The Degrees that Actually Help in Business

How many times has a person been sitting in a classroom and heard, “oh don’t worry, you won’t ever actually use this in real life.”? It makes us think of algebra or the accounting work now done by Quick Books doesn’t it? And it happens much too frequently. It would be better to have an education filled with great information that can be applied, if not daily, at least regularly in your chosen job.

When it comes to business, there may be some classes that are more applicable to real-life work than others, so we’ve created a list of fields where the designations and certifications will benefit you. These benefits go beyond the “must have” educational credentials required to get the job. We’re talking about the kind of education that helps you do your job – no algebra required, we promise.

Business Management Basics

Perhaps the first certification or designation that is a feather in a business-person’s cap is one in Business Management. Rather than being specific or a niche-based program, a business management education is quite diverse and generalized and the career paths for business management majors are abundant. Jobs for those with a business management degree include areas like bookkeeping, operations, human resources, marketing, trade, logistics, sales and many others. Ultimately, this type of program sets you up to understand the various aspects of business, how to manage them and how to identify the area you’d like to work in.

Perhaps you’ve earned a business management designation and are looking for jobs after obtaining that business degree, but nothing seems right. You’re wondering if more education is the right step. It may be, depending on whether you enjoyed certain aspects of the business management degree training or not. For example, if you took great interest in the human resources (HR) course within the program, you may want to pursue the HR field.

Working with People

While very few jobs, after earning a business degree, are void of co-workers or human interaction, careers in human resources are all about people from the top to the bottom. This can be one of the best jobs if you enjoy working with people and people issues, because HR is among the highest in demand career focus currently and that growth is expected well into the future.

For some roles in HR, a business management major may be enough, but for the management positions, it’s likely an employer will require specific HR training and certification such as the Chartered Professionals in Human resources of British Columbia and Yukon. Education in a specific HR program like a Human Resources Management Diploma will position you with specific understanding around labour relations, personnel and recruiting as well as benefits and compensation – issues that are managed by those in HR.

Products, Communication and Positioning

Marketing and communications is part of what business management majors do and for those who enjoy that aspect of business, the world of marketing is a busy one. Beyond what is learned with a business degree, there are many different marketing programs to enhance the education in the marketing and communications arena. Digital marketing, social media and content management are the high-growth areas.

The Canadian Marketing Association has even added their own course to the offerings in the marketing realm – their Certified Marketing Specialist Designation is just one of many new marketing programs available. While being a marketing manager may seem a “big city” type of job with big companies located only in high-density centres, you would be surprised with the number of smaller firms who recognize the benefits of having a marketing specialist on their team.

Bean Counting Still Stands the Test of Time

Many who look to the best jobs to for those with a business administration degree see themselves hunched over a desk pouring over a spreadsheet. If this is you, you may want to pursue additional education in accounting or bookkeeping. This crucial aspect of business keeps things in line and determines the ultimate success of any organization.

Whether it’s a Bookkeeping Certificate or an accounting degree, that focus on numbers, dollars and cents is essential to any business. Those who are inclined towards numbers and math are often seen as extremely valuable in the business world because for the number of those who “get it”, there are easily five times more who don’t get it and value the expertise of those who do.

Help People Fulfill their Needs and Solve their Problems

Despite what we may have lodged in our brains from stereotypes of the past, sales people really do serve an integral role in the world of business management. Without those who sell products, no income comes into a business and success is fleeting. The past is checkered with images of plaid-jacketed used car salesmen or appliance salespeople, but this is not the world of today. Today’s sales person is a problem solver. They don’t try to sell products and services to people who don’t want them. Instead, they look at the problems and needs of someone and determine if their product or service is a fit.

For those who are inclined to the world of sales, the sky is the limit. There are many programs in sales that help to augment a business administration degree to make for an excellent sales professional. This is the kind of career for someone who enjoys interacting with others, feels good when they solve problems and knows how great it is to identify a need someone has and being able to fulfill it. Sales is no longer a dirty word – in fact, it hasn’t been for quite some time. Looking into more education in sales may be the right things to add to your career in business management if you enjoy the high-paced world of face-to-face interactions that look deeply into problem solving.

A business management major is a great start to a career. For many, this is the end of their professional education, but some will see a different desire from the “big picture” of business and will want to pursue a more narrow area like HR, Marketing, Bookkeeping/Accounting or Sales. For those who want to explore these fields there may be a desire for more education to have all the expertise possible before starting a job search.