Have your peers called you a leader? Do you have long-term plans? Are you considering a career in business administration? If a career in the business world interests you, know that the right education can open the door to the most fulfilling business administration career opportunities. Following your passion is important, as made clear by Apple Inc. co-founder, Steve Jobs: “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
Despite some ups and downs in the last decade, the American economy – built on the sturdy shoulders of business – remains active. Areas of business growth can change with time, and more recently with technology, but the fundamentals remain strong. All of this points to the continued popularity of the Business Administration degree at America’s colleges and universities. Many employers still seek applicants with this degree as the backbone of their company’s workforce, particularly for entry-level positions.
Students, including working adults returning to school to start or finish a degree, will want to know: “What business administration degree careers are available for me?” Here’s a two-part guide to answering this question, and some related questions to consider as you get about the business of, well, business!
Job Prospects for Business Administration Majors
There are three things to consider when researching your business administration career opportunities: Position, Industry, and Salary. First, what industry (or field) do you want to work in? The great thing about careers with a business administration degree is that they are very flexible, potentially opening a number of doors to you. The business administration careers list below includes the various industries where you may utilize your business education:
- Healthcare
- Finance and Banking
- Foodservice
- Hospitality
- Information Technology
- Media and Advertising
That’s just a short list. Bottom line, there’s a need to have educated and experienced business generalists in almost any industry.
“But,” you may be asking, “What careers in business administration are out there?” Good question. Here are some popular careers with a business administration degree:
- Office Manager
- Sales Associate or Manager
- Business Analyst
- Marketing Associate
- Recruiter
Getting a better picture of what’s available? Well, here’s something to get you even more excited:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/home.htm), the average salary for business administration careers was $65,710 (as of May 2015).
How to Get Ahead with a Business Administration Degree
If you’re thinking even further down the road, you may want to know what opportunities for advancement a Business Administration degree offers. It is a versatile degree sought after by many companies, but if you want to get promoted, you need to be prepared to differentiate yourself. Here are a few ways you would do that:
- Got the itch to travel? Consider taking international business courses as part of your Business Administration degree. Better yet, consider taking foreign language classes to make you even more appealing to prospective employers.
- Technology, particularly internet-based startup businesses, are dominant in today’s marketplace. Don’t believe it? Think Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat. Oh, and don’t forget the companies like Google and Apple were, once upon a time, small startups as well. What they all have in common is the need for marketing. Customers today are on social media channels like the ones mentioned above, and in order to reach them companies employ social media marketing. So you may want to consider learning more about social media marketing.
- Finally, when the time is right, you may want to consider pursuing a graduate degree, such as a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA). The Business Administration bachelor’s degree is great for many positions, but if you want to specialize in a particular area such as accounting, finance, or human resources, your employer is going to want you to have advanced training to go along with your experience. Fortunately, your employer may offer tuition reimbursement opportunities if this is something you want to do. Talk to your supervisor or manager and see if you are eligible, and if you are, think seriously about taking advantage of the opportunity.
If you are serious about pursuing a career in business administration, and want to begin your Business Administration degree, then Point University can help. Point offers both an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. You can take classes online, or at Point’s campuses in West Point, Peachtree City, or Atlanta, Georgia.
And here’s even more good news – Point recently launched its new graduate program, featuring its MBA degree.
This is a brand-new, very versatile degree that may be perfect for advancing your career that is available online.