Posts: 8,774
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2011
America's financial issues
07-29-2011, 05:23 PM
Since I'm leaning towards an international business route in college...what does all this mean to the average American? How did this happen? Posting from my phone so tell me if it doesn't work on pc's.
http://mobile.slate.com/rss.jsp?rssid=41...vice%3drss
Posts: 3,017
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2010
America's financial issues
07-29-2011, 07:49 PM
houston.
some advise
dont do international business. u can go international with more meaningful degrees. or you can minor / double major in international business.
if you go the business route, here is the more meaningful majors.
Finance
Economics
Accounting
I recently graduated from business school. I would go the IT route. Its the future imo...
Posts: 8,774
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2011
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 01:24 PM
Dash - can you speak more on that? I hate messing with computers so I don't think IT will work
Posts: 1,909
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2010
Reputation:
59
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 04:01 PM
houston, I'm studying finance right now and I plan to minor or have a focus in international business. I'm not the greatest with computers so I feel like that is a solid route to go if you're not interested in IT.
You can do so much more with a finance/econ/accounting degree than sit in a cubicle and crunch numbers.
Posts: 283
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2010
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 05:35 PM
Quote: (07-30-2011 04:01 PM)wi30 Wrote:
houston, I'm studying finance right now and I plan to minor or have a focus in international business. I'm not the greatest with computers so I feel like that is a solid route to go if you're not interested in IT.
You can do so much more with a finance/econ/accounting degree than sit in a cubicle and crunch numbers.
Thats
exactly what you'll do a with finance/econ/accounting degree.
Posts: 3,017
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2010
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 07:46 PM
most likely you will be doing number crunching, but there is good jobs out their with traveling and dealing with customers ect which isnt all cubicle number crunching.
and as far as what u asked, finance is the best specialized degree you can get in business, with accounting and economics being the other good ones.
Posts: 8,774
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2011
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 08:07 PM
Is there a good website to break down all the business majors and maybe give me an idea of what I can do with them? I've been hearing international business might not be the best route. I DON'T want a 9-5 cubicle job. I'm on this website so y'all can guess I want to be able to travel around for a few weeks at a time. A profession where I'm given a project to do or something like that. And of course a decent amount of money. I don't have to be a millionaire but yeah.
Posts: 3,017
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2010
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 08:30 PM
accounting is good because you can find work in places like south america and asia. the work is not that fun but you make pretty good.
fuck all those majors though. you want to work for yourself.
start studying real estate investing and saving money. with just average success u can make good money and have all the vacation time u want.
Posts: 8,774
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2011
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 08:53 PM
Dash - I don't want to work or live overseas. Just be able to leave for a few weeks at a time. I want my homebase to in the states.
Posts: 3,017
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2010
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 09:04 PM
Quote: (07-30-2011 08:53 PM)houston Wrote:
Dash - I don't want to work or live overseas. Just be able to leave for a few weeks at a time. I want my homebase to in the states.
there is hardly no jobs in the business field unless u are the owner or very high upper management that will allow you to take off "a few weeks" at a time. Best case is if you get like 3 weeks off a year maybe 4 after you been with the company for awhile. Even then u wont be able to take off for weeks at a time. 1 week a few times a year is the best u can hope for.
get a finance degree. then get a job where u can save 1k a month either in the US or go teach overseas for like 2 years and save 25-30K. then come back and give real estate investing a go. tons of passive income possibilities, with being able to make ur own schedule and work at ur own pace / projects.
Posts: 8,774
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2011
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 09:20 PM
I'm confused on what to major in. What business jobs/majors give you projects so I would be able to take off and work? Are there any? Or will I be stuck in a cubicle unless I branch out on my own?
Thanks for the advice everyone.
Posts: 3,017
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2010
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 09:29 PM
in theory u can get those type projects with almost any business major, finance, marketing, management, ect. Only prob is those jobs are scarce and hard to come by. So I would not bank on that if I was you.
My advise is if you do go the business route then major in finance. It is the most respected and holds the most weight.
Not everyone can do finance though as it is alot of advanced math ie calculus, linear algebra, probability ect.
Posts: 879
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2011
Reputation:
67
America's financial issues
07-30-2011, 10:36 PM
Have you considered a trade? Colleges are pumping out grads, but there are shortages worldwide when it comes to tradesmen. You can work almost anywhere and it pays well, not to mention more chances for self employment.
Consider things like mechanics, air conditioning, drillers, electricians, etc. These guys can work in CBD's, offshore, remote sites on/off. Many contract or are self employed. You also wont spend much time in a cubicle either.
Business degrees and business grads are a dime a dozen. Just like the arts degrees hit saturation 15 years ago, so too have the business degrees. The only worthwhile degrees now are in the sciences IMO.
Posts: 283
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2010
America's financial issues
07-31-2011, 09:11 AM
In regards to finance vs economics, go for economics. It makes you more marketable in more industries including the public sector ie. government. While finance limits your industry, economics makes you vague and employable in manufacturing, banking, agriculture, etc, etc
Quote: (07-30-2011 09:04 PM)Dash Global Wrote:
there is hardly no jobs in the business field unless u are the owner or very high upper management that will allow you to take off "a few weeks" at a time. Best case is if you get like 3 weeks off a year maybe 4 after you been with the company for awhile. Even then u wont be able to take off for weeks at a time. 1 week a few times a year is the best u can hope for.
get a finance degree. then get a job where u can save 1k a month either in the US or go teach overseas for like 2 years and save 25-30K. then come back and give real estate investing a go. tons of passive income possibilities, with being able to make ur own schedule and work at ur own pace / projects.
This is what I meant that you will be mostly a cubicle monkey, doing analysis (if you are lucky) and getting 1-2 week vacation.
Dash's financial advise of saving 1k/month is sound. The goal is to have
surplus capital ie. money to invest. I believe the minimum should be 10k. Invest your surplus capital into whichever venture and spin the roulette of business success.
You will also need working/life experience to increase your chances of success.
Posts: 329
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2011
Reputation:
12
America's financial issues
07-31-2011, 01:31 PM
I am an international business major. I graduate in December. I have an internship/job lined up which i will start working whithin the month at a private bank as a loan underwriter or that will lead to be becoming a credit analyst by the time i graduate.
I know plenty of finance majors that get a job as a bank teller or are going to graduate school because of the shortage of jobs. Accounting is the ONLY secure major in Business where your pretty much guaranteed work after graduation. However, few people like the number crunching aspect.
The most important thing is who you know. You should be networking like crazy to find a well placed person who can basically hook you up with your future job. Thats how I got my job that I will be starting soon. One person from my school (Tier 3 though big enough to be Tier 1) went to Goldman Sachs because of his networking, and Goldman does not recruit from my school as far as I know they only recruit from Ivy Leagues.
Keep up with the Networking like crazy and pick up a language or 2. Multilingual is a VERY big deal these days. Ask around these forums for the best way to pick up another language. You can meet people via groups on Meetup.com and livemocha.com. Try skyping with people in different countries, this can be a great way to learn for free. And dont forget to take advantage of making friends with all the international students who have trouble meeting people (culture shock)., Just hit up your international office on campus to get connected.
Posts: 283
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2010
America's financial issues
07-31-2011, 04:34 PM
Once you get in your industry, you need to study the organizational structure to choose where and with whom to network.
My language skills has gotten me in a multinational.
Posts: 283
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2010
America's financial issues
07-31-2011, 04:35 PM
perdon, fue doble.