When you’re at college, you’re often still figuring out exactly what it is you want to do during your career. Plus, these days it’s very common for people to have numerous paths during the length of their career.
If you’re someone who has always been business-minded and if you are thinking of one day running your own organization, it pays to consider degrees that are particularly helpful for this work. Read on for some top options for business-minded students.
Business
Obviously one of the main degrees for those wanting to become self-employed is a business program. An MBA or similar kind of study is beneficial because it allows people to learn about a wide variety of subjects that are all necessary when running an organization. For instance, topics covered typically include leadership, sales, marketing, finance, accounting, human resources, computing, economics, international markets and more.
Another benefit is it usually includes internships and practical placements over the three-plus years of study. These on-the-job opportunities allow students to learn directly from experienced entrepreneurs. In addition, sometimes these placements lead to jobs or allow students to develop relationships with business people who can become friends, mentors and more.
Economics
Since one of the most important elements of running a business successfully is being able to track and manage cash flow, enrolling in an economics degree is another great idea. Each year thousands of ventures close or sell out because their owners cannot pay bills.
To avoid this fate, you must understand how finances work both in business and on a bigger scale. Keep in mind how political decisions and international markets, banks and other factors affect ventures. Once you understand micro and macro impacts, you can plan and help protect your organization accordingly.
Economics degrees these days also usually include classes on using Big Data. Since tracking, measuring and analyzing data is now so important for businesses of all sizes, this is a vital area to gain competence in. You will discover ways to understand your venture’s results as well as how you market to customers, what products or services you should sell and so on. This, in turn, will enable you to make better, and more timely, decisions.
Psychology
When you’re running a business, you’re focused on making as many sales as you can. You want to maximize profits and achieve the results you want. One of the best ways to get more customers is to understand them and what they’re looking for. That is, what kinds of problems can you solve for them, or what benefits can you provide?
As you’d imagine, knowing how the human brain operates and how motivations and desires work is a great benefit. This is where studying psychology comes in. Once you get a psychology degree, you’ll know how to market and sell your wares more effectively.
In addition, understanding the mind will help you generate interest from potential business partners, investors, and lenders, not to mention top candidates for jobs you advertise plus journalists and other stakeholders. With skills in psychology, you will be able to provide excellent customer service to your clients. You’ll ensure consumers come back again and again while also referring their friends, family members and colleagues.
You will have the skills to motivate, inspire and lead a team to greatness. You’ll be able to connect with people of all ages and from all backgrounds. Once you’ve completed psychology courses, you’ll have the necessary tools to know how to negotiate well, to read and use body language to your advantage and to ensure you communicate in an effective way. You will also be better equipped to know how to find the best employees for your team and to train them and teach them to be leaders in the future.
When you have an understanding of the human mind, it will be easier to understand yourself better, too. This is important given that running a business is stressful and can lead to heightened emotions on a regular basis. With your training, you’ll be better able to control yourself and to understand when you’re likely to make emotional decisions.
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