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Job advice to give a new college grad with a Business degree (1 Viewer)

T

The Dude

Footballguy
So looking for thoughts on job advice to give my son - who is a new college grad with a business degree (majors in IT and HR). There are certainly options in his majors but he is also looking outside the majors.

So what job field would you advise a business degree grad to pursue (other than the majors)? Also he will be working in Denver area.

 
Typically schools have career days where businesses within his major come to hire students. I started with arthur andersen out of school where i was trained and given an opportunity for advancememt. I did not stay in accounting but it did open many doors to my ultimate career in banking. There are a ton of very good it folks on here that in sure can give more advice.

 
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Find something in a growth field. This is the time to learn/specialize in something fringe that may become huge.

Like pot.

 
Is he willing to travel? Accounting/audit shops are always needing IT specialists and hire a lot of new grads.

Spend a few years there making good money and travelling a lot and if he's good he will get offers at the places he's working at for the accounting firm. He will know people in the companies and have inside knowledge of whether the place is a good place to work or sucks.

That's the path I would recommend. Try for one of the big shops. They train the new guys but work them hard too.

 
Be awesome at excel and PowerPoint. Be the best person in the office at both of these.

Be willing to talk to everyone in the office, even if small talk from CEO to admins.

Ask questions. Don't have to ask 20 questions in a crowded meeting, but if you didn't follow something, ask that person 1:1.

Always deliver earlier than asked, esp. the first time someone requests something of you.

I think success is better determined by linking up with smart people who have money. Field doesn't matter that much if you are motivated and good. $0.02

 
Explore industries and fields now. Take high paying jobs that require a lot of travel.

Ten or more years from now when he's starting his family, he'll hopefully then have an idea of field and function he enjoys and have put in the time on the road to have a good salary having paid his dues.

 
IT can be really broad so I'm not sure of what your son has learned or where his interests are, but data analytics is ENORMOUS in banking/finance now. If his business degree came with some statistics courses, he could have the introductory knowledge to break into that field. I end up working with our analytics team a lot and things are much simpler when the data guys have even a hint of knowledge about the things I am asking them for and what they're providing for me. A lot don't unfortunately.

Even more in demand than analytics is modeling. Advanced degree is most likely required as well as some math, but I imagine that there could be some lower level opportunities there where maybe if he broke in, he could decide if he wanted to work towards something higher. But banks and financial services firms fight like dogs over these guys. A ton of money to be made.

Thinking more broadly business-wise, network security will always be high in demand and you can be the sole guy in a small business, a contractor, or work for a big firm.

 
I have friends who did MIS (IT) and went to do IT for a hedge fund. He managed to pick up enough in the first year and a half to pull a job at a bulge bracket so now he's been in I-banking for a year and is moving to private equity.

That's a very lucrative path.

 
Pick something specific and tailor his resume to that field. "I'm not really sure what I want to do" won't land a single job offer. IT and HR are completely different, for example - so don't tell HR people you are also looking at an IT job, etc. people know that few people in his position actually know what they want to do, but those that are smart enough to craft a coherent story separate themselves from those who can't.

He should Set up "informational interviews" with as many people as possible, by explaining he's exploring many different areas and wants to learn about the specifics of each job before applying to any. Know going in he his being evaluated at these meetings.

 
Encourage him to start his own business and pursue that. Right now when he likely has minimal obligations (no mortgage, wife, kids etc.) is the time to take the chance on himself. There will always be the opportunity to work for someone else, but as those other obligations mount up, it is more and more difficult to be able to take that chance on yourself.

Most of the wealthiest people I know are self made through their own businesses.

 
acarey50 said:
Encourage him to start his own business and pursue that. Right now when he likely has minimal obligations (no mortgage, wife, kids etc.) is the time to take the chance on himself. There will always be the opportunity to work for someone else, but as those other obligations mount up, it is more and more difficult to be able to take that chance on yourself.

Most of the wealthiest people I know are self made through their own businesses.
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Hows a kid with no experience and no capital (of his iwn) gonna start let alone succeed in small business? No, unless he's especially driven or insane, no.
 
acarey50 said:
Encourage him to start his own business and pursue that. Right now when he likely has minimal obligations (no mortgage, wife, kids etc.) is the time to take the chance on himself. There will always be the opportunity to work for someone else, but as those other obligations mount up, it is more and more difficult to be able to take that chance on yourself.

Most of the wealthiest people I know are self made through their own businesses.
Click to expand...
How in the world does a recent grad start his own business when he doesn't even know what he wants to do yet? This is terrible advice.

 
If he has a degree in IT he should work towards becoming a CTO. Typically it's corporations, and large accounting and law firms, with IS departments, that have that. He could also work for a major tech vendor in your area.

 
Baloney Sandwich said:
Healthcare IT
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:thumbup: Friend of mine got into this after being a Med-Tech. He's heavily recruited now and makes mid six figures. He's had jobs with lots of travel, where he got to use the miles for his own trips. And others where he could work from home. Didn't even need to live in the state that the company was in to do his job.

He worked for Quest Diagnostics, the Orchard Software in Indianapolis. Friend loved working for Orchard. Only left because he got an offer he couldn't pass up.

Stryker is another company I'd recommend to anyone if they find an opening there fitting their skill set. I've only heard great things about that company.

If he's thinking of getting an MBA, I'd think twice. There isn't anything an MBA will teach that he can't get from getting a library card at the local university and checking out books on business.

 
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Business is too general IMO. He will need to focus on one sector and find a niche. My wife for example is a bonafide expert on a particular fundraising software which has been the gold standard. Even so most folks don't want to take the time to learn the software, makes employment for my wife a breeze.

You have to create a niche for yourself that most others cannot fill. For me personally in business it would be sales. My track record speaks for itself and I'm a real son of a witch on an interview.

Become more valuable, that's the best advice if you are entering Corporate America.

 
My brother just finished a degree in Security for IT, graduating class of about 5. He was hired instantly from Seattle to the V.A. in Washington D.C. and he is living his dream. Become valuable, it's really that simple.

 
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The Dude said:
So looking for thoughts on job advice to give my son - who is a new college grad with a business degree (majors in IT and HR). There are certainly options in his majors but he is also looking outside the majors.

So what job field would you advise a business degree grad to pursue (other than the majors)? Also he will be working in Denver area.
Click to expand...
How are IT and HR "business"?

Advice: Get job in HR, use the IT to improve processes of the company.

 
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msommer said:
The Dude said:
So looking for thoughts on job advice to give my son - who is a new college grad with a business degree (majors in IT and HR). There are certainly options in his majors but he is also looking outside the majors.

So what job field would you advise a business degree grad to pursue (other than the majors)? Also he will be working in Denver area.
Click to expand...
How are IT and HR "business"?

Advice: Get job in HR, use the IT to improve processes of the company.
Click to expand...
I'd say IT. Greater demand, better pay. HR doesn't pay well and is often the area that gets cut down during lean times.

 
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