What is business?

1. What is business? A business can be defined as an organization that provides goods and services to others who want or need them. When many people think of business careers, they often think of jobs in large wealthy corporations. Many business-related careers, however, exist in small businesses, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and educational settings. Furthermore, you don't need a degree in business to obtain many of these positions. In short, every sector of our economy needs people with strong overall skills that can be applied to business-type careers. There are a wide variety of career areas that exist in business settings. Some of these include:

• Accounting
• Administrative management
• Business management
• Finance
• Human resources
• Information systems
• Insurance
• Marketing
• Operations management
• Public relations
• Purchasing/merchandising
• Retail management

SalesWithin each of these categories are a wide variety of career titles that someone nterested in business could pursue. For more examples of careers in each of these areas visit one of the websites listed below:

• ISEEK: Minnesota-specific career information
• Careers in Business: Information about select business careers
• U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook HandbookHow can I learn if business is

he right career for me? While many students know they are interested in business, there are so many career possibilities and potential work environments, it can still be very challenging to find a good fit. You have to consider what types of daily activities you want to complete, the size of the organization you want to work for and even the type of organization you want to join. The Career and Community Learning Center is a resource available to CLA students to help them identify a career path which fits well with their unique interests, personality, values, and skills. The office provides many ways to help students through this process including:

• Workshops on deciding on a major, and developing job search skills
• Career courses for students including Career Exploration, Career Planning and Internship: Perspectives on Work.
• Interest inventories, that identify interests and personality traits.
• Internship postings on GoldPASS to assist students in gaining business experience.
• CLA Alumni Mentor Program to meet and learn from other professionals in your interest area.
• Individual consultations with peer advisers.
• One-on-one appointments with career counselors.
• Hundreds of books and handouts to help you learn about careers and obtaining employment. A few of the many business-related titles include:"Careers in Focus: Business""Real People Working in Business""Careers in Business""Opportunities in Marketing Careers"