Unit three. Your career in business and management Text 1 Business Careers

There are more types of jobs in business than in any other field. Unlike engineering, social work, or most other fields, business can satisfy many interests, personality types, challenges, and compensation levels. The needed education ranges from a two-year degree to Ph.D.

All business careers require a few skills. For instance, communication skills are important for almost any business position. No matter what you know, if it can’t be communicated to others, you may not advance very far. Moreover, good communication skills help you sell your ideas to others.

Usually, a businessperson must be able to pay attention to details when examining records and preparing reports. Some basic maths and accounting skills will help with budgets and statistics.

Many business positions require managing the work of others. Successful supervisors have good human-relations skills. They understand the interactions of work groups, motivation techniques, and moral building. Good managers can communicate well, develop plans, organize human and material resources, and create systems to make certain that work matches plans.

Text 2 Part-Time Work while Attending School

One good way to see how well you feel about a business career is to work part-time for a company while in school. You will be viewing the organization from the bottom up, but you can still see how the firm operates. Talk to workers and managers and get their ideas about the company and their careers. Part-time work can provide you with some great insights, enhance your resume, and put some money in your pocket.

If you have computer skills, you might moonlight at “computer camps,” where kids learn how to operate computers. You can also sell your services to people who need help with their computer, such as writers who are trying to set up new word-processing programs.

You can gain real-world experience in many ways. One Dickinson College senior, for example, started a flower delivery service the week before National Secretaries’ Day. He sold his flower baskets in department offices across campus. Students at many colleges have used their talents and their strong backs to start profitable part-time home- or dorm-based ventures.

A lawn service is surprisingly profitable and is good for students because demand is highest in the summer. Depending on where you live, you could combine this service with snow removal. Jobs like these might not make you a fortune or pave your career path, but there is something to be gained from almost any business experience. Operating a lawn service will sharpen your understanding of how to find customers, position yourself within a market, and build a client base.

Don’t be surprised if your idea becomes the basis for a full-time business. After all, two college kids named Jobs and Wozniak started their company part-time, working out of a garage, and Apple Computer was born.

Text 3 Working for the Government

If you decide that a business-oriented career is for you, don’t rule out working for the government. Among the occupations in government agencies are accountant, computer programmer and computer systems analyst, office manager, purchasing agent, and urban and regional planner. These jobs usually require at least a four-year college degree in a field related to the occupation.

Government employees enjoy a number of fringe benefits. The most common are paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, medical insurance, retirement plans, and tuition aid. Others are job security and advancement opportunities. A government is less likely to be affected by temporary economic setbacks than a private company, and government positions often have clearly defined career ladders.

Government service has some disadvantages too. One is the inability to measure achievement in terms of profit and loss. Promotion is often sure but slow. Government doesn’t offer the extremely high salaries and bonuses that go to a few very successful private workers.

The federal government, every state, most cities, and many counties have agencies that provide information about how jobs are filled. Counseling to help you determine which occupations you are best prepared for may also be available.