Business Jobs

We live in a world driven by business.  It is probably safe to say that every single product you use and every place you visit can be traced back to the business world.  Business is a field that will never go out of style, and there will always be a need for more men and women to hold business jobs.  Business is a broad field which offers a variety of opportunities in different industries.  Here is a list of just some of the many different business careers available:

Business Administration Jobs
Many people with a business degree have a BBA or MBA, a bachelor’s or master’s of business administration.  Because a degree in business administration covers such a broad curriculum, this business degree provides students with the knowledge to pursue any business job while also offering opportunities to specialize in specific areas, like accounting or sales.  But what about actual business administration jobs?  You may want to enter a management or supervisory position, or even get started on your career goal to someday become a top-level executive.  Business administration jobs may include CEO, COO, president, vice president, regional manager, assistant general manager, administrative support, and purchasing manager.

Business Development Jobs
A career in business development involves identifying new business opportunities and determining whether it is profitable to take advantage of these opportunities.  This may include making decisions regarding entering new markets, developing new products, forming partnerships, changing sales processes and strategic planning.  Business development professionals then design a plan of action to implement the chosen changes.  Business development jobs require strong analytical skills and business knowledge.  A business degree is required, and it may be a smart to begin your career with business jobs in finance, corporate sales or consulting before looking for business development jobs.

Business Management Jobs
Any job that involves managing others and overseeing operations is considered a business management job.  Because managers are needed in a wide range of different industries, business management jobs can be tailored to meet your other interests.  For example, you may pursue retail management, healthcare management and hospital management, manufacturing management, sales management, human resources management, restaurant management or hotel management.  A strong business background will prove helpful for a management job in any industry, including ones that don’t appear to be as business-oriented, such as healthcare and manufacturing.  Some business jobs in management, particularly in the retail and food services industries, look more for experience and the right job skills rather than a college education.  Other business management jobs will require a college degree.  A career in corporate business management may also take you on the path toward highly regarded positions such as vice president or CEO.

Marketing Jobs
The first thing to know about business marketing jobs are the “Four P’s of Marketing:” product, promotion, price and placement.  The marketing department deals with all aspects of the products offered by a company, from designing a product in order to meet customer needs, to marketing campaigns that get the product in the hands of the consumer.  Business marketing jobs can be found in large consumer product companies like Kraft Foods and Clorox, as well as consumer service companies such as American Express.  You may also pursue business-to-business marketing, where one company markets and sells their product to another company, or work for a marketing agency.  Marketing jobs are great for individuals who are both creative and analytical.

International Business Jobs
International business refers to any firm that has operations in more than one country, including multinational corporations (such as PepsiCo, Marathon Oil, and Ford Motor Company), joint ventures, financial institutions and consulting agencies.  Most companies do not have entire departments devoted to international business, so when looking for an international business job, you may want to get involved in the finance, marketing, or sales aspects of a company that operates internationally.  For international business jobs, it is best to have general business knowledge in a particular field alongside international-related business knowledge such as that of cultural understanding, foreign language fluency, international trade and the world economy.

Finance Jobs
Finance and banking are two of the most popular industries in business.  One of the great things about a career in finance is that there are many different options to choose from.  Some finance careers include investment banking, sales and trading, financial advising, asset management, corporate finance, accounting, commercial banking, insurance and real estate management.  Many companies and firms recruit undergraduate and graduate students for finance jobs such as sales and trading and asset management.  If you are interested in finance but don’t want to be spending your days (and nights) on Wall Street, you might want to consider accounting, insurance, or commercial banking.

Sales Jobs
There is a lot more to sales jobs than door-to-door salesmen and car dealerships.  Some types of sales, such as retail sales, do not require much formal training, while other business jobs in sales often require business degrees, and they may involve tasks such as data analysis and corporate visits to clients.  Different types of business jobs in sales may include corporate sales, pharmaceutical sales, advertising sales, real estate sales and insurance sales.  Communication skills are one of the most important aspects of a career in sales, as well as extensive knowledge and expertise in one’s industry.  In many aspects of sales, experience is more important than education.

Consulting Jobs
One of the most desired business jobs for college graduates is consulting.  Consultants may either work independently or for a large consulting firm.  Consultants are hired by companies to analyze business problems, make recommendations, and implement a solution.  There are many different types of consulting jobs including management and strategy consulting, technology consulting, human resources consulting, healthcare consulting and manufacturing consulting.  Consulting jobs offer a lot of variety in terms of different clients and projects.  Business jobs in consulting also require strong problem-solving skills and an analytical mind.

Human Resources Jobs
Business jobs in human resources cover a large range of duties, such as hiring employees, facilitating terminations and separations, putting together benefits packages, maintaining organizational structure and company culture, encouraging employee communication and solving disputes, and measuring employee performance.  More specific job titles within the human resources field may include HR manager, payroll administrator, recruiter and benefits manager.

This list of business jobs could go on and on.  In fact, business professionals are also seeking out business careers in industries that are not typically associated with business, such as healthcare, law, non-profits, and government.  This shows the versatility of having a business background and the many different options available for careers in business, both for those of you with a business degree and for those without.