Is there anything you can do with a marketing/management degree besides work in an office?  I have gotten my fist taste of office work here the past few months and dislike every minute of it.  I'm 2 years in, so I don't want to change and lose two years of school, but it would be nice to know what I could with the degree besides work in an office.  thanks for your help.

Kevin

My best friend from high school got a marketing management degree from Penn State.  He found that other than working in an office as you've just described, the only other thing it qualified him to do was get a job as an assistant manager at the retail level (e.g. Fisher's Big Wheel) w/o having to work his way up from cashier or stockboy.  After a couple years of such jobs, he bit the bullet and went back to school to become a certified history teacher.  I suggest you learn from his mistakes.

A huge mistake is to limit your career choices by your degree.  The best idea is to identify the things that interest you and go in that direction.  Be honest with yourself and make a list of your accomplishments using as much detail as you can remember.  You will probably find that nothing you have accomplished in your life that you enjoyed doing involved office work.

Hi Kevin:

The short answer is, "yes". The possibilities of a business degree are endless. Please read that again. I assure you its true.

Do not let shortsighted guidance counselors or others push you into traditional paths.

But you need to ask yourself what you want to do. See you're looking at it wrong. Its not I have this degree, what do people want me to do. Its, I want to do this, what's the best way to get there. Get it?

First off, let me recommend a book. Its called What Color is Your Parachute by Richard Bolles. Its billed as a job-hunting book, but it can really help you figure out where YOU want to go.

There are tons of outside jobs for business degrees from Law Enforcement/Military to Public Relations and Sales. Its up to you...

I have found that what your degree is in is much less important that interests and experience.

Summary:
Find out what YOU want to do. Find other people doing that thing. Ask how they got there. Do what they did. Don't worry about degree.

Good Luck.

Kevin-

I believe the specific type of degree isn’t that important.  What is important is that you have a degree.  College teaches writing, communication, and logical thinking no matter what you major in.  Those skills will transfer over into just about any job.

I have a BS in Electrical Engineering.  I have very rarely used any EE in the various jobs I’ve had over the years. I now manage a Customer Service department.

The lady in the office next to me has a BA in Criminal Justice and a MA in Education. She works in our Marketing department.

Those are just a couple examples.

Below is a good book to help you identify what is important to you in a career:
[url]www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0883900300/qid=1006970876/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_5_1/002-9537881-7432867[/url]

Ditto what 1035 said about doing what interests you.

Good luck!

Sage words indeed from the Commish.

Its the mistake that I made. Of course, I've done very well finacially, but I wouldn't lie to you and tell you I have reached nirhvana in my career path.

Like he says, make an inventory of things you have done in your life that have REALLY lit your fire - things you are passionate about. Then see if you can make a living at any of them.

1. Be willing to chuck the two years of college behind you.

2. Be willing to make less money doing what you love.

3. Or be willing, disciplined and dedicated in structuring a plan that will have you doing something you really don't like doing LONG ENUF to be financially independent so that you can do what you love for little pay.

# 3 is my current plan.

Even if you wanted to do office work you normally start out near the bottom.  The best thing that will help you get a job is experience. So get that experience in a field you enjoy.  The others here are correct the business degree is good.  It shows any employer that you have completed a task.  But I recommend you get a part time job while your in college in a field you enjoy which will give you a headstart on your career even if it delays your graduation.  However, please note there is a reason they call it work instead of fun.  Where I work now it really varies from day to day, and I am happy but the first 18 months here I was misreble.  Now I am glad I stuck it out(most days).  The other thing is that office work in a small office is much more varied and you have wider duties to help break up the day.

"BANE" - just go on and get the damn degree.  I don't care if you have a 600 IQ you're always going to be asked "do you have a degree."
When you figure out what you want to do get a masters in that field.
From digging ditches to construction to forest ranger you'll always use parts of a business and marketing degree.

[twisted sister]WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO WITH YOUR LIFE?!@[/twisted sister] [}:D]

I guess I should ask what you expected to do with a marketing/management degree?  What exactly do you mean by office work?  It's one thing to be pushing papers around and another to be the guy who calls the shots in the office.  I take it you're doing the former and not the latter.  I've worked in more than a few offices in my 7 years in the workforce, and some were a lot nicer than others.  Some were downright mongoloid in their politics and operation.

However, your career is not limited to your degree.  You should go to school to learn and to study what interests you.  If what interests you can be turned into a career and you can support yourself with it, even better.  However, there are millions of opportunities around the world to get involved in if you really want to.  There really is no limit to what you can do with your life, degree or not.

So what do you want to learn in school, and what do you want to do with your life?  It's a big world out there, and there's lots of opportunity for anyone to make themselves whatever they want to be.  It's know what that is that's the key.

God Bless Texas

As a few people have indicated, what you actually get your degree in is nearly irrelevant.

MOST people end up working in fields that are NOT related to their college degree.

Leading to this Great Axiom -

"What you learn in college is irrelevant. But having the degree, and showing an employer you have the chutzpa to finish college is almost mandatory."

My undergraduate degree is in Animal Sciences and my graduate degree is in Business. My undergraduate degree has been relatively useless EXCEPT during job interviews (between undergrad & grad school) when the requirements stated "Degree required." In other words, like any degree, it's a foot in the door.

My business degree has allowed me to work in a variety of circumstances from the non-profit sector to consumer oriented to B2B sales.

But perhaps the most important thing that my business degree did for me was it allowed me to set up a nice sideline for myself -- my one true love (other than shooting) is photography. I know plenty of photographers who, for lack of any business sense, are working as waiters, cab drivers, etc. I, on the other hand, have a hobby that's turned into a money maker (unless you're from the IRS -- then it's running at a loss).

Bottom line: If you have any entrepreneurial tendencies, business training is invaluable in getting you on your way and can either keep you out of the office life or at least give you something that makes office life a little more bearable.

Got one here. Right out of college, I got into entry-level positions, gained experience and honed my skills. It will take some patience on your part. Nowadays, even if you graduate Cum Laude, experience still counts. Determine what career path you really want, then acquire all the training and skills to make you competent and I am sure you will start enjoying it. Thanks.

My cousin has a BS in marketing from CalStateLA, and selling Snap-On tools.  He says the work is tough, the hours are lousy, but other than that he loves it.  Why don't you try to get some part time jobs in the industry that you have an interest, even if it takes you a little longer to graduate.  That way you can test out different careers/industries and it won't look bad if you leave. Remember 99% of the jobs are not listed, try networking in a specific industry, people like go-getters. But do get your degree, because most organizations use it as filtering method.

Thanks for your input guys.  It is appreciated.

Kevin

This is very good advice.  Over the years I've hired several engineering graduates and found the best ones are those who went the cooperative education route or else had industry specific job experience during the summers.  These kids generally know what they don't want to do as much as what they do want to do.  Nowadays, employers are interested in employee retention.  Industry specific experience demonstrates the job candidate knows what he is getting himself into.

I wouldn't worry about it and just finish your degree ASAP.

No, you don't have to work in an office.  You don't have to do anything you don't want, you're a free man remember?.  

Unless the work is real professional like engineering or medicine or law, it's really flexible what you can do with your degree.  

I would say mix that degree with an engineering degree and you will have something solid.  Both are completely necessary. But I would say that most of what I have learned as a business man you would not even get taught in college.  

You see in business school they don't teach you about.......

Well, Hell I edited this because I will not tell you what I have learned as a business man. And yes , once you run your own business you will know that the business they teach you in college ain't the business that is practiced on the streets of America.  You can use Economics both macro and micro. But once you get in the SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST (AND That is exactly what it is) MODE IN AMERICAN BUSINESS YOU WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.  I sometimes wish that I was in a Lab working by myself.

There was a time not too long ago less then 2 months ago; when I had spent over 1000 days straight scared shitless that something I was about to pull off would fail. It didn't , but can you imagine the stress for three years straight. Day-IN and DAY-OUT.  I was praying to god each and every night, Still do , but with a little relaxation and some lighter talk between me and him.  THREE FRICKIN YEARS OF THOUGHT AND ACTION THOUGHT AND ACTION THOUGHT AND ACTION. DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY ALL TOWARDS THE SAME GOAL. That what you were trying to do effects the lives of 5 people and perhaps more. That if you fail it will destroy all of there lives. If you can handle this kind of stress and still do well you may make a good business man.

Benjamin

Remember dot all your I's and cross all your T's

A LAWYER IS NOTHING MORE THEN A BATTLE-AXE FOR A BUSINESS MAN.
LISTEN TO HOW PEOPLE SPEAK VERY CAREFULLY THE TRUTH IS WITHIN IT EACH AND EVERY TIME.

You are right no business school has TAUGHT me anything. Everything I have learned I had to learn.  That way I wouldn't get put out of business.

  Hmmm, I seem to have hit a nerve. Relax. Its just 12:15 and I have only been up for 18 hours. Please forgive my grammatical errors.
I deleted the post originally so I would appreciate if you would remove yours.

Thank you.
Benjamin

What to do with a business degree?

I'm flying for an airline with mine.  They don't care what your major is.

My advice:  find a job doing something you love and you will never have to work another day in your life.