Careers in Business Administration
Explore different careers in business administration, and learn which one is the best for your skills and goals.
Unlike many business fields that channel directly into a predetermined set of careers—accounting, for example—business administration provides the general skills that can transfer into a wide array of careers in business. Focused on the management and operational skills that are crucial to running a business, a business administration background can apply to almost any industry within the business world.
Paths to Follow
Most business administration degree programs offer the opportunity to specialize in a business field that falls under the large-scale umbrella of business administration. This provides students with both broad business administration skills as well as the specific knowledge that will guide them as they make career choices. Common business administration career specialties include the following:
Many people with business administration backgrounds, therefore, are able to bring to the workplace a unique mixture of industry-specific abilities and the management, leadership and overall business knowledge that will allow them to grow above and beyond entry-level, field-specific positions.
Careers in Business Growth
While the variety of careers in business administration makes it somewhat difficult to predict specific growth, it is evident that the robust economy and increasing retirement of baby boomers has created rising job opportunities in almost every business administration-related field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 15 percent growth rate in the administrative management group through 2020. Assuming the field of business administration will continue to adapt to new business trends as it has done so well in recent years, it is essentially guaranteed that business administration careers will continue to be relevant; as long as businesses continue to operate, people with business administration backgrounds will be needed to run those businesses.
Necessary Skills
Success in a career in business administration depends mostly on one's ability to balance effective management skills with a focus on the bottom line:
- The first of the two skill types can be summarized as effective leadership tactics: good communication, ethical business practices, people and group management skills, ability to motivate a team, time management, problem solving, etc.
- The second aspect is often slightly more industry-specific, but broadly includes analytical and critical thinking, ability to process data, basic understanding of economics and sense of industry trends.