Business Education: Basics of Career Development and Professionalism

Business Career Paths
There are many different career paths one can take in business. One might try a traditional business position in which he or she applies for a business job at a company. The person then works her way up through the corporate ladder, either at that job or switching to other companies. Some people prefer an entrepreneurial path. With the internet and social media, there are numerous ways to start a low-cost business right from the comfort of home. The person might sell something online from a website or an auction site. Some people work in the business world on a freelance basis.
Someone might work as a marketing consultant, for instance. This can be a good option for someone who has experience in the field, but wishes to work from home. Some people choose a combination of these options.

Sources of Information About Business Careers
Business schools can provide a great resource. Students can find out information about the different career choices as well as current trends. Many of the schools have career centers where students can talk to career advisors. Business and trade associations also offer information. These will often have websites that provide information as well as meetings where individuals can network and learn about careers. The internet provides a wealth of information about business careers. From business websites to free resources, many websites share business career information. Individuals can easily search for their particular interest on a search engine. Government publications also provide information.

Important Characteristics of Individuals Pursuing a Business Career

Personal Qualities
Individuals pursuing a career in business will find that certain characteristics can help them. For instance, someone in business should have initiative. He or she should be able to take steps without direction. A businessman should be dependable. Clients and customers depend on businesses to fulfill their promises, and companies need to be able to rely on their employees. A businessman should be enthusiastic. He can promote his products or offerings better if he is enthusiastic about them. He can motivate others with this enthusiasm. It is also very important for a businessman to be responsible.
Colleagues, clients, and customers need to be able to trust that he will do the right thing. He should be competent. He needs to understand his job and be able to perform it well.

Education, Experience, and Skills
It is important for someone pursuing a business career to have the right education, experience, and skills. The exact experience necessary will depend on the job. Many employers prefer workers to have a college degree in business or a related field. A Masters of Business
Administration (MBA) is very useful for those looking to get ahead in business.
Individuals can go beyond that to a doctoral degree, but that is not nearly as common for those not in the education or research field. The more business experience, the better. Even those who haven't had a full-time job may have experience from an internship, part-time job, or apprenticeship. A professional business organization can provide some of this experience as well as information. Someone pursuing a business job should have the ability to do the job effectively as well as reliability, responsibility, enthusiasm, and good communication skills. He should also have soft skills, i.e., the skills related to a person's emotional intelligence quotient, such as an ability to be friendly and work well with others.

Employee Rights in Business
There are a number of health and safety rights covered under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). Employees should work in a safe environment with the proper safety precautions. Employees also have the right to equal employment opportunities. For instance, a person cannot be discriminated against because of gender, race, or religion. A person has the right to earn a fair minimum wage. He or she cannot be forced to work for less than that. Workers with disabilities and those in the military have special rights. Workers also receive rights from the Family and Medical Leave Act. For instance, eligible employees can get unpaid but protected leave for the birth of a child or to care for a sick family member. The exact rights range based upon the eligibility requirements, state, and position.

Strategies to Work Effectively with Business Colleagues
Certain strategies help businessmen work well with colleagues. First, it is important for a person to be responsible and reliable.
Co-workers become resentful when they can't rely on someone, especially when it reflects on them. Businessmen should practice active listening. People appreciate those who really listen to them, and everyone can get their ideas heard. When a person communicates, he or she should do so in a constructive fashion. He should stay positive to the extent possible and explain himself instead of just dictating. He should not be insulting and should keep professional at all times. He should work to compromise with co-workers and show that he is willing to be flexible. People appreciate when co-workers help them and will often pay kind co-workers back with the same courtesy. He should try to solve problems, not make them. He should make sure to 'pull his own weight' as workers can be resentful if someone is not doing his share. All of these can make a huge difference in professional relations.

Career Planning Strategies to Reach Career Goals
The first step in career planning is to create goals. These should include both short-term and long-term goals. Students should be realistic in considering the type of career that would suit them. They should evaluate themselves as far as their abilities, skills, and characteristics.
There are many career assessment tools available at career centers, in books, and online. Of course, most people want to enjoy work, so they should consider the types of things they enjoy and look for a job that encompasses that. They should also consider both what they want from and what they want to give to a job. For instance, they should consider the salary they desire as well as the hours they are willing to put in to get it. Students should consider what needs to be done to get their desired job such as further education, work experience, and so forth. They should formulate a plan for how they will climb the ladder toward the ultimate goal and the steps along the way.

Steps in Career Planning
Career planning involves a variety of steps to increase an individual's chances of attaining a desired career. First, a person must do a personal assessment. He or she should consider his strengths, weaknesses, and abilities as well as his likes and dislikes. He should think about what he wants in a career such as salary, working hours, conditions, and other specifics. Next, he should research the available opportunities. He should first look at industries in general and narrow that down to specific jobs and companies, considering what is available in the areas he would consider working. He can look at trends in the labor market. He then needs to develop a plan for his career path. This might involve deciding on ways to get experience such as through an internship or volunteer position, and ways to learn such as through a student business organization. He should create a time frame for his plan. He might want to add flexibility to his plan, and decide what to do if the first plan doesn't work out. Finally, he should implement his plan by creating his resume, applying for jobs, practicing interviewing, and making a cover letter.

Things for Prospective Employees to Consider When Creating Career Plans
There are many factors to consider when a prospective employee plans his or her career. First, he or she needs to consider his or her interests. Someone who likes to talk might want to venture into public relations, for instance. A person also has to consider what he or she is good at doing. Someone who is terrible at math would not want to go into accounting.
In addition, an employee should decide what type of salary he desires as well as the working hours he is willing to work. He has to be realistic. He might have to put in long hours for a job that pays well. An employee should think about the environment he'd like to work in, as well as the opportunities available to him. He should not just think about now but also about the future and where he'd like his career to go. He should research potential opportunities, industries, and individual companies. He should map out his career and consider the timing.

Sources of Information About Potential Places of Employment
There are a wide variety of sources where an individual can learn about potential places of employment. Career centers at schools provide a great resource. They help students connect with businesses that are hiring.
Sometimes they set up interviews and/or offer meetings with potential employers. Employment agencies and recruiters can be useful. These specialize in connecting employees with employers. The internet provides many ways to search for jobs. Individuals can search on one of the many job search websites such as Monster. These websites make it easy to upload resumes and apply. Job fairs provide another effective venue. Individuals can meet with potential employers.
Many colleges and business schools offer these. Individuals can also look at classified advertisements in the newspapers or in trade publications. Personal networking is a very effective way as well. Individuals can 'ask around' to people they know to see if they can connect with a potential employer.

Gaining Job Skills and Experience
A prospective employee can gain job skills and experience in many different ways, which can provide a valuable advantage when searching for a job. An internship is an excellent way to gain experience. A person can learn about a job as he (or she) works. Also, some jobs offer employment opportunities to their former interns. Job shadowing is another great way to attain experience. A person will follow and learn from a regular employee. An apprenticeship is another way to learn job skills. In apprenticeships, individuals learn from someone who is skilled at the job and will typically get to practice it. Some people might get a part-time job in which they can get applicable experience. Volunteering is another way to gain experience. This can be especially useful in a field in which it is difficult to get a paying job with no experience at all. It is typically far easier to get volunteer work. Another choice is a school-to-work program, where students train for the jobs as they transition from an educational environment to a work one.

Resume
A resume may be the first thing a potential employer sees; thus, it is vital for it to be professional and comprehensive. First, a resume should contain all pertinent contact information including name, phone number, address, email, and website. It should contain an objective such as the type of position for which the employee is searching. It should contain information about an individual's education, including areas of study and potentially her GPA, if it is impressive. The resume should also list experience, especially the recent experience and that specifically related to the desired job. It should include pertinent information, such as dates of work, responsibilities, and accomplishments. It should list the individual's skills as well as accomplishments. A potential employee can list his (or her) activities and any awards or honors he received. Resumes should be thorough and contain information to validate claims. An impressive sales number is more powerful than simply saying the candidate is a good salesperson. All of the information should be pertinent and the document shouldn't be too long. It should be edited carefully so there are no errors.

Strong Cover Letter
A strong cover letter can make all the difference in attaining a job. It is best to create a customized cover letter for each job; companies will appreciate the effort. It is important to address the letter to a specific person instead of 'To Whom It May Concern.' Potential employees should do research to find the correct recipient. Next, the letter should focus on how the employee can help the company and the skills, abilities, and experience that she will use to do so. It should show impressive and substantiated information. For instance, someone who is hoping for a sales job may give impressive sales numbers from a previous job. A person should tailor this information to the details of the company and position. The cover letter should explain how the candidate meets the qualifications. It should not be just a generic letter. It should contain all pertinent information, including full contact information. It should be succinct and not too long—generally no more than one page—because employers are not going to spend a long time reading them. It should be professionally written and free of grammatical errors.

Filling out Strong Job Applications
A job application is one of the first documents a potential employer will see. When filling it out, a potential employee should use a black or blue pen or type it. An erasable pen can be useful. If printed, it should be extremely neat and large enough to be read. It is important to follow all directions on the job application. Everything should be filled out thoroughly, and there shouldn't be any blanks. If something doesn't apply, that should be indicated with 'N/A' or a similar comment. Potential employees should explain any obvious issues such as if there was a long break between jobs. They should accentuate extremely pertinent information such as useful skills or statistics that highlight an advantage. Individuals should create a personal fact sheet they can bring with them to ensure all the information is accurate. They should check it over for accuracy and typographical errors.

Job Interview

An important step in preparing for a job interview is to practice interviewing. He or she should consider the most commonly asked questions and formulate and practice answers, preferably in front of someone who can evaluate him. He should research the company so he shows initiative and understanding of the company. He should prepare a resume, portfolio, business cards and other professional materials. A candidate should show up early to an interview, wearing professional clothing. He should be friendly and enthusiastic. He should show good body language, maintain eye contact, sit up straight, and not fidget. He should listen to the interviewers and answer the questions fully, putting the best light on his traits and highlighting how he can help the company. He should give valid data to support his points when possible. After the interview, he should follow up with a thank you card.

CTSO
Career and technical student organizations (CTSO) are organizations dedicated to helping students learn and prepare for careers.
There are many CTSOs dedicated to business students. Many offer local, regional, and/or national meetings and conferences where business students come together to network and to learn about trends in the business world. They help prepare students for careers and will sometimes offer mentoring and other opportunities. Many of the business CTSOs also offer competitions where students can compete in business-related events. These provide prizes and help students learn about business, in addition to looking good on a resume.
Students in these organizations also benefit from the knowledge and experience of the faculty advisors. Some of the organizations offer scholarships as well.
They can be a great way for students to learn about business and the ways to embark on a business career.

Benefits
Business students can learn about business careers and business in general through career and technical student organizations. It can be a great way to get pertinent experience. A CTSO also offers networking opportunities. Students mingle with those in the business world, which may help them gain an internship, a job, or other benefits that could lead to employment. A CTSO looks good on a resume because it shows initiative. In addition, many CTSOs offer competitive events. Doing well in these also looks good and exposes the student to more people in the business world. Some of them provide opportunities to be mentored. They can also be a resource when a business student is looking for a job. Students can meet other students, share information, and create relationships that may be useful in the future.

Roles of Faculty Advisors
Faculty advisors provide information and guidance to business students in student organizations. They may provide information about business in general. Many of the organizations have competitions, and they help the students study and prepare for the competitions. They also help the students with their career goals and aspirations and help facilitate the meetings. Many faculty advisors will accompany the groups when attending local, regional, or national conferences. They provide information about the groups and help the students make the most of their membership. They might introduce the students to others in the business world and help with networking. In addition, many advisors will mentor business students. They provide a valuable function to their students.

NBEA
The National Business Education Association (NBEA) is a professional organization for those involved in business education. It works to help members grow professionally and develop their skills in business education. It offers numerous publications; an informative national convention; networking opportunities at the local, regional, and national levels; advocacy in legislative issues; opportunities to develop professionally; and information regarding international business. It offers numerous webinars to provide information and allows members to interact both in person and online in places such as Facebook, Twitter, and NBEAconnect. It also offers awards and scholarships. Meetings and conferences offer numerous workshops, educational sessions, and exhibitors.

DECA
DECA started in 1946 as Distributive Education Clubs of America with the goal of helping high school and college students prepare for business jobs in the fields of management, marketing, finance, and hospitality. With over 200,000 members, it provides a number of opportunities for those interested in the business field. One opportunity is chance to participate in numerous competitions. Students can learn about business and show off their skills, as well as gain something useful for their resumes.
Another opportunity is to learn from one of over 5,000 advisors. Students get the chance to attend conferences and network. DECA also offers leadership conferences and career development conferences, which provide workshops and other opportunities to help students embark on their business careers.

FBLA
The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) boasts over 200,000 members, making it the largest career organization for business students. It aspires to ready students for business and related jobs. It offers competitions, in which students can show off their business knowledge. It also offers informative literature, including Tomorrow's Business Leader. Conferences and seminars help students work on their leadership skills through workshops and exhibits. They can learn about current trends and ways to make their career goals come true. They can learn from each other and advisors, networking with those already in the business field. It has both local conferences and a national conference. It also offers leadership events and other special events for general members, as well as officers of the local chapters.

BPA
With 43,000 members, Business Professionals of America (BPA) is one of the largest career and technical student organizations for students interested in management, information technology, office administration, and similar careers. It seeks to prepare students for these careers through conferences, competitive events, and other resources, allowing students to hone their leadership, technological, citizenship, and academic skills. Conferences are organized at local, state, and national levels and offer the Workplace Skills Assessment Program (WSAP), which has 72 events in which students can learn and compete. It also offers scholarships, opportunities for officer positions, and a national Leadership Academy. BPA membership also allows for networking, both at a local and national level, and students can also learn from advisors. There are many advantages for students to join BPA.

Area Chambers of Commerce
Area chambers of commerce are organizations that allow local businesses to band together to work for the benefit of the business community as a whole. They range greatly in size, which is largely dependent on how large an area they represent. Businessmen can network and find ways to work with each other to benefit their businesses. Sometimes they work together to get favorable regulation or laws passed, although they do not have the ability to pass laws themselves. They may work with politicians to get initiatives that will benefit business. They may be non-profit, or the money may be provided by the government. They will generally have an executive council or a board of directors, as well as a CEO or similar individual to lead. It is advantageous for a business to join.

Benefits of Belonging to Professional Organizations
Many organizations offer workshops where teachers can learn about the latest trends in the business world. This can help them professionally, as well as give them information to disseminate to their students. In addition, business organizations provide opportunities to network at local, regional, and national conferences, as well as during meetings.
Networking in the business world can be very positive and may help the business teacher move to a better position. Membership in a professional organization is also a good thing to have on a resume. It can look very prestigious. Many business education professional organizations also work to promote the interests of business education professionals, thus members can enjoy the benefits that come from these efforts. Many teachers may also enjoy interacting with others in the same field and with sharing and receiving information. It is very worthwhile for business education teachers to join professional organizations.