternative estimates.
Project Manager
What Does a Project Manager Do?
A project manager oversees fixed-term projects, ensuring that deadlines are met and that the workforce understands their contributions towards the project’s goals. Responsibilities also include keeping projects within budget and working closely with operations and sales.
Project managers need to be able to handle responsibility under a high level of pressure. You need to display meticulous attention to detail and an ability to motivate people. If you’re a driven individual who understands the importance of fixed-term projects to a company’s wider success, you may thrive as a project manager.
Educational Requirements
A project manager may have a degree in business administration, although this is not essential. Relevant experience and PMP certification are the most important requirements. Not all jobs will require a PMP certification; however, it may make you a more competitive job applicant. Project management job training programs are also available that could help accelerate your career.
Job Outlook & Salary
The average entry-level salary for a project manager in the U.S. is around $76,000, with bonuses upwards of $13,000 also available. There are expected to be 22m new project management roles in the U.S. by 2027.
Operations Manager
Operations Managers are responsible for making sure that all processes between direction and production run as efficiently as possible. An operations manager oversees the company’s output and assesses how they can reduce unnecessary costs and increase productivity. You may be responsible for allocating budgets for projects and staffing.
As an Operations Manager, you should possess strong problem-solving skills as well as technical knowledge. Dealing with pressure and being able to manage a budget efficiently are essential qualities.
The best advice is to know which industry you’d like to specialize in before becoming an operations manager. Acquiring qualifications in that industry and focusing your degree towards a specific field will make you far more attractive than a ‘jack of all trades’ candidate for business careers in this path.
Educational Requirements
This path typically requires at least a Bachelor’s degree in a field relating to production and commerce. Accreditation in a field related to a company’s niche is also desirable.
Job Outlook & Salary
Operations managers earn around $68,000 as a starting salary, scaling up to around $75,000 with experience. The average annual bonus is around $10,000.
All companies require operations managers, so this business path tends to be in high demand.
Sales Manager
Sales Managers are responsible for ensuring that the sales team meets its targets. Expect to spend a lot of time training and developing staff. A sales manager needs to identify where and why sales are falling short and come up with solutions. You’ll likely also be in charge of hiring new sales representatives.
You’ll need to be able to handle pressure and thrive in the noisy, often boisterous environment of a sales floor. That aside, a relatable personality and a powerful ability to motivate people are key factors to finding success as a sales manager, despite what Hollywood would have you believe.
Business careers in this path succeed when you know how to develop individuals and teach them to play to their strengths as sales representatives.
Educational Requirements
There are no strict educational requirements for a sales manager, though some companies consider a Bachelor’s degree desirable. Experience or education in any area which involves training and motivating people is helpful. Experience as a sales representative may also be advantageous.
Job Outlook & Salary
A sales manager’s salary depends on performance more than most. The average base salary in the U.S. is around $77,500 per year, with annual bonuses of around $10,000 and commission bonuses averaging $24,000.
Sales managers are always in demand, as every company needs a sales team. Growth is expected to match the national average from 2019 through 2029 (around 4%).
Human Resources Manager
Human Resource Managers are in charge of areas like recruitment, payroll, disciplinary action, and staff complaints. Staff holidays and sickness also fall under your jurisdiction.
As an HR manager, you are the link between the administration and the workforce. You need to be able to listen to both sides and convey concerns from the workforce upwards. Equally, you need to ensure that the company is getting the full potential out of the workforce.
If you’re highly organized, compassionate, and an effective communicator, this path may suit you.
Educational Requirements
Although there are no formal education requirements for an HR manager, many companies favor candidates with a Bachelor’s degree in an area such as finance. Some corporations even require a Master’s degree in human resources for higher-level positions.
Additionally, there may be some HR positions that require you to be SHRM certified. SHRM stands for the Society for Human Resource Management. Eligibility to receive your SHRM certification is based on your education level, your degree subject and work experience.
Job Outlook & Salary
The average entry-level salary of an HR manager in the U.S. is around $65,000. This scales up to around $74,000 with experience, plus bonuses of around $5,000.
The BLS predicts that business careers in HR management will grow by 6% through 2029. This is higher than the national average.
Account Manager
Business jobs in this area involve managing the company’s relationship with its customers. This may involve finding new business or ensuring that existing accounts are retained. You will likely also be responsible for account growth and meeting goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). Some Account Managers might also be responsible for managing and prioritizing projects on behalf of your client or as part of a team initiative. You’ll be the company’s ambassador to its clients and make sure that any concerns they have are addressed.
You need to be a strong communicator and an even better listener. Business careers in this area are all about balancing the interests of your company with those of your clients and sealing the deal. Because Account Manager’s might have some project management tasks, you should also be organized and be able to efficiently prioritize tasks. There’s a great deal of satisfaction to be found in this career path if you think you’d be suited to it.
Educational Requirements
This role typically requires a Bachelor’s degree in an area such as business administration or marketing and experience in sales or marketing.
Job Outlook & Salary
On top of a median salary of roughly $57,000, account managers earn an average bonus of $12,000 and a commission of $15,000 annually.
Business jobs in account management tend to be in high demand, as businesses have a universal need to maintain strong relationships with their clients.
Sales Development Representative
Sales development representatives verify leads before the pitch is made. This means that they establish whether a sales pitch is worth making and liaise with potential clients before the sales team takes over.
If you like sales but are more interested in the analytical side, you may do well as an SDR. Researching leads and helping to build a pitch is one of the most rewarding parts of a business career. You should be able to hold firm under pressure and have strong research skills.
Educational Requirements
This role often calls for a Bachelor’s degree in sales or marketing. Some employers consider several years of relevant experience to be equal to education.
Job Outlook & Salary
The median entry-level salary in this field is around $59,000, scaling up to $74,000 with experience. This is in addition to annual bonuses of around $25,000 and commission bonuses of $12,000.
Much like account managers, SDRs are always in high demand as companies look to increase business.
Alternative Career Paths in Business
While traditional business careers offer numerous opportunities, some professionals may be more interested in alternative career paths, such as entrepreneurship and small business ownership, non-profit and social enterprise management, or remote and freelance opportunities in business. These paths cater to different interests and skill sets, providing diverse avenues for success in the business world.
Entrepreneurship and small business ownership allow professionals to pursue their passions, create their own work environment, and shape their career trajectory. It requires dedication, resourcefulness, and a willingness to take risks, but can lead to immense personal and professional fulfillment.
Non-profit and social enterprise management offers the opportunity to combine business acumen with a passion for social impact. Professionals in this field apply their skills to organizations that address pressing social, environmental, or community issues, often finding a sense of purpose and making a tangible difference in people’s lives.
Finally, remote and freelance opportunities in business cater to those seeking flexibility in their work arrangements. These roles allow professionals to work from anywhere, set their schedules, and often work with multiple clients or projects, providing diverse experiences and the ability to adapt to different industries and fields.
Conclusion: Business Careers
There are many rewarding business careers out there, and someone’s right for all of them. The best approach is to have clear career goals before you begin pursuing a business career.
Being a jack-of-all-trades is all very well. But ensuring you get the specific education and experience that will lead you to your destination makes you a more desirable hire and increases your prospective earnings. Find your business path today and follow it to the end.