? for those with business degrees

[IcSyU]

I'm a freshman at Iowa State and was thinking about asking this same question. I'm currently open option and undecided but definitely considering business. I like organizing things and managing things so I was considering business management with something specific (like accounting or financing) as a minor, but from the looks of it maybe I should do it the opposite way? With accounting or financing as a major and management as the minor, perhaps?

Minor or double major in management. Management only is going to limit your potential landing spots if there isn't something you're already knowledgeable with. Something like accounting/finance/etc. with management will go further.

Accounting is definitely a hot field, and accountants will have jobs forever due to SOX (obviously I'm a bit biased). Additionally, people will always need their taxes done. Like isufbcurt said, get the CPA exam taken care of and you'll be bathing in money. Not only does it give you a solid start on jobs, your ability to move up in the business world is much higher.

 

[cyclone13]

Accounting is not really bad for math haters because the math is not really rocket-science math. With finance, it depends what you'd like to do: corporate finance, investment banking ,etc ?

But the first question is: what's your passion ? What would you like to do ?

 

[Stewo]

Main thing is to get in the general area of employment that you want. EVERY job I have ever had was attributed to who I knew. If you don't like math at all but like to interact, sales /marketing would be a good fit. The highest earners are in sales, but so are the lowest. Depends on if your any good or not.

Btw, looks like you were in the military. If so, a big thanks for your service. Midwesterners like individuals who have served, good resume enhancer.

That's the thing, and a major reason why I started this thread. I want to know what others have experienced in the business world and also outside of that. I knew that it would expand outside of what I asked and that I would get some food for thought. I don't want to make it sound like I'm asking others what I should major in, rather I want to get a feel from people in the real world, and not what a website tells me. I am in the military and have been for nearly 12 years. By the time I will have finished my degree, I will have 15-16 years completed. Obviously, I'm not a young 20's guy with little to no life experience. I've deployed to Afghanistan twice, did the flood duty thing, etc. Not to be cocky, but I know that with a degree in hand plus my military and life experience, I have no concerns that I'll be more attractive to prospective employers than, for instance, those straight out of college. I've worked many jobs. From my high school Taco John's job to working in an office setting to working with juvenile delinquents to being a welder for John Deere and now I'm back to working in an office. Yeah. I've never had any idea what I've wanted to do.

 

[Stewo]

Accounting is not really bad for math haters because the math is not really rocket-science math. With finance, it depends what you'd like to do: corporate finance, investment banking ,etc ?

But the first question is: what's your passion ? What would you like to do ?

Hand to God, I'd love to sell cars. The thing about that is, you have zero life. Outside of that, I don't really know. I mean, being in a management position would be a good fit for me, I think.

 

[cyclone13]

That's the thing, and a major reason why I started this thread. I want to know what others have experienced in the business world and also outside of that. I knew that it would expand outside of what I asked and that I would get some food for thought. I don't want to make it sound like I'm asking others what I should major in, rather I want to get a feel from people in the real world, and not what a website tells me. I am in the military and have been for nearly 12 years. By the time I will have finished my degree, I will have 15-16 years completed. Obviously, I'm not a young 20's guy with little to no life experience. I've deployed to Afghanistan twice, did the flood duty thing, etc. Not to be cocky, but I know that with a degree in hand plus my military and life experience, I have no concerns that I'll be more attractive to prospective employers than, for instance, those straight out of college. I've worked many jobs. From my high school Taco John's job to working in an office setting to working with juvenile delinquents to being a welder for John Deere and now I'm back to working in an office. Yeah. I've never had any idea what I've wanted to do.

Stewo, do you want to know the life in public accounting and corporate accounting ? If so, I'd PM you because it'll be a long story and I'm not sure whether anyone else wants to read it :twitcy: . I'll give you the complete story, not just the glamorous side.

 

[mike4cy]

Hand to God, I'd love to sell cars. The thing about that is, you have zero life. Outside of that, I don't really know. I mean, being in a management position would be a good fit for me, I think.

If you are good at selling, or want to sell...I would think a lot about insurance. Once you put in some time and get some people working below you, then they get people below them...I'm not sure if you have to work much at all. And you make your own hours and schedule. That is a job where you can truely get out every bit that you put in. Sadly I can't stand sales.

 

[Stewo]

Stewo, do you want to know the life in public accounting and corporate accounting ? If so, I'd PM you because it'll be a long story and I'm not sure whether anyone else wants to read it :twitcy: . I'll give you the complete story, not just the glamorous side.

Please send it.

If you are good at selling, or want to sell...I would think a lot about insurance. Once you put in some time and get some people working below you, then they get people below them...I'm not sure if you have to work much at all. And you make your own hours and schedule. That is a job where you can truely get out every bit that you put in. Sadly I can't stand sales.

Here's my thing about selling insurance...I know nothing about how it works. For instance, selling cars is about people coming to you. Also, I'm a car guy anyway. Maybe this is a direction I should go. I obviously have research to do before I make any decisions.

 

[erikbj]

I have degrees in finance and Econ... Started off working on a trade desk at a broker dealer, spent a couple years doing compliance, now I have been running an advisory firm for 4 years. Just started getting into the tap and 401k world.

Only advice is to do as many different things and learn many different aspects of business while you are young.

 

[mike4cy]

Please send it.



Here's my thing about selling insurance...I know nothing about how it works. For instance, selling cars is about people coming to you. Also, I'm a car guy anyway. Maybe this is a direction I should go. I obviously have research to do before I make any decisions.

Auto dealers need financial planners and logistics experts just like everyone else. Or even just sell cars, period. If you can do it well, there is a crap load of money there...but no weekend life at all.

 

[Stewo]

Auto dealers need financial planners and logistics experts just like everyone else. Or even just sell cars, period. If you can do it well, there is a crap load of money there...but no weekend life at all.

This is a good point. Like I said, I have research to do.

 

[CycoCyclone]

I have an MIS degree, working as a Business Analyst for an Insurance company out at jordan creek :wink:

 

[BCClone]

Hand to God, I'd love to sell cars. The thing about that is, you have zero life. Outside of that, I don't really know. I mean, being in a management position would be a good fit for me, I think.

I have sold cars and managed a car dealership. Yes, it chews up nights and some/most weekends at first. Once you get set, you are routines and time frees up some. Takes about three years to get a decent clientele list established.

Bad news is they don't all come to you, many do but there is a lot of cold calling and making every interaction, even going to a friends wedding or little league game a selling op. If you have kids, it can be a little tougher. A single guy, cant beat the life if you are selling well.

Nice part of cars is you won't be on the road if you don't like traveling. You will see you're family at night and mornings instead of road salesmen who see them onsundays and video chat.

I left because Of broken promises and a fellow civic organization, you will need to be in many of these, offered to basically double my wages with less weekends.

 

[rtchenoweth]

I graduated in Finance in 99. I worked at Merrill Lynch and Evern Securities in College. Moved to AZ 2 weeks after Graduation. Most places I interviewed with wanted a guy with sales expeirence. So I worked for a Liquor distributor in sales for 9 years and now I am the AZ manager for Jim Beam Global Wine and Spirits. When I got hired with Beam 8 months ago, they said the thing that jumped out on my resume was that I had a Finance degree and that they pretty much require one to move up nowadays, since they deay with budgets and pricing for all the brands. So finally my degree in Finance is helping.

 

[Stewo]

Thanks for the feedback gents. I just needed some assistance with getting the juices flowing.

 

[IcSyU]

I just needed some assistance with getting the juices flowing.

I have a feeling this isn't the first time you've said this to the gents.

And if all else fails, put Jimmy Fallon on your resume and just go with it. :biglaugh:

 

[Stewo]

I have a feeling this isn't the first time you've said this to the gents.

And if all else fails, put Jimmy Fallon on your resume and just go with it. :biglaugh:

Maybe....

I've thought about being Jimmy's stunt double, but he doesn't actually do anything with movies anymore. Sigh.

 

[thatguy]

wine and liquor rep

 

[longtimeclone]

Stewo, do you want to know the life in public accounting and corporate accounting ? If so, I'd PM you because it'll be a long story and I'm not sure whether anyone else wants to read it :twitcy: . I'll give you the complete story, not just the glamorous side.

I actually doubled in Accounting and Management and yes there is some math in accounting but it is pretty simple and I use a calculator daily. I would say that accounting is more about what the numbers mean and represent than actual math. I really liked my management classes because it was a break from the numbers and I enjoyed discussing case studies. I would suggest looking at management degree because I think it would complement your military experience well.

When I graduated the job market was pretty rough and the accounting majors were doing a little better about finding jobs while in school. I currently work for a public firm right now and given your age I would not recommend public accounting as you would be older than most of your managers and quite a bit older than your peers. Also working in public can be a rough life with a lot of travel and some long days, which is easier when you are younger, so I would suggest the private accounting route if that is what you choose.

 

[Cyclone1985]

Please send it.



Here's my thing about selling insurance...I know nothing about how it works. For instance, selling cars is about people coming to you. Also, I'm a car guy anyway. Maybe this is a direction I should go. I obviously have research to do before I make any decisions.

Yes, selling in cars is more "inside sales" -- customer coming to you.
Insurance sales is tough to start up and stick with. You basically spend Mon and Tues cold calling to set -up appointments for the rest of the week. First couple years can be brutal hours and brutal pay, unless you're a god at selling, but after year 3 you can make bank. If you don't have a wife or kids this is much easier.

 

[04clone]

IMO, don't waste your time with an undergraduate degree in Marketing (unless you want to do entry-level sales) or Management. A Marketing degree will not get you a job doing marketing, only sales, and a Management degree only qualifies you to be an assistant manager at the local Wal-Mart. Both are fields that you get into with an MBA, not a B.S.

I graduated from the College of Business and worked in the business world for a number of years. No business of any size is going to hire fresh college grad to be a manager. You should pick a field and a function (accounting, finance, IT, supply chain, project management) you enjoy and get some experience. Then, once you understand your business and your products, you can start looking at getting into marketing or move into management.