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Business is a major with several different branches how do I know what I am best fit for?
Picking a college major?
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8 answers
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McKenzie’s Answer
A lesson that I learned very early in my college career is that the main reason you go to college is to start a career and get a job. Everything that you do in school from it being your major selection, to clubs and activities you participate in, should all be to help you in starting your career. With that in mind, I choose a major that was highly competitive but had the least number of students to stand out in the business school. My major was Economics which was very broad and can be useful in various areas of business but also helps you develop your mind as a strategic thinker and problem solver as you as having to look at business on a broad scope and consider various aspects of a business to make decisions.
I really enjoyed Economics but I'm also a math nerd, so I enjoyed Accounting and Finance as well. And the skills I developed in those classes helped me in my major as well. But remember, that your job is to stand out to an employer and/or grad school, if you take that path before starting your career.
I really enjoyed Economics but I'm also a math nerd, so I enjoyed Accounting and Finance as well. And the skills I developed in those classes helped me in my major as well. But remember, that your job is to stand out to an employer and/or grad school, if you take that path before starting your career.
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Kylyn’s Answer
Consider joining an organization in your business school where you can meet other students. You can ask them about their majors, ask them what their courses are like, and any other questions that you think may help you make the decision. I joined Delta Sigma Pi which is a business fraternity and this helped me choose my major within the business school once I was able to get to know older students who knew more about the majors and career paths that went with them.
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Megan’s Answer
This is a good question. Let's work backwards! Think of it as wanting a chocolate cake and needing to gather and mix all the ingredients together. The job description is the recipe.
What job do you want -> find an example job description -> what are the requirements for the job and what degree(s) does the job ask for -> is that degree(s) offered at your school -> are you interested in that degree
Hope this helps some!
What job do you want -> find an example job description -> what are the requirements for the job and what degree(s) does the job ask for -> is that degree(s) offered at your school -> are you interested in that degree
Hope this helps some!
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Sarah’s Answer
If you have any business related major you will likely have to take different business classes for that major. For example, I was a General Business Management major but I was still required to take a couple Accounting, Econ, Finance, Supply Chain and Information Systems classes. This was super helpful as I was able to get a taste of some of the other Business majors. I actually ended up switching my major to Finance after taking the finance courses. Which, keep in mind, is always an option (switching focuses). It is hard to know what you want to do when you are graduating high school!
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Collin’s Answer
One great benefits of business is that there are so many different options out there. I started my business degree assuming I would become a CEO or small business owner. Come to find out, that I was much happier working in the technology section of business. So, I pivoted my career direction several years after graduating from college. I wouldn't be so worried about choosing your perfect business career in college. Be open minded and follow that general direction. You can take several different courses in business and be honest about which ones fit your personality better and which ones you enjoy going too. Some people really enjoy sales while others would rather work in customer support. Some really want to be an entrepreneur while others want to work at very large well established organizations. Focus on the general skillset that your business classes will give you and keep in mind that you can pivot your career and those skills will help you in almost any field in business.
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Ailee’s Answer
Hi Daniel! This is a great question that I also asked myself throughout high school and even through my first two years of college. I highly recommend taking some introductory business classes in high school if possible. This will give you the advantage of early exposure to see if you are more interested in working with quantities (accounting, finance, data analytics) or literacy (marketing, management, human resources). If not, in college you will likely take many introductory classes even if your major is decided. For example, because accounting and finance were very difficult for me, I learned that these courses were not my strong suit, and I didn't have an inviolable passion for them. This changed when I first took marketing! I found myself intrigued and absorbed in the content, and I performed well in these classes as a result. I enjoyed attending lectures and even researching outside of the classroom. Taking all of these classes guides you through the process of elimination and you can always double major or minor in another field of interest (I am minoring in public relations and advertising). You will have plenty of time to change your mind and consider different paths before you need to commit to a decision. I also suggest researching what people do in the career fields that you are interested in, to see if these occupations are a good fit. This website details the different types of majors and their responsibilities, potential job titles, salary, etc. (https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/types-of-business-majors). There are also tons of personality and career tests that can give you answers about yourself that you may have never known or considered (link below!)
https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-11-best-career-quizzes-to-help-you-find-your-dream-job
Ailee recommends the following next steps:
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Elliot’s Answer
Great question! There is definitely no simple answer but there are certainly areas that work best for personalities. If numbers and math excite you, Finance, Accounting, or even Compensation in Human Resources are solid choices. If you are really extroverted and love chatting with folks, recruiting is a great option. If you want to support companies through technology, than information systems (or branches) are a great choice. They all have their pros and cons and unique earning potential but there is enough that if you keep searching you will find something that fits great for you.
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Wilson’s Answer
There are many factors on how to determine what you're going to be best fit for.
1. The classes that you'll take: In business, there are Intro to Higher Education (IHE) classes and lower division classes that will get you a better idea on the topics of business you may like: Accounting, Finance, Computer Information Systems, and so on. If there's a class that you like that may influence your decision on that branch, then try it out.
2. Clubs and organizations: You should participate (or be in the leadership) of various business organizations. They will bring speakers from various industries and departments that may influence on which branch you want to be part of. That's how I knew what Big 4 accounting firms are.
3. Extracurricular or Faculty Projects: If your college/university has availability to participate in presentations that are from your own faculty/professor or a competition from a club/outside organization, you should give it a shot. It will give you an idea on what skill you want to apply on, which may give you an idea on which branch you want to decide on.
1. The classes that you'll take: In business, there are Intro to Higher Education (IHE) classes and lower division classes that will get you a better idea on the topics of business you may like: Accounting, Finance, Computer Information Systems, and so on. If there's a class that you like that may influence your decision on that branch, then try it out.
2. Clubs and organizations: You should participate (or be in the leadership) of various business organizations. They will bring speakers from various industries and departments that may influence on which branch you want to be part of. That's how I knew what Big 4 accounting firms are.
3. Extracurricular or Faculty Projects: If your college/university has availability to participate in presentations that are from your own faculty/professor or a competition from a club/outside organization, you should give it a shot. It will give you an idea on what skill you want to apply on, which may give you an idea on which branch you want to decide on.