So you want to be a rock & roll star, but your Mom said, “ Accounting, or I won ’ t pay ”

So you want to be a rock & roll star, but your Mom said, “Accounting, or I won’t pay” or …

Taking the road to business: Working in Business with Any Major You can have fun, do something you love, and still get a job LSA Academic Advising Career Center

Quick Quiz • T or F: To work in business, you should have a BBA or MBA degree • T or F: If you are not a business “major” you should major in Economics if you wish to work in business • T or F: You should choose your major based on what classes you enjoy • T or F: Major = Career

Concerns LS&A Students Have • Unemployable • Parents think you’re unemployable • Friends think you’re unemployable • (Fill in the blank major)? What can you do with that? • What if I choose the wrong thing?

Business “Fields” & LSA • Accounting—no equivalent • Finance—Econ, Stats, Math, CS, Informatics (analytical skills) • Marketing—develop skills: audience and cultural awareness; knowledge of popular culture • M&O—Org Studies, Psych, Soc, Econ (social science); English, etc. (humanities); (people skills) • OM—Org Studies, CS, Math, Stats, Soc, humanities, science (understanding networks and their organizing principles)

What skills and traits do employers most often seek in job and internship candidates?

Top 20 Candidate Skills/Traits • Communication Skills • Honesty/Integrity • Interpersonal Skills • Motivation/initiative • Strong work ethic • Teamwork Skills • Computer Skills • Analytical Skills • Flexibility/Adaptability • Detail-Oriented • Organizational Skills • Leadership Skills • Self-Confidence • Friendly/Out-going Personality • Tactfulness • Well-mannered/polite • Creativity • GPA (3.0 or better) • Entrepreneurial Skills/Risk-Taker • Sense of Humor Source: NACE Job Outlook 2007

Define Your Goals • What areas within business interest you? • What skills/qualities do you have to offer? • What skills do you hope to develop? • Think long-term and short-term

Strategies • Choose a concentration • Talk to concentration advisors • Look at departmental leaflets/websites • Be honest about what you love • Design your own program • Ask your parents’ friends what they majored in

Strategies, continued • Think about the liberal arts and skills • Assess your skills (Career Center, chat with professors, talk to alums) • Look for opportunities in classes to draw on your skills (projects, reports, independent studies) • Volunteer • Keep a portfolio of your activities, comments from employers, etc. • Check out career and assessment websites

Strategies, continued • Learn about the job market • Investigate job fields • Do informational interviews • Shadow an alum • Find out what’s valued by employers (talk to your parents and their friends) • Find out if you need a graduate degree • Be realistic in your expectations about entry-level jobs

Researching Business Areas • O-Net (online.onetcenter.org) • Career Center’s Website (careercenter.umich.edu) • Vault Online Career Library • Hoover’s First Research • Career Center Connector (c3) • Career Fairs • Job Links by Industry • Employer Information Sessions • Informational Interviewing • Alumni NetWorks (alumni.umich.edu/career/)

Helpful Resources • Your advisor (734-764-0332) • Career Advising or Counseling (Call 734-764-7460 to schedule) • Strong Interest Inventory or MBTI • Career Workshops • Career Center’s Online Resume Tutorial • Optimal Resume, Cover Letter & Interview (on Career Center’s website)

Thinking about goals • Do not plan for the rest of your life • Try to maximize your own happiness • Be as realistic as possible about your expectations • Realize that nothing is without risk • Recognize that progress is not always measured by moving forward

So you want to be a rock & roll star, but your Mom said, “ Accounting, or I won ’ t pay ”