Despite the doom and gloom surrounding the current business environment, a business degree is still one of the most marketable degrees you can have. It not only gives you access to a range of jobs, but business graduates work in some of the highest-paying fields like finance, marketing, and IT project management.
Before you choose your major or masters program, it’s important to understand the trends, as some jobs are definitely forecast to rise over the next years. Read on to discover some of the hottest jobs you can get with a business degree.
1. Operations Research Analyst
Got great analytical skills? Love numbers and data? Consider doing a degree or masters in analytics and becoming an operations research analyst. So what do they do? Basically, they are high-level problem solvers who advise companies on how to operate more efficiently based on their examination of data. By being able to turn the raw language of big data into something intelligible that management can understand, you’ll be assisting the decision-makers to make the right choices. And your input could mean the difference between a company operating smoothly or not. As business becomes more and more focussed on efficiency, research analysts will definitely be in high demand.
2. Accountant
Accounting is often considered a bit old-school compared other, more glamorous jobs in business. But tax and audits aren’t going away anytime soon, so the demand for accountants is always high. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 166,700 new accounting and auditing jobs will open up by 2022. And salaries are definitely in the above average range, with six figures being attainable for an accountant with the right experience and knowledge. Great analytical skills, as well as the ability to communicate quantitative information are key to success as an accountant.
3. Market Research Analyst
One business job that is forecast to be in high demand in the next ten years is market research analyst. You might think that this is all about doing focus group interviews and surveys, but market research has changed so much over the years, bringing on board a range of new technologies like GPS and eye-tracking. Like all analytical jobs, success in this role depends on your ability to make meaning out of data and advise the top decision-makers. Opportunities for market research analysts are forecast to grow by around 32 percent by 2022.
4. Information Technology Project Managers
Although this is more of an IT-related role, this is a great path for someone who has a combined major, or is considering one. Basically, an information technology project manager co-ordinates technical teams to deliver IT projects on time and ensure the delivery of error-free projects that meet quality standards. According to Career Monster, this is one of the highest-paid jobs in business management and demand for these professional is forecast to grow considerably.
5. Business Development Managers
Want a job with lots of bonuses? According to payscale.com, business development managers are not just one of the highest-paid business professionals, they are also one of the most satisfied. Base salary with generous commissions and profit-sharing make this a very lucrative career.