Advice for me? Can you help (Business Management)

hrdcorethndr1 · Post by **hrdcorethndr1** » 18 Nov 2009 18:40

I believe that i am going to attend my local community college due to funding issues, i will be going for a Business Management associates degree. I am wondering if anyone else out there in the footbag world has a degree in business management, or has atteneded/attending schooling for such a thing, and if so if they have any advice.

I am currently taking a Syracuse college english course college course and an econmic and governement college course. (still in high school)
So basically, if anyone has any advice (evan on college in general) please help me out. Any advice is cherished.

Thanks
-Zach

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 20 Nov 2009 05:25

step 1 to a business career: get really good at typing without typos and other glaring mistakes

hrdcorethndr1 · Post by **hrdcorethndr1** » 21 Nov 2009 15:59

well thats almost helpful, i'll fix my first post for you if it makes you happy, does anyone have help that isn't criticism?

max · Post by **max** » 22 Nov 2009 00:26

I know Bob has an MBA, and I should be finished with mine in March.

I'd have to second Bob's advice though: typos and glaring mistakes in any business communication (itâ€™s acceptable on an Internet Forum) just screams "unprofessional".

Regarding advice, Iâ€™d have to say that management courses are good but youâ€™ll get the most value out of them if you can actually relate them to past experience. Therefore I think that just acquiring work experience (in any industry) is actually a pretty good starting point. Maybe you already have a lot of professional experience, in which case youâ€™ll be able to see where your courses could have helped you in being a better manager or in generally running a business.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 23 Nov 2009 05:36

step 2 to a business career: become thick skinned and able to accept criticsim.

I'm serious on both of my steps so far. They're both really critical to business success.

But, max is on the money with the biggest thing you can do. Get job experience. Most colleges have a co-op/internship type of program. Use it, use it again, overuse it. Whatever you have to do to get that "free experience", do it.

Honestly, I won't hire anyone straight out of college. They think they're hot shots, entitled to riches and decision making authority, want to be promoted right away without paying their dues etc. etc. etc. (frankly, I was exactly the same coming out of school). My team is viewed as a group, I can't lose 6 months to a year getting a newbie trained. If you show tons of internship experience, I'll consider it though.

hrdcorethndr1 · Post by **hrdcorethndr1** » 23 Nov 2009 07:52

Well honestly i do appriciate that, i took your reply as a critical statement of my post, i jumped to conclusions.

I apologize for the said jumped statement. Thank you both for the advice. What kind of business do you work at? if you don't mind me asking, and/or does anyone else work in a business related field?

I may also have the opportunity to work as a Co-Manager after i get my associates degree.(At Wal-Mart, i am currently a pharmacy technician at Wal-Mart, working part time) I do not believe that working as a Co-Manager requires a formal degree (the Co-Managers are the manager's that work below the Assistant Managers, who work below the Store Manager). I do not wish to have a complete career at Wal-Mart, but instead i wish to work for some kind of business, i do not know what kind, but i do not wish to start my own, or at least i would like to work for a business after i have gotten a degree or two.

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 23 Nov 2009 17:57

Ok this is my 2 cents. Take it or leave it.

I work in business but I don't have a business degree.

Business, like science is something where you can learn a lot more by doing than sitting in a classroom. Chemistry for example, you work in a lab and the real experts (chemists) are in the lab most of the day. Business in the same way, there's a difference between theory and practice. That's why most people who end up studying business (like Bob and Max), study something other than business for undergrad, go out and work and then go get an MBA years later. That way they have lots of real world experience as a frame of reference when they enter business school. The MBA usually ends up being much more valuable and relevant that way.

That being said there is only so much you can learn in the classroom (I'm NOT saying business school is a waste of time). For now, you'll learn a lot more by doing. So get out there and look for opportunities with growth potential and new things to learn. Try different stuff out. It's OK to not know what you want to do right now. The way you figure it out is you try different stuff and get a feel for what you like and what you don't like.

As a side note, I know the economy is not so hot right now, but I would seriously consider trying to get out of Walmart, there are places that are going to be much better for your growth long term.

mc · Post by mc » 23 Nov 2009 18:18

hrdcorethndr1 wrote:Well honestly i do appriciate that, i took your reply as a critical statement of my post, i jumped to conclusions. I apologize for the said jumped statement.

well, you didn't jump to the wrong conclusion. He definitely made a critical statement of your post, but I think the point is that it was a valuable critical statement, as was Bob's follow-up to your initial response.

I thought the same thing Bob did, when I saw your first post in this thread. If you can differentiate between constructive criticism and a "low blow", you'll be a lot better equipped to take on and integrate valuable information such as what Bob said.

That said, I could probably take some of my own advice in that department, but I think I'm doing better lately

hrdcorethndr1 · Post by **hrdcorethndr1** » 23 Nov 2009 18:39

Yeah i would have to say i took it the wrong way, it was an actual piece of valuable advice, i just didn't take it that way. I think that an open mind would have been a useful thing to have before i went and made a fool of myself.

And to Iron Clad Ben, i am intrigued by your statement about wal-mart, i know by our bonuses this quarter (24 dollars opposed to the usual 300 dollars) are a sure sign of how we are doing, but wal-mart hires from within easily(i do not want a permanent job, but for some kind of experience), and while not an "upscale" business i think that it is a good place to be right now, considering the economy. But i do not have any expirience or true data. Would you mind elaborating?(and by no means am i antagonizing, please don't take it the wrong way)

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 23 Nov 2009 21:40

I don't have a problem with Walmart being not "upscale". That shouldn't be on the table. I don't have a problem at all with what they do, just how they do it. The reason why I dislike Walmart is its general lack of social responsibility and poor track record with things like human rights, fair pay, burden on US taxpayers. Read more here:

http://www.walmartmovie.com/facts.php

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 24 Nov 2009 06:46

Hello again,

I was purposely pushing you because I wanted to be able to give my second piece of advice

heh heh, I could have probably accomplished that another way.

Anyways, moving on.

Ben's totally correct that the most valuable learning will happen at work, not at school. And he was careful to note that business school isn't a waste of time. I'll second that point as many business positions simply will not look at you unless you have the school part of the equation taken care of.... and in many more cases (like positions that I hire) I want school AND experience.

Also, it depends on where you want to be later on... and how realistic it is to get there. Based on your realistic assessment of where you can get, and where you want to get, your school choices will be affected (more school, less school, good school vs. not as good school, what focus/major etc.)

As for the comments on whether being with WalMart is good or not... and I didn't check out the link (but am guessing it's about the company killing competitive markets, stressing supply chains to the brink, and putting Vlassic pickles and Levi's jeans out of business and stuff like that)... Aside from any philosophy I may have about the company, WalMart is extremely advanced in terms of logistics, and is widely recognized for that expertise. If you have a chance to be in any type of management position, while also doing your schooling, I see nothing wrong with it. It's a brand name line item on your resume - everyone (everyone) knows that company. I'd have no problem hiring someone that learned the ropes there.

One last thing. The economy is a steaming pile right now. Great time to spend energy on education since job hunting is a messier proposition than usual.

Good luck!