[bri2203]

I want to get some feedback about being in the business career.

I am 19 and currently going to a community college. I plan on transfering to another university next year.
I was thinking about going into engineering but I don't like math and science, plus Michigan is a bad place to be. I love workin on my car from that engineering standpoint but i don't like the calculations.

What do you do everyday?
Do you like what you do?
Do you see need for it in the future?
What makes you good at what you do?

Brian

 

[Xtreme70SS396]

The real question is, what do you want to do with a business degree, as "Business" is a pretty broad category.
Go into sales?
Manage?
Own your own business?
Run a company?

I firmly believe you have to do something you enjoy, or you will not be as good at it. Then to excel, you need to work hard, get things done, and do the things others can't, won't, or don't want to. You can do that in ANY field you choose.

 

[Professor_SS]

I agree, business is so broad that you have to think about what you really want to do. I spent 20 years in the construction industry. I did every thing from field management to owning my own business. I was good at it and made a lot of money but I was unhappy. I now teach business, accounting and IT, and while I dabble in construction for a few extra bucks, I am much happier teaching. Find something you enjoy doing, that pays at least enough to live on and you'll be much happier than doing something you hate but make good mony at.

 

[Stikman33]

Well, i am going to be 24 this week, and here is a little bit about me, lol

I wanted to be a computer engineer, went to comm college, took some programming classes, realized i hated programming. Decided to go mechanical engineering. Well between rent, car payments, other stuff had to quit school and go to work. Well through my work experience learn a TON of people skills and now i work in Customer Service/Sales for a Title Company and am doing very well. I would like to go back to school someday as i really like mech engineering, but when time/money/life permit, who knows when that will be. Right now i am doing something that is fun (not my dream, but fun) i am paying for my own house, have a new car (2005 Civic) and my chevelle. My .02

Daniel

 

[Georgia69]

Business is ALL about numbers. Doesn't matter if you are in Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Production, whatever...if you don't like math, the outlook isn't good.

 

[Professor_SS]

Well, i am going to be 24 this week, and here is a little bit about me, lol

I would like to go back to school someday as i really like mech engineering, but when time/money/life permit, who knows when that will be. Right now i am doing something that is fun (not my dream, but fun) i am paying for my own house, have a new car (2005 Civic) and my chevelle. My .02

Daniel

don't give up on the education. Took me 10 years to get my first degree. Take a class now and then, keep working away at it.

 

[jtm60]

What Georgia69 said....

If you can overcome your dislike of math, an engineering degree would allow you to get into a variety of careers...its probably one of the best 'bang for the buck' 4 year degrees out there. Hell, if you like cars, I would think Detroit would be the place to be for an M.E.!

One of my buddies has a B.S.M.E., then E.I.T./P.E. cert...then went back for his MBA...now works as some type of financial advisor for a large retirement investment company..If you look at the heads of many large corporations, you will find that many of the people in the highest positions hold engineering degrees of some sort.

 

[RussD]

Business is ALL about numbers. Doesn't matter if you are in Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Production, whatever...if you don't like math, the outlook isn't good.

Amen

 

[cobra2411]

Hey Brian, I'll offer you the suggestion to study sales and marketing. No matter what you do you'll need to know sales and marketing. Even picking up the pretty girls is all about selling and marketing yourself..

Other then that, get the basics out of the way like math, english, history... Then you can swing a couple different ways.

Business is about numbers, but the math is different then what you'd use in engineering, so it may be easier to get through.

Hope this helps,
David

 

[chevelless1]

I'm currently a mechanical engineer and it's 10% engineering and 90% paperwork. You have to fill out bill of materials, new parts requests, deviations, etc. Also you spend a great deal of time behind the computer using design software, such as Pro-e creating models and detail drawings. I'm lucky if I work on 2 projects a year.
so being unhappy with my current position, I'm working on my MBA and will hopefully be done next year. Like someone said previously.....there seems to be good advancement for engineers with MBAs

 

[Alan]

Maybe Brian doesn't like engineering calculations in particular? The calculations used in engineering are far different than those used in finance, accounting, etc. Whether the calculations are more difficult, that depends on the person.

I say Business is a great field to enter into. Many, many fields you can chose. Your fist two years (of a four year college program) are general ed classes anyway, so you have some time to decide where in business you'd like to concentrate (marketing, finance - personal or corporate), accounting, pomg - production operations management). There were at least a dozen areas of business you could concentrate your studies within the "business" major at the college I attended.

What do I do? I'm an auditor for a bank. If you like to travel, be independent (while still a team player), hate being bored, like new challenges everyday, like to meet new people, auditing could be something to look into. From article's I've read, auditing is one of the Top Five Jobs of the Future. The majority of CFO's, Controllers, VP's of Finance started as an auditor for one the Big Five accounting firms. If you plan to marry early in your life, and have kids, scratch this off your list of potential jobs. A healthy relationship with your wife/kids will be very hard to maintain.

I actually like my job a lot. Do I love it? Some days I do, some I don't.

 

[OrrieG]

I want to get some feedback about being in the business career.

I am 19 and currently going to a community college. I plan on transfering to another university next year.
I was thinking about going into engineering but I don't like math and science, plus Michigan is a bad place to be. I love workin on my car from that engineering standpoint but i don't like the calculations.

Brian

If you don't like the math, science or calculations than engineering and business will probably not be for you. To answer your questions, I am a commercial architect with 30 years experience and own my company (with my wife), also have an MBA degree because they do not teach you business in engineering or architecture school.

I like what I do but do not get to do as much of the architecture side as I would like, I spend 80+% of my time marketing, running the business and playing accountant and lawyer with clients and the governments I have to deal with.

I am proud of the fact that I employee seven people and help them feed there familys, own homes, etc. We contribute to the community. I am not a "jerk boss" and recognize they have families and lives outside of work. I pay them fairly. I provide them with health insurance. I share the profits they help me make.

We will continue to be needed, since public safety and welfare relies on the design of safe structures.

I attribute my success to a type A personality, probably adult ADD and OCD, selecting only the best school to go to, choosing a profession I have an absolute passion for, absolute honesty and ethical dealings with everyone I come in contact with, surrounding myself with clients and staff that are the best at what they do (or have the potential for greatness), zero tolerance for those that try to cheat or take advantage of me, my consultants, the contractors we deal with and the governments that review our plans, attention to detail and not taking shortcuts. A 1950's work ethic and coming from working class background helps too.

Good luck, you are young and should be trying many things before settling on something. I've probaly had 20 different jobs besides what I do for a living, and am still here plugging away.