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Are you graduating from high school? If so, brace yourself for all career-related questions. Some people might suggest you become doctors, whereas others will welcome you to the corporate world. Undeniably, the business dynamics are changing. Not only have many new industries emerged because of tech innovations, but there are also endless growth opportunities on the corporate side.
People pursuing business degrees get a taste of marketing, finance, supply chain, human resources, and even data sciences. However, all these choices seem to confuse students. Some want to explore the creative side but can’t choose between marketing and human resources. Likewise, others with technical preferences want something more intuitive than finance. So, how do you figure out your career path and make the right choice?
Experts believe having a career map can help students figure out their aspirations. It helps them explore opportunities, allowing them to determine a long-term career goal for themselves. If you don’t know how this works, have a look below. Here are five tips for business students to map their career paths.
1. Find Your Passion
The earlier you realize what you want to achieve in life, the sooner you’ll find your ideal career path. It will make you excel as a person while ensuring you stay content with the job. So, what is that you genuinely enjoy? Perhaps, you might like designing campaigns, something you can put in your creative shoes. Likewise, many people like playing with numbers, making finance the ideal career choice. Once you figure this out, take steps to excel and grow in the field.
A student who has opted for BBA with a liking for numbers and data can map out a career in finance or data sciences. Besides finding a relevant job, you can explore an MBA career path with a major in finance or data sciences. It will motivate you to achieve more and do better in your career.
2. Focus on Experience
Mostly, students focus on getting jobs in the world’s most famous companies. It might seem you are goal-oriented, but sometimes, that might not be a wise approach. After all, most successful business people once started their careers as you did. Jeff Bezos started an eCommerce giant from his garage. He didn’t have a spacious office or personal assistants but created something big out of nothing.
The big names written on your CV don’t matter when you start your career. It is more about how much experience you have. Therefore, look for internship opportunities to get familiar with the professional world, whether tech startups, Indianapolis entry level jobs or multinational giants. It will allow you to comprehend how things happen, helping you pick the right career path.
3. Identify Training Needs
Having a business degree isn’t enough in today’s saturated job market. You have to upgrade your skillset to stand out from other candidates. For instance, understand the market demand if you want to get into finance. Besides technical proficiency, companies want finance majors to be familiar with Power BI and coding languages such as SQL, Python, etc. For that, you have to attend training sessions and take additional courses.
Similarly, students who want to start their careers as brand associates must have basic Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator knowledge. Not many colleges offer this in the standard curriculum, meaning you have to go out of the way to learn these skills. Initially, this might seem like an additional workload but will go a long way in ensuring a successful career.
4. Find Networking Resources
As the old saying goes, success is all about who you know, especially when it comes to finding a job. The more people you remain in touch with in the industry, the more easily you’ll get your resume forwarded. Therefore, it is crucial to build a strong network. That would include mentors, relevant membership associations, contacts with professors, and industry leaders. In addition, maintain a strong connection with alumni to get your foot into the corporate world.
Moreover, you can conduct informational interviews to get information about the employers. As a part of your college projects, visit different companies to learn about their hierarchy, culture, and leadership. It will give you insights into the professional world, helping you understand business processes and organizational cultures.
5. Be Adaptable
Believe it or not, being in complete control of our lives is nothing but an illusion. There would be setbacks and unpredictable events out of our control; the global pandemic is one of the biggest examples. The only thing you can do is openly accept change and use the situation to your advantage. Steve Jobs believed getting fired from Apple was one of the best things that could have happened. It allowed him to start his company, where he created the ‘iPhone.’ Later, Apple had to buy the entire startup to retain him.
Therefore, students must learn to stand in the face of challenges. You have to find an opportunity in every situation and make the most. Adaptability and flexibility will ensure your career progress while making you a successful entrepreneur.
Final Thoughts
Once you have decided what you seek to achieve, devise a career map and follow it rigorously. However, keep it open to changes and additions. It will allow you to change directions if your interests and preferences change over time. Besides being adaptable, you have to remain goal-oriented and overcome challenges. After all, every obstacle is an opportunity to progress and grow.
