Overview
As a manager, you run things—projects, teams, even entire organizations. You negotiate processes and personalities and get everyone working together toward a common goal. You’re also a communicator. For peers and direct reports, you’re the voice of the company, laying out goals and plans to achieve them. For senior management, you’re the voice of the employees, conveying everything from new ideas to simmering grievances that could affect the culture and profitability of the company.
A business management degree teaches how to work closely with a team and develop skills to manage a business or organization successfully. Earning a management degree can have several benefits including:
- Potential for promotion in a shorter amount of time
- Become a better, more knowledgeable leader
- Salary increases
- A better understanding of strategy and operations
- Easier transition into new careers
- Increase your and your team’s job performance
- Develop specialized skills that apply to most industries
With a Management degree, you can search for leadership rotational programs that will prepare you to lead from various places within an organization, but other good functional areas to start include roles in Sales, Customer Service, Customer Success, Product Management, Project Management, and Corporate Strategy.
Those roles have many titles. You could be:
| an account executive | a human resource representative | a project director |
| an analyst | a logistics analyst | a recruiter |
| a consultant | a manufacturing supervisor | a strategic analyst |
| a credit analyst | an operations manager | a supply chain lead |
| a district manager | an organizational development manager | a training specialist |
| an events coordinator | a program manager | a valuation analyst |
According to data from the Pomerantz Career Center, Management majors graduating in 2020-2021 took full-time jobs with the following titles:
- Account Executive
- Assistant Manager
- Associate Production Supervisor
- Customer Service Manager
- Events Manager
- Inside Sales Representative
- Management Trainee
- Product Analyst
- Sales Consultant
Most Management majors graduating in 2020-2021 were employed in the areas of sales and management, and many entered management trainee or leadership development programs.
Sources
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/business-management-degree-jobs
https://tippie.uiowa.edu/undergraduate/majors/management-major/management-careers
Management Outcomes 20-21 Data File, Pomerantz Career Center
Essential Management Skills
A good manager does more than oversee products, tasks and output. Strong managers effectively lead teams by developing a skill set that empowers others. Listed below are some skills of a good manager and managers who use these skills encourage employee engagement, productivity and a satisfying work environment.
Communication, Listening, and Interpersonal Skills
A manager's ability to relate and communicate effectively can unify and motivate a team. Whether the communication is formal or informal, written or verbal or team-oriented versus individual, managers must communicate in ways that make the team comfortable. Texts, emails, phone calls and conversations in person are all important methods of communication.
Good managers know when to adapt their own communication style to the situation or person. The more successful you are at strong communication, the more likely your team is to complete tasks on time, achieve success and reach the company's overall vision and goals.
Actively listening is just as important as other communication skills. A good manager values, respects and appreciates their team's insights and ideas by fully hearing what they share. Listening more also helps you understand critical information better, and it can build connections and trust for when problems may arise.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence in a good manager includes exercising fairness, empathy and sensitivity. Emotional intelligence can help you identify a coworker who is feeling overwhelmed or burned out. A compassionate leader gives support and may put provisions in place to help a struggling employee, such as offering a work-from-home day, arranging a flexible schedule or reminding them about services and policies that are there to help.
Emotional intelligence in a leader also means having the self-awareness to recognize their own emotions and reactions, be objective and show restraint and understanding.
Organization and Project Management
Organization is an essential part of project management, and both skills require seeing both the big picture and the finer details at the same time. The ability to outline a project, assign tasks, foresee obstacles and find creative solutions, meet deadlines and show stakeholders a plan to succeed are crucial to excellent management.
Strategic Thinking
Strategic thinking is the ability to plan for the future, generate ideas and implement strategies for success. Good managers consider likely scenarios, plan for potential complications and find ways to mitigate or avoid risk.
Decision Making
Managers often have to make many decisions throughout a workday or workweek, some more critical than others. Successful choices help a team and company run smoothly. Effective decision making requires thoughtful consideration without overthinking or becoming sidetracked by minor details.
Problem Solving
An excellent manager notices and resolves issues. From a problem with a production order to a dispute between colleagues, there are many issues that managers may need to address. Your ability to find the best way to handle an issue can help you distinguish yourself as a manager and also give confidence to your team. Great managers think ahead and expect risks, then brainstorm solutions and determine the best option.
Conflict Resolution
All workplaces experience conflict, and a skilled manager can recognize conflict and deal with it swiftly. Unresolved issues can affect employee performance or morale, so it is best to deescalate or resolve conflicts as soon as possible.
Navigating challenging discussions like layoffs, negative performance reviews or missed deadlines is also easier when you understand conflict resolution.
Time Management
Time management involves more than just being on time. Knowing what to work on when, how to prioritize projects and setting realistic timeframes to complete tasks are all part of good time management. A manager's role is multi-faceted, and honing your time-management skills can make you a leader better.
Managers who fully grasp time management establish routines around certain tasks, such as spending the first half-hour of the business day responding to emails, scheduling team member check-ins weekly or approving budgets consistently on Wednesdays, for example.
Teamwork
Managers are both a team leader and a team member. It's important to know and appreciate what it takes to get the job done and keep the team in mind when making decisions that affect it. Teamwork fosters loyalty, higher morale, efficiency, creative thinking and comprehension. Good managers support and encourage collaboration within their team and across others in the department or company.
Managers should make connections with their team to establish credibility and encourage camaraderie. The success of a manager depends on the success of their team, and cultivating sincere relationships reveals more about team members and how their skills and personality can best suit work tasks and goals. Great managers are authentic, take a vested interest in each team member and take time to establish good working relationships.
Managers should observe their team and get to know each individual in order to utilize their strengths or find ways for them to grow and develop. An effective manager who knows their team well finds unique talents and adjusts roles to capitalize on the particular capabilities of each person.
Source
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/skills-of-a-good-manager
Careers in Management
Management Occupations
Employment of management occupations is projected to grow 9 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations, and will result in about 906,800 new jobs. Employment growth is expected to be driven by the formation of new organizations and expansion of existing ones, which should require more workers to manage these operations.
The median annual wage for management occupations is $102,450.
Administrative Services and Facilities Managers
Administrative services and facilities managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently. The specific responsibilities vary, but these managers typically maintain facilities and supervise activities that include recordkeeping, mail distribution, and office upkeep.
Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers
Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, advertising sales agents, and financial staff members.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Architectural and engineering managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities in architectural and engineering companies.
Compensation and Benefits Managers
Compensation and benefits managers plan, develop, and oversee programs to pay employees.
Computer and Information Systems Managers
Computer and information systems managers, often called information technology (IT) managers or IT project managers, plan, coordinate, and direct computer-related activities in an organization.
Construction Managers
Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.
Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals
Elementary, middle, and high school principals oversee all school operations, including daily school activities. They coordinate curriculums, manage staff, and provide a safe and productive learning environment for students.
Emergency Management Directors
Emergency management directors prepare plans and procedures for responding to natural disasters or other emergencies. They also help lead the response during and after emergencies, often in coordination with public safety officials, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.
Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers run establishments that produce crops, livestock, and dairy products.
Financial Managers
Financial managers are responsible for the financial health of an organization. They create financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop plans for the long-term financial goals of their organization.
Food Service Managers
Food service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants or other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages. They direct staff to ensure that customers are satisfied with their dining experience, and they manage the business to ensure that it is profitable.
Human Resources Managers
Human resources managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization. They oversee the recruiting, interviewing, and hiring of new staff; consult with top executives on strategic planning; and serve as a link between an organization's management and its employees.
Industrial Production Managers
Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants. They coordinate, plan, and direct the activities used to create a wide range of goods, such as cars, computer equipment, or paper products.
Lodging Managers
Lodging managers ensure that guests on vacation or business travel have a pleasant experience at a hotel, motel, or other types of establishments with accommodations. Lodging managers also ensure that the establishment is run efficiently and profitably.
Medical and Health Services Managers
Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians.
Natural Sciences Managers
Natural sciences managers supervise the work of scientists, including chemists, physicists, and biologists. They direct activities related to research and development, and coordinate activities such as testing, quality control, and production.
Postsecondary Education Administrators
Postsecondary education administrators oversee student services, academics, and faculty research at colleges and universities. Their job duties vary depending on the department in which they work, such as admissions, student affairs, or the registrar's office.
Preschool and Childcare Center Directors
Preschool and childcare center directors supervise and lead staffs, design program plans, oversee daily activities, and prepare budgets. They are responsible for all aspects of their center's program, which may include before- and after-school care.
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
Property, real estate, and community association managers take care of the many aspects of residential, commercial, or industrial properties. They make sure the property is well maintained, has a nice appearance, operates smoothly, and preserves its resale value.
Public Relations and Fundraising Managers
Public relations managers plan and direct the creation of material that will enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.
Purchasing Managers
Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents and typically handle more complex procurement tasks.
Sales Managers
Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations' sales representatives.
Social and Community Service Managers
Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being. They direct workers who provide these services to the public.
Top Executives
Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They coordinate and direct work activities of companies and organizations.
Training and Development Managers
Training and development managers oversee staff and plan, direct, and coordinate programs to enhance the knowledge and skills of an organization's employees.
Additional Management Occupations
Education Administrators (all other)
All education administrators not listed separately.
Legislators
Legislators develop, introduce, or enact laws and statutes at the local, tribal, state, or federal level.
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
Postmasters and Mail Superintendents plan, direct, or coordinate operational, administrative, management, and support services of a U.S. post office; or coordinate activities of workers engaged in postal and related work in assigned post office.
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers plan, direct, or coordinate transportation, storage, or distribution activities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable government laws or regulations. Includes logistics managers.
Source
A Management Assistant, or Assistant Manager, hires, trains and oversees employees. Their main duties include leading and directing employees, ensuring employees follow company policies and overseeing inventory levels.
What does a Management Assistant do?
Management Assistants lead and train employees in a variety of industries. They’re typically in charge of the lower-level employees, ensuring they’re following company guidelines and providing valuable customer service experiences. Management Assistants often locate and hire new employees and provide them with training and a brief overview of the company and their work responsibilities.
Management Assistants are responsible for keeping track of product and employee inventory levels to make sure that the company has enough items available to stay efficient and productive. They also collaborate closely with the Manager to provide updates on the staff’s performance. Their job is to uphold and enforce a strong customer service experience for all clients or customers.
Management Assistant duties and responsibilities
Management Assistants complete various administrative support and organizational tasks to maintain the ongoing requirements of the office. They assist management in all tasks and may have the following responsibilities:
- Coordinate schedules among executive team members and plan the logistics of each meeting
- Recruit, interview, hire and train office support staff
- Prepare important documents for reports, meetings and memos
- Assist with research and writing reports, or independently writing reports on behalf of upper-level management
- Organize and plan all company outings and events
- Manage all administrative staff members, including onboarding and training new team members
Management Assistant skills and qualifications
Management Assistants use a variety of soft skills to provide comprehensive support to management teams. Those skills and qualifications include:
- Strong project management and organizational skills
- Exceptional time management abilities, including managing multiple calendars
- Good administrative skills, including filing and document organization
- Excellent communication, including writing, email and memo creation, interpersonal communication and customer service
- Great active listening skills
- Basic computer literacy and troubleshooting abilities
- Fast problem-solving abilities
- Teamwork and collaboration
Management Assistant salary expectations
A Management Assistant makes an average of $49,802 per year. Salary may depend on a candidate’s level of education, experience and geographical location.
Management Assistant education and training requirements
Many Management Assistant candidates likely have at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing or another relevant field. Depending on the requirements of the position, some Management Assistants may even have a master’s degree in business administration or an industry-specific discipline. Entry-level candidates may require on-the-job training upon behind hired while those with previous experience may need little-to-no training and can transition into their role quickly.
Management Assistant: Learn More
Source
https://www.indeed.com/hire/job-description/management-assistant?hl=en&co=U
Account Executives are responsible for acquiring new clients and maintaining relationships through customer service. They build and maintain relationships by providing excellent customer service. The Account Executive is often the point of contact between the team and the client. They are often tasked with strategic planning to help their clients reach specific goals.
What does an Account Executive do?
Account Executives are typically employed in the advertising, IT, fashion, marketing or other related industries to learn the client’s expectations for a project and exceed these expectations. They’re responsible for enhancing a company’s performance by building strategies to implement projects and submit them by their deadlines. Account Executives often serve in a leadership role for their company by communicating deadlines, requirements and other client goals to other employees. They collaborate closely with clients to help them fully understand the services they offer and the work the client needs completed.
Account Executive duties and responsibilities
An Account Executive is responsible for fully understanding a client’s needs and determining whether a business can meet those needs. An Account Executive oversees a team to ensure the company’s products or services are delivered on time, on budget and up to the client’s standards. Some of the other duties an Account Executive is responsible for include:
- Coordinate schedules among executive team members and plan the logistics of each meeting
- Communicating with clients and gathering information about a project’s scope, budgets and timelines
- Meeting with other executives to discuss clients’ project goals, progress and outcomes
- Developing budgets and timelines for clients and the company they work for
- Coordinating teams to meet project milestones
- Assembling new teams to meet clients’ or businesses’ goals
- Coordinate schedules among executive team members and plan the logistics of each meeting
- Reporting and recording all sales activities in a web-based CRM system
- Qualifying inbound leads and prospects via phone and email
- Organizing regular client meetings to ensure excellent customer service
- Prospecting new sales by cold calling businesses
- Holding virtual demonstrations with an end goal of earning a prospect’s business
- Preparing and presenting proposals and bids
- Negotiating terms and conditions with clients
- Collaborating with key decision makers to identify opportunities and develop ideas that deliver sales results
- Uncovering and understanding a company’s needs
- Attending trade shows and hosting customer events
Account Executive skills and qualifications
Account Executives rely on people skills and communicate with clients in both business-to-business and business-to-customer capacities. Other important skills and qualifications for Account Executives include:
- Written and verbal communication skills
- Organization skills
- Time management skills
- Teamwork skills
- Multitasking skills
- Budget management
- Sales skills
- Account management
Account Executive salary expectations
The average salary for an Account Executive is $69,605 per year. Experience is one of the biggest factors determining what an Account Executive can make. Salary may also depend on the applicant’s level of education and geographical location. Some Account Executives can expect additional income on top of their salary, averaging $15,000 per year in cash bonuses and $22,500 per year in commissions.
Account Executive education and training requirements
Account Executives usually obtain a bachelor’s degree. Account Executives typically come from education backgrounds in areas such as marketing, business management or risk management.
Account Executive: Learn More
Sources
https://www.indeed.com/career/account-manager
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/business-management-degree-jobs
A Customer Service Associate, or Customer Retention Associate, is responsible for helping customers with questions or concerns regarding company products and services. Their duties include communicating with customers in-person, over the phone or via email, filling out forms after each interaction to determine frequent customer feedback or questions and participating in meetings with the customer service team to develop new strategies.
What does a Customer Service Associate do?
Customer Service Associates typically work for corporations as a member of the customer service department. They work closely with customer service personnel and members of the sales team to determine the best methods for revenue retention and customer loyalty. Their job is to help customers purchase products, troubleshoot problems and receive refunds for defective products. They may also be responsible for learning about new products and services to best assist customers with questions or concerns.
Customer Service Associate duties and responsibilities
Customer Service Associates perform a variety of support tasks to offer exceptional service to customers. Their duties and responsibilities often include:
- Listening to customers’ concerns and handling complaints and returns
- Giving detailed explanations of services or products
- Working with a sales team to create better methods to address customer complaints
- Reviewing customer accounts and transactions while resolving issues
- Communicating with customers in-person, through email or chat, over the phone or on social media
- Receiving orders, calculating charges and processing payments
- Monitoring customer satisfaction levels
- Referring customers to superiors when necessary
Customer Service Associate skills and qualifications
A Customer Service Associate uses many soft skills and transferable skills to provide the best experiences to customers that they can, including:
- Great communication abilities, including written and verbal communication
- Patience, empathy and professionalism
- Good problem-solving and decision-making capabilities
- Basic computer skills, including data entry, website navigation and other software
- Effective time management, prioritization and multitasking skills
- Ability to work in a team setting
- In-depth understanding of the company’s products or services
Customer Service Associate salary expectations
A Customer Service Associate makes an average of $50,345 annually. Pay rate may depend on level of education, experience and geographical location.
Customer Service Associate education and training requirements
Many Customer Service Associate candidates have at least a high school diploma or GED. Some may have completed or be in pursuit of an associate or bachelor’s degree, which may demonstrate more advanced computer skills, communication abilities and possible industry knowledge. Entry-level Customer Service Associates should complete several months of on-the-job training to learn how best to interact and help customers. Experienced Customer Service Associates may benefit from some on-the-job training to better learn the specifics of their new role and company.
Customer Service: Learn More
Sources
https://www.indeed.com/hire/job-description/customer-service-associate?hl=en&co=US
https://www.salary.com/research/salary/listing/client-service-associate-salary
A Business Consultant organizes and executes different administrative assignments for a client. They gather client and business information through research, interviews and other methods to find the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. Business Consultants, then, discuss these findings with their clients and provide ideas and solutions to issues found during the assessment.
What does a Business Consultant do?
Business Consultants typically work for corporations on a contractual or permanent basis to offer expertise and encouragement for their business goals. They use their expertise working in business or a particular industry to strategize about short- and long-term company goals and methods for success. Their job is to help companies to obtain loans or funding for financial stability, identify areas for improved communication and procedures and review market data to determine new areas for company growth. They may also work to establish more effective onboarding and training methods to help their clients obtain top-tier talent for their departments.
Business Consultant duties and responsibilities
A Business Consultant’s success depends on attention to detail. They must keep a careful eye on multiple aspects of a business while collaborating with business owners. A Business Consultant’s duties may include the following:
- Organize and assign business projects.
- Meet with clients to perform assessments.
- Develop and implement an ongoing budget.
- Develop detailed business plans.
- Help to recruit new hires.
- Develop and implement promotional campaigns.
Business Consultant skills and qualifications
A successful Business Consultant will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications, including the following:
- Strong leadership skills
- Consulting and training skills and the ability to educate the business owners they work with
- The capacity to lead and work as part of a team
- Problem-solving skills and the ability to find unique solutions to problems
- Analytical evaluation skills for budgeting and planning
- Creativity
Business Consultant salary expectations
The average salary for a Business Consultant is $80,499 per year. Salaries can vary depending on the experience of the Business Consultant and the size, industry and geographical location of the companies they consult for. Some Business Consultants earn an average of $10,000 per year via profit sharing.
Business Consultant education and training requirements
Business Consultants typically have a bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance, marketing or management. Experience with project management, accounting and leadership can be helpful in this role as well. Many companies hiring Business Consultants prefer applicants who have master’s degrees or other advanced education. They may also desire prior training in management and familiarity with business management software.
Business Consultant: Learn More
Source
https://www.indeed.com/hire/job-description/business-consultant?hl=en&co=US
Consulting firms often employ cases in their interviews. You will want to familiarize yourself with the format and practice to prepare for a consulting interview:
Get Involved in a Consulting Club
Consider getting involved in a Tippie consulting club to gain skills, network, and have a little fun! These club experiences can also provide you with talking points for your next interview.
Consumer Experience (CX) Consulting Club
The Consumer Experience (CX) Consulting Club strives to give all students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience within the consulting sector. Meeting weekly, we offer an array of guest speakers, insightful lectures, professional workshops, and case practices. We are open to all majors and encourage everyone to join, as this is a great way to meet other like-minded students.
The Sales & Consulting Club is a Tippie student organization that vows to expose, inform, and prepare students for future careers in the business world relating to sales and consulting. We provide a platform for students to learn about these careers and grow their skills in a friendly and inclusive environment. These meetings are a casual way to learn from professional speakers, engage in sales workshops, and network with other students. It never hurts to develop or refine your creative selling and problem-solving skills.
Management Professional Organizations
Joining professional management organizations can provide you with resources, information, networking opportunities, and professional development. Consider the following organizations: