becoming a business executive -- Virtually Advising Q+A

The Q: I was wondering which classes I should be taking in order to become a private sector executive...what should I major in?

The A: That's great that you have an idea of what type of career you're interested in pursuing. However, one can be a private sector executive in many different fields, such as business or health. What field are you most interested in entering?

One great place to go when trying to decide on a profession is the Occupational Outlook Handbook. This is a governmental site produced by the Department of Labor. Information about almost every job out there can be found on this site. It also gives a great overview of each field: you can read about the nature of the work, future predictions about job openings in the field, what majors are recommended for that type of work, and so on.

Here are a few things they had to say about those interested in pursuing an executive or general manager position (for both the public and private sector):

--Many general managers and top executives have a bachelor’s degree or higher in a liberal arts field (like English or political science) or business administration.

--They usually major in something related to the departments they direct for example, a manager of finance may have a degree in accounting and a manager of information systems might have a degree in computer science.

--Many executives hold graduate and professional degrees. Many managers in administrative, marketing, financial, and manufacturing activities have a master’s degree in business administration.

You can read more of this description on the OOH's page for "Top Executives."

Are there any majors that you're already considering? If you need more asssistance in choosing your major, let me know a little more about what you're most interested in studying.

Narrowing down the one thing you're going to major in is tough but not impossible. You can make a list of subjects you really love and subjects your really good at. See if any of the subjects coincide. Sometimes just brainstorming and writing your feelings down helps to make things much clearer. Also, talk to professors you know -- they can be a valuable resource. But in the end, remember: This is ultimately your decision.

I hope the above information is helpful to you! Feel free to e-mail me if you have any more questions :)

Good Luck!

—Mary Anne Feeney, General Advisor