10 answers
Aniya
Student
Bettendorf, Iowa
1
Question
Asked
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what can i do better in school to build up a career in business?
I'm taking a few classes like criminals justice but i know that helps out with law what classes do you think help with business?
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10 answers
Mike Budd
Sales Performance Consultant
5
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Mike’s Answer
I am a firm believer in learning from a sales role. Nothing will shape a business mind better than experience as a sales professional. From selling goods/services in a small retailer to starting your career in a new industry, you learn so much about your ability to think like a business professional when you are in sales.
My son just graduated High school, and is now pursuing a Marketing/Entrepreneur degree at the University of New Mexico (Anderson school of Business) He was in DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America). DECA built an early confidence for him to help decide what he wanted to do with his future. As a Student, you are competing against other Students and this starts to get you thinking like you would in a Career. Most High schools offer DECA. Check out their webpage https://www.deca.org/.
Elizabeth Chaplin
Jerome Dees Jr.
Sales Professional and Networking Expert
500
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Jerome’s Answer
Join clubs, network with others and jump at any opportunities that come your way. Ask teachers for extra credit or chances to do more. Sometimes, just by letting people know that you want more, you can better position yourself.
Adrian Santos
Marine Security Guard
151
Answers
Lome, Maritime Region, Togo
Updated
Adrian’s Answer
Hello Aniya,
Working in a restaurant is a fantastic way to master the art of customer service. It's a job that's readily available for college students, thanks to the flexible hours that most restaurants, especially in college towns, offer. In such a dynamic setting, you'll learn how to manage stress effectively. Roles like serving, bartending, or cooking can help students develop resilience and the ability to handle difficult customers, a vital skill in any industry.
Taking a job that pays on commission is a great way to learn about sales, a highly sought-after skill in the business world. By earning through sales and commissions, students can understand the importance of closing a deal. This not only impacts the business directly but also their personal finances, motivating them to sell more and increase profitability. The more time you spend in this environment, the higher your chances of moving up within the company. After a few years of dedication and hard work, retail salespeople often get promoted to management positions.
Once you've spent enough time with a company, you might get the opportunity to manage. This is a wonderful way to gain experience, as managers are in charge of the smooth running of the business. Managers learn and use skills like task delegation, financial management, order completion, hiring, and conducting interviews daily. A managerial role is one of the best ways to prepare for a career in business.
Taking on the role of a receptionist is a great way to get a feel for office work. Receptionists manage the office, maintain employee records, handle mail and packages, and assist with office organization. They are often the go-to person for employees in need. This role is a great stepping stone for those aspiring to be project managers.
Running an online store (like Etsy) selling art, baked goods, or other handmade items is a fun and personal way to gain business experience. You'll get hands-on experience in business management without having to report to anyone. Now is the perfect time to come up with business model ideas, unique value propositions, and marketing strategies. This experience will give you skills in business administration, customer service, entrepreneurship, and planning and scheduling.
Freelancing is another excellent way for students to gain business experience, regardless of their field of study. It offers some of the best real-world industry experience as students will interact with clients and learn what works and what doesn't for their target market based on client feedback.
Internships are arguably the best way to gain practical experience and refine business skills. They allow students to apply real-world skills under the mentorship of a professional in their desired field. Internships prepare students who aspire to work in a business in the future. For example, an internship at a company providing internet marketing services will equip a student for a dynamic work environment and keep them updated on the latest trends in e-commerce and online lead generation.
Working in a restaurant is a fantastic way to master the art of customer service. It's a job that's readily available for college students, thanks to the flexible hours that most restaurants, especially in college towns, offer. In such a dynamic setting, you'll learn how to manage stress effectively. Roles like serving, bartending, or cooking can help students develop resilience and the ability to handle difficult customers, a vital skill in any industry.
Taking a job that pays on commission is a great way to learn about sales, a highly sought-after skill in the business world. By earning through sales and commissions, students can understand the importance of closing a deal. This not only impacts the business directly but also their personal finances, motivating them to sell more and increase profitability. The more time you spend in this environment, the higher your chances of moving up within the company. After a few years of dedication and hard work, retail salespeople often get promoted to management positions.
Once you've spent enough time with a company, you might get the opportunity to manage. This is a wonderful way to gain experience, as managers are in charge of the smooth running of the business. Managers learn and use skills like task delegation, financial management, order completion, hiring, and conducting interviews daily. A managerial role is one of the best ways to prepare for a career in business.
Taking on the role of a receptionist is a great way to get a feel for office work. Receptionists manage the office, maintain employee records, handle mail and packages, and assist with office organization. They are often the go-to person for employees in need. This role is a great stepping stone for those aspiring to be project managers.
Running an online store (like Etsy) selling art, baked goods, or other handmade items is a fun and personal way to gain business experience. You'll get hands-on experience in business management without having to report to anyone. Now is the perfect time to come up with business model ideas, unique value propositions, and marketing strategies. This experience will give you skills in business administration, customer service, entrepreneurship, and planning and scheduling.
Freelancing is another excellent way for students to gain business experience, regardless of their field of study. It offers some of the best real-world industry experience as students will interact with clients and learn what works and what doesn't for their target market based on client feedback.
Internships are arguably the best way to gain practical experience and refine business skills. They allow students to apply real-world skills under the mentorship of a professional in their desired field. Internships prepare students who aspire to work in a business in the future. For example, an internship at a company providing internet marketing services will equip a student for a dynamic work environment and keep them updated on the latest trends in e-commerce and online lead generation.
Al Fiene
Small Church Pastor and actor/singer
9
Answers
Fridley, Minnesota
Updated
Al’s Answer
I "second" Amalya's answer. Criminal Justice is a very good career field, but if you are interested in being in the business world, those classes will not contribute as much to your business knowledge. If business is your goal, see what business-related courses your school offers (accounting, advertising and media relations, entrepreneurship, introduction to business, etc.). Of course, if your studies help you develop critical thinking skills, no course of study is a waste.
Olga Romantsova
Data Science
1
Answer
Fletcher, North Carolina
Updated
Olga’s Answer
To excel in the business sector, consider enrolling in courses such as economics, accounting, personal finance, or, if available, statistics. Additionally, participate in extracurricular activities, such as the debate club, and explore leadership opportunities.
While high school offerings may vary, remember that college will provide ample opportunities to join clubs and organizations, allowing you to climb the ranks to positions like Treasurer or President. Prioritize your growth in financial understanding, leadership skills, and effective teamwork.
While high school offerings may vary, remember that college will provide ample opportunities to join clubs and organizations, allowing you to climb the ranks to positions like Treasurer or President. Prioritize your growth in financial understanding, leadership skills, and effective teamwork.
Amalya Sukiasyan
ESOL teacher at Washington English Center
298
Answers
Yerevan
Updated
Amalya’s Answer
Hi Aniya,
It's great that you have so many interests. But when it comes to business, law and criminal justice classes may not help in my opinion. There are significant differences between those fields and business. So it would be better for you to decide what option is more interesting and inspiring to you: Business or criminal justice? Once you've decided, follow that path.
Wish you all the best.
It's great that you have so many interests. But when it comes to business, law and criminal justice classes may not help in my opinion. There are significant differences between those fields and business. So it would be better for you to decide what option is more interesting and inspiring to you: Business or criminal justice? Once you've decided, follow that path.
Wish you all the best.
Jose Puga
Financial Analyst
4
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Jose’s Answer
To lay the foundation for a successful business career, you need to start from the ground up. This involves achieving strong academic results in college and maintaining a GPA above 3.0. This demonstrates to potential employers that you possess a certain level of competency. This is the minimum expectation and something you have direct control over. Furthermore, if you're in your second or third year of college, it's time to start applying for internships. This requires you to be well-equipped with both technical and interpersonal skills. Your college's career center can provide additional support in this area. Remember, don't be disheartened by multiple rejections - it's common to submit over 100 applications in the business sector. Keep your spirits high and good luck on your journey!
Katherine Avery
Run a music studio and teach private music lessons; teach college-level religion classes
222
Answers
Spanish Fork, Utah
Updated
Katherine’s Answer
My recommendation, having been a business owner who also studied business in college, is to spend time with these materials and not worry about taking anything else on through a college until you've read them and can decide what else you might think needs to go on top of it from a college class angle:
Dave Ramsey's book EntreLeadership
This manual/workbook (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/ldsorg/topics/self-reliance/2017/14678_sgmb_book_eng.pdf?lang=eng)
Dave Ramsey's book EntreLeadership
This manual/workbook (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bc/content/ldsorg/topics/self-reliance/2017/14678_sgmb_book_eng.pdf?lang=eng)
Omani Gilliam
Business Executive | Opening the Doors of Power & Influence for Lasting Inclusive Change. Cross-Functional Doer & Cross Silo Collaborator | CFO
20
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Omani’s Answer
Hi,
Besides standard business classes, I recommend taking as much psychology as you can and social sciences. You would be amazed how much the study of human behaviors relates to a solid business acumen and success. One of the best, absolute phenomenal teachings I learned that helped me in my career and in business was in a social science class in college. It was called the Johari Window technique. Look it up on YouTube, you are bright and can learn the basic concepts in 15 minutes. The beauty about learning this was understanding our mind has 4 quadrants, of what we know about ourselves, and one knows. What others know about us, and we don't know, areas of our open self and hidden. Think about that for a second. Once we tap into that, it bridges a whole new understanding in feedback of how you can make better decisions. Feedback is always a gift! That my friend is what the most successful business minds use, tapping into feedback and understanding their blind spots. We all have them. Learn about cognitive dissonance and cognitive distortions.
Best of luck! You got this!
Besides standard business classes, I recommend taking as much psychology as you can and social sciences. You would be amazed how much the study of human behaviors relates to a solid business acumen and success. One of the best, absolute phenomenal teachings I learned that helped me in my career and in business was in a social science class in college. It was called the Johari Window technique. Look it up on YouTube, you are bright and can learn the basic concepts in 15 minutes. The beauty about learning this was understanding our mind has 4 quadrants, of what we know about ourselves, and one knows. What others know about us, and we don't know, areas of our open self and hidden. Think about that for a second. Once we tap into that, it bridges a whole new understanding in feedback of how you can make better decisions. Feedback is always a gift! That my friend is what the most successful business minds use, tapping into feedback and understanding their blind spots. We all have them. Learn about cognitive dissonance and cognitive distortions.
Best of luck! You got this!
Niki Mikkilineni
Financial Analyst
5
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Niki’s Answer
Entrepreneurship classes were my favorite classes in business school that teach you the foundations and allow you to put business theory into practice! If you have access to those kinds of classes or other business subjects like Marketing, Finance, Communications, Economics.. these would be a good place to start!
Business is broad, so I think it's a great idea to get a feel of what you'd like to do through jobs or internships! A customer service job can teach you many business skills that classes do not. Internships can give you a better sense of the options out there and more experience in one particular area to see if you like it or not!
Business is broad, so I think it's a great idea to get a feel of what you'd like to do through jobs or internships! A customer service job can teach you many business skills that classes do not. Internships can give you a better sense of the options out there and more experience in one particular area to see if you like it or not!