What Can I Do With This Major

Management

Management is the study of effective leadership and supervision within business. Management explores operative ways of planning, organizing, and leading, focusing on conflict resolution and keeping a company’s core values.

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Management

Common Career Paths

  • Entry-level/management-trainee
  • Supervision of employees and operations
  • Project management
  • Team management
  • Information management
  • Operations management
  • Middle management
  • Top management

Employers

  • Nearly every type of organization across industries offer management positions:
    • Banks and financial institutions
    • Retail stores
    • Restaurants
    • Hotels and other facilities
    • Service providers
  • Continued:
    • Healthcare organizations
    • Manufacturers
    • Software and technology companies
    • Educational institutions
  • Local, state, and federal government
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Self-employed

Strategies

  • Be prepared to start in entry-level management trainee positions or corporate rotational training programs
  • Complete an internship or co-op in management
  • Hold leadership positions on campus
  • Demonstrate advanced competency in professionalism/work ethic and leadership
  • Take courses in a secondary specialty such as marketing or information systems
  • Demonstrate proven teamwork skills and the ability to motivate others
  • Develop strong problem-solving skills

Human Resource Management

Common Career Paths

  • Recruiting/staffing
  • Compensation
  • Benefits
  • Training
  • Safety
  • Employee relations
  • Industrial relations
  • Organizational development
  • Equal employment opportunity
  • Employment law
  • Consulting

Employers

  • Large organizations in a variety of industries:
    • Banks and financial institutions
    • Retail stores
    • Restaurants
    • Hotels and other facilities
  • Continued:
    • Service providers
    • Healthcare organizations
    • Manufacturers
    • Software and technology companies
    • Educational institutions
  • Temporary or staffing agencies
  • Executive search firms
  • Local, state, and federal government
  • Labor unions
  • Major nonprofit organizations

Strategies

  • Take courses in psychology and sociology
  • Gain relevant experience through internships
  • Demonstrate verbal and written communication skills
  • Build strong problem-solving and conflict resolution skills
  • Develop strong computer skills
  • Join the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) as a student for professional development and networking
  • Earn a master’s degree for career advancement or a law degree for employment law

Operations Management

Common Career Paths

  • Operations research analysis:
    • Business strategy
    • Facilities layout
    • Inventory control
    • Personnel scheduling
  • Production management:
    • Line supervision
    • Manufacturing management
    • Production planning
    • Quality assurance
  • Materials management:
    • Purchasing/buying
    • Traffic management
    • Inventory management

Employers

  • Manufacturers
  • Industrial organizations
  • Service organizations
  • Higher education

Strategies

  • Complete an internship in facilities management
  • Develop strong analytical skills and a logical approach to problem solving
  • Learn budgeting and cost management
  • Take courses in statistics, computer systems, or logistics
  • Learn to successfully manage multiple situations and problems
  • Communicate effectively with different types of people in various functional areas
  • Earn an MBA for career advancement

Sales

Common Career Paths

  • Industrial sales
  • Consumer product sales
  • Financial services sales
  • Services sales
  • Advertising sales
  • Corporate sales
  • Manufacturer representation
  • Direct consumer sales
  • E-commerce
  • Customer service
  • Sales management:
    • District, regional, and higher

Employers

  • For-profit and nonprofit organizations
  • Product and service organizations
  • Manufacturers
  • Financial companies
  • Insurance companies
  • Print and electronic media outlets
  • Software and technology companies
  • Internet companies

Strategies

  • Management is a broad business degree that can lead to many career opportunities
  • Obtain experience through internships or part-time jobs
  • Seek leadership positions in campus organizations
  • Demonstrate the ability to work well on a team and effectively interact with others
  • Develop strong verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking
  • Conduct informational interviews with management professionals
  • Develop professional relationships through networking
  • Find an experienced mentor if possible
  • Seek companies that hire new graduates into rotational training or corporate leadership development programs
  • Be willing to relocate for entry-level opportunities
  • Earn an MBA after gaining work experience for promotion opportunities

Insurance

Common Career Paths

  • Sales
  • Claims
  • Underwriting
  • Risk management
  • Asset management
  • Loss control
  • Customer service

Employers

  • Insurance firms
  • Insurance brokers

Strategies

  • Complete an internship with an insurance agency
  • Talk to professionals in the industry to learn more about claims, underwriting, and risk management
  • Initiative and sales ability are necessary to be a successful agent or broker
  • Develop strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Research insurance industry certifications

Real Estate

Common Career Paths

  • Brokerage/Sales:
    • Residential
    • Commercial
  • Office and industrial
  • Farm and land
  • Property management
  • Appraising
  • Land development

Employers

  • Real estate brokers and firms
  • Banks
  • Appraisal firms
  • Apartment and condominium complexes
  • Leasing offices
  • Developers
  • Large corporations: real estate departments

Strategies

  • Research the process of becoming a real estate broker through the National Association of Realtors (requirements vary by state)
  • Obtain sales experience through part-time or internship positions
  • Develop an entrepreneurial spirit as nearly 60% of brokers and agents are self-employed
  • Investigate apprenticeships in appraisal if that is an area of interest

Banking and Finance

Common Career Paths

  • Commercial banking
  • Retail/consumer banking
  • Credit analysis
  • Lending
  • Trust services
  • Mortgage services
  • Branch management
  • Operations

Employers

  • Banks
  • Credit unions
  • Savings and loan associations
  • Financial services institutions
  • Wholesale lenders
  • Housing lenders
  • Federal Reserve banks

Strategies

  • Build a solid background in business including marketing and accounting
  • Get experience through part-time or internship positions in a bank
  • Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills

Sports Management

Common Career Paths

  • Sport management:
    • Olympic
    • Intercollegiate
    • High school
    • Youth
  • Athletic administration
  • Coaching
  • Recruiting
  • Student-athlete affairs
  • Compliance
  • Operations
  • Facilities management
  • Equipment management
  • Ticketing and sales
  • Sponsorship sales
  • Fundraising/Development
  • Hospitality management
  • Bowls and special events
  • Sport governance

Employers

  • Colleges and universities
  • National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
  • Conference offices (e.g., SEC, ACC)
  • National sport governing bodies
  • State governing bodies
  • Regional sport commissions
  • International Olympic Committee (IOC)
  • United States Olympic Committee (USOC)
  • High schools
  • Special Olympics
  • National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
  • Training centers
  • Youth sport organizations (e.g., Little League Baseball)
  • YMCAs, YWCAs
  • Sport related franchises (e.g., My Gym)
  • Sport camps

Strategies

  • Gain experience working with youth (e.g., content) volunteer or work at sport and recreation camps.
  • Coach youth sport teams or assist with high school teams.
  • Get involved with college sport teams, intramural leagues, or campus recreational programs.
  • Seek leadership roles in campus organizations. Serve as a peer advisor, tutor, resident assistant, etc.
  • Build relationships on campus with coaches and athletic administrators.
  • Gain relevant experience through practicum and internships.
  • Be prepared to work long and irregular hours.
  • Plan to earn a master’s degree in sport management, preferably from an accredited sports-focused school in sport management, business, or college student personnel for more opportunities and advancement. Work as a graduate assistant (GA) in the athletic department.
  • Obtain an assistant position and then head coach position at the university level to increase possibility of progressing to professional level.

Getting Started and Advancing in Major

  • Management is a broad business degree that can lead to many career opportunities.  Students should clearly define their career goals and gain the skills and experiences needed through internships, part-time jobs, or summer positions.
  • Get involved in student organizations and seek leadership roles.
  • Learn to work well on a team and to interact effectively with a wide variety of people.
  • Strong communication skills, including public speaking, are important to achieving success in this field.
  • Conduct informational interviews with professionals in jobs of interest to learn about their work environments.
  • Join related professional organizations and pursue certifications in your area of interest.
  • Develop and utilize a personal network of contacts.  Once in a position, find an experienced mentor.
  • Look for companies that hire new graduates into rotational training or corporate leadership development programs to gain exposure to multiple functional areas.
  • A willingness to relocate often opens more entry-level opportunities.
  • Consider earning an MBA after gaining work experience to reach the highest levels of business management.

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