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Best Career Paths for Business Majors

by Emily McSherry, CEO Advize

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What Does It Mean to Major in Business?

Let's explore what it really means to be a business major and how this translates into the real world. Now CEO of Advize, I still remember asking myself these same questions during my undergraduate years as a double major in General Management and Entrepreneurship. Like many students, I struggled to see how succeeding in these fields could actually help me land a job.

First, it’s important to understand that "majoring in business" can mean a lot of different things. Business studies can be broken down into various specialized majors offered at universities across the country. According to ChatGPT, which has analyzed lists from different universities, the primary majors that fall under the business umbrella include:


  1. Accounting

  2. Finance

  3. Marketing

  4. General Management or Business Management

  5. International Business

  6. Business Administration

  7. Entrepreneurship

  8. Human Resources Management

  9. Supply Chain Management

  10. Management Information Systems

  11. Economics

  12. Real Estate

  13. Hospitality Management

  14. Business Analytics


To bridge the gap between your college major and the business world, it's helpful to understand how different job functions and roles within a company align with your education. Whether you're looking at a large corporation or a small business, across any industry, the main job functions typically include:


  1. Operations - Oversees production and delivery of products/services.

  2. Marketing - Manages branding, advertising, and market research.

  3. Sales - Focuses on selling products or services to customers.

  4. Finance and Accounting - Handles financial planning, budgeting, and financial reporting.

  5. Human Resources (HR) - Manages recruitment, employee relations, training, and benefits.

  6. IT (Information Technology) - Provides technology support and infrastructure.

  7. Customer Service - Addresses customer inquiries and issues.

  8. R&D (Research and Development) - Innovates and develops new products or services.

  9. Legal - Manages compliance, contracts, and legal issues.

  10. Supply Chain/Logistics - Manages procurement, inventory, and distribution.


Comparing majors to job functions in the two lists below, there are some clear trends we can see that are more obviously aligned than others, highlighted in green.

Major

Job Function

Accounting

Finance and Accounting - Handles financial planning, budgeting, and financial reporting.

Finance

Finance and Accounting - Handles financial planning, budgeting, and financial reporting.

Marketing

Marketing - Manages branding, advertising, and market research.

General Management or Business Management

?

International Business

?

Business Administration

?

Entrepreneurship

?

Human Resources Management

Human Resources (HR) - Manages recruitment, employee relations, training, and benefits.

Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain/Logistics - Manages procurement, inventory, and distribution.

Management Information Systems

IT (Information Technology) - Provides technology support and infrastructure.

Economics

?

Real Estate

?

Hospitality Management

?

Business Analytics

?

If you are in one of the green major areas of study, assuming you enjoy your classes within your major, most students and graduates find themselves with popular roles within these job functions because of the clear alignment between their major and that job function (what they would be doing) at a specific company within a particular role. These are the “apples to apples” career path options for business majors.


Core Business Majors and Their Career Paths

According to ChatGPT, here are the three most popular career paths for these “green” business majors. Some of these career paths have job titles that are appropriate for right out of undergrad, some require more experience or are more relevant out of business or graduate school. If you’re interested in any of these career paths in particular, I would recommend searching within Advize for Advizers, professionals who we interview answering key questions about their career in short-form video (login/sign up through our Career Quiz here), who have these job titles and listen to their recommendations for entry level jobs within these roles! If you want to skip to the “question mark” majors, skip to later in this article. 


Accounting & Finance 

  1. Financial Analyst - Works with data to help companies make investment decisions, assess financial performance, and guide strategic planning.

  2. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) - Specializes in auditing, tax preparation, and financial consulting for individuals or businesses, often in public accounting firms.

  3. Investment Banking Analyst - Focuses on capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and providing strategic financial advice to corporations and government entities.


Marketing

  1. Marketing Manager - Develops and executes marketing strategies to promote products or services, manage campaigns, and analyze market trends.

  2. Digital Marketing Specialist - Focuses on online marketing channels such as social media, email, SEO, and content marketing to drive brand awareness and engagement.

  3. Brand Manager - Oversees the image and reputation of a brand, ensuring consistency across all marketing efforts and managing product launches and advertising.


Human Resources Management

  1. Human Resources Manager - Oversees HR departments, handling recruitment, employee relations, benefits, and compliance with labor laws.

  2. Talent Acquisition Specialist (Recruiter) - Focuses on finding, interviewing, and hiring the best candidates for job openings within a company.

  3. HR Generalist - Manages a variety of HR functions, including employee onboarding, training, performance management, and handling day-to-day employee issues.


Supply Chain Management

  1. Supply Chain Analyst: A professional who uses data to optimize supply chain processes, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.

  2. Logistics Manager: A manager responsible for overseeing the transportation, warehousing, and distribution of goods from suppliers to customers.

  3. Procurement Manager: A specialist who manages purchasing activities, negotiates with suppliers, and ensures cost-effective acquisition of goods and services.


Management Information Systems

  1. Systems Analyst: A professional who analyzes and designs information systems to help organizations operate more efficiently.

  2. IT Project Manager: A manager responsible for planning, executing, and overseeing technology-related projects to ensure they are completed on time and within budget.

  3. Database Administrator (DBA): A specialist who manages and maintains an organization’s databases, ensuring data is stored securely and can be accessed efficiently.


If you’re still reading, it’s no wonder why people are confused by majors and career paths, right? Now, for the problem children…


Exploring More Versatile Business Majors

Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the person who would be reviewing your resume and job application at a company to hire you. As you’re reading the table below, think about the different job functions and assess if there is any alignment or trends between the two columns, similar to the previous table for green majors.

Major

What a Recruiter Assumes

General Management or Business Management

Developed skills in leadership, decision-making, strategic planning, and problem-solving. They are interested in managing teams, understanding business operations, and making decisions that drive organizational success.

International Business

Developed skills in global market analysis, cross-cultural communication, and international trade regulations. They are interested in understanding global business strategies, managing international operations, and navigating the complexities of conducting business across borders.

Business Administration

Developed skills in organizational management, leadership, and financial analysis, with an interest in overseeing business operations, managing resources, and improving organizational efficiency.

Entrepreneurship

Developed skills in innovation, risk management, and business planning, with a passion for creating and developing new business ventures, driving innovation, and identifying market opportunities.

Economics

Developed skills in economic analysis, data interpretation, and critical thinking, with a keen interest in understanding economic systems, analyzing market trends, and solving economic problems.

Real Estate

Developed skills in property management, market analysis, and negotiation, with an interest in managing real estate transactions, understanding property markets, and developing real estate investments.

Hospitality Management

Developed skills in customer service, event management, and operations management, with a focus on managing hotels, restaurants, and events, ensuring guest satisfaction, and overseeing hospitality operations.

Business Analytics

Developed skills in data analysis, statistical modeling, and problem-solving, with an interest in analyzing business data to inform decisions, optimizing processes, and using technology to drive business insights.

Navigating Industry-Specific Majors

After reading the above, you might notice that majors like Real Estate and Hospitality Management stand out because they are more industry-specific compared to general business functions. For instance, it’s uncommon for a tech giant like Google to seek out hospitality or real estate majors for their entry-level positions since these fields are not directly related to their core business. Although Google does manage large office spaces which could arguably be considered real estate related, they typically pay real estate firms like CBRE to handle their real estate and construction needs. If you're curious about how this works in practice, you can hear directly from Brad, an Advizer and Project Manager at CBRE, who manages Google’s real estate projects in Los Angeles here.


Here are the top 3 career paths for majors in real estate and hospitality management according to ChatGPT:


Hospitality Management

  1. Hotel Manager: Manages the day-to-day operations of a hotel, ensuring high standards of service, guest satisfaction, and efficient management of staff and resources.

  2. Event Planner: Organizes and coordinates events such as weddings, conferences, and corporate gatherings, handling everything from venue selection to logistics and guest experiences.

  3. Food and Beverage Manager: Oversees the operations of a restaurant, bar, or catering service within a hospitality setting, ensuring quality food service, customer satisfaction, and efficient management of inventory and staff.


Real Estate 

  1. Real Estate Agent/Broker: Facilitates the buying, selling, and renting of properties, guiding clients through transactions and negotiations while providing market insights.

  2. Property Manager: Manages residential or commercial properties on behalf of owners, overseeing leasing, maintenance, tenant relations, and financial operations.

  3. Real Estate Developer: Plans and oversees the development of new real estate projects, from acquiring land to managing construction and marketing, with a focus on maximizing property value and profitability.


The Remaining General Business Majors

The good news is that many general majors can fit into almost any job function within a company because they offer broad skills. These majors can even lead to roles in Finance and Accounting or other specialized areas, as long as you can showcase relevant skills or experience, even if you didn’t major in those fields. You may have even noticed that a finance major could be relevant for Real Estate Agent/Broker, Property Manager, or Real Estate Developer roles because they require financial skill sets.

With my double major in General Management and Entrepreneurship, I found myself in a Sales role. Sales professionals focus on selling products or services to customers, and there’s a lot of overlap with entrepreneurship and management. All three fields require skills in new business development, risk management, and business planning, along with a passion for creating opportunities and driving growth.


I encourage you to reflect on your own skills and interests, see how they align with your major, and explore how they can translate into various career paths.

Top 10 Most Popular Career Paths for All Business Majors

Here’s the final list of most popular career paths for any business major, according to ChatGPT, highlighting career paths that aren’t included from the “green majors” above that can generally be pursued by many types of business management majors!


  1. NEW! Management Analyst (Consultant) - Optimizes business processes and strategies.

  2. Financial Analyst - Manages investments and assesses financial data.

  3. Marketing Manager - Plans and oversees marketing strategies.

  4. Human Resources Manager - Manages recruitment, training, and employee relations.

  5. NEW! Sales Manager - Leads sales teams and drives revenue.

  6. NEW! Project Manager - Oversees projects from planning to completion.

  7. NEW! Operations Manager - Ensures efficient operations within organizations.

  8. Accountant - Manages financial records and compliance.

  9. NEW! Entrepreneur/Small Business Owner - Starts and manages their own business.

  10. Supply Chain Manager - Manages product flow from suppliers to consumers.


Make Informed Career Choices

At Advize, we understand that navigating your career path can feel overwhelming. That's why we've developed an engaging career learning and recommendation platform designed to help you make informed decisions and achieve your dream career. Our platform provides access to valuable insights from professionals through short-form videos.

If you’re interested in hearing directly from experts in various business majors or specific career paths, we have over 1,000 videos of business major professionals available on our site. You can sign up or sign in here to start exploring and get the guidance you need.

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