It Is Just Business

Recently, MSN Online published an article about the top 25 jobs in America where there were plenty of openings... these jobs are:

1. Physician
2. Pharmacy Mgr – BA + MA in field or MBA
3. Software Architect
4. Software Development Mgr – BA + MA in field or MBA
5. Finance Mgr – Bachelors in Finance
6. Solutions Architect
7. Lawyer
8. Analytical Mgr – Bachelors in Business Administration, Statistics, or CIS
9. IT Mgr – Bachelors in CIS
10. Tax Mgr – Bachelors in Accounting
11. Pharmacists
12. Product Mgr – Bachelors in Business Administration
13. Physicians Assistant
14. Supply Chain Mgr – Bachelors in Business Administration
15. Data Scientist
16. Security Engineer
17. QA Mgr – Bachelors in Business Administration
18. Computer Hardware Engineer
19. Marketing Mgr – Bachelors in Marketing
20. Database Administrator
21. UX Designer
22. Human Resource Mgr – Bachelors in Business Administration, Management, or HR
23. Software Engineer
24. Business Development Mgr – Bachelors in Business Administration
25. Sales Engineer

Graduate School of Business MBA will pretty much be required for Numbers: 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 22, & 24.......... or, around 8-10 years of experience; if you are in a small town location, then 3-5 years of experience might be accepted.

11 of these jobs require a Bachelors Degree with a School of Business Major like: Business Administration, Management, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, CIS

13 of these jobs could or might require an MBA that would also circumvent years of experience

Personally, I think the 3 best degrees to get are a BA in Management, and MBA or Masters Degree in Project Management, capped off with a Law Degree and the understanding that you have no intent of taking the Bar Exam.

Required years in College:

• There would be 4 years for the Bachelors Degree which could be done in 3 if you are in a hurry
• There would be 2 years for the MBA
• There would be 1 year for the Law Degree

Note: Many schools have an MBA/Law Degree Programs where electives in one cover parts of the core in the other

So, you are looking at 7 years in school, maybe 6 if you fast track but I would rather take light loads each semester so that you will have ample time to really learn the material.

Getting and KEEPING a job after graduation, is not just about making high grades all the way through, it is about retention of knowledge and the potential value that you can add to your employer... “A's” don't mean squat if you cannot remember.

The reason why I especially like the MBA program is that gives you all the knowledge that you need to become a PROFESSIONAL MANAGER, which to me, means you can manager anything!

Now, be aware that not all HR departments agree with that assessment especially healthcare as they think a Physician with experience is the best candidate to manage other physicians; however, I disagree because it is not always about understanding the efficacy of a procedure or its protocols as much as it is allocation of resources when needed and managing budgets and MBA's are well suited for the latter.

As Professional Managers, MBAs are well suited for but not limited to:

• Healthcare
• Education
• Non-Profit
• Manufacturing
• Non-Manufacturing
• Government
• Hotel/Motel
• Tourism
• Professional Sports Team
• Automotive
• Science Labs
• Insurance Companies
• Entrepreneurs
• Banks
• Brokerage Firms
• Investment Bankers
• Retail Stores
• Wholesale Stores

However, it is not just about business, because Psychology is involved as well along with having excellent communication skills and second-to-none interpersonal skills. Communication skills includes listening and writing (and editing) and talking and presenting. And, none of these can be accomplished on the level of average, because average is exactly what it means: no better or worse than anyone else.

In some of my classes when we got on the subject of motivation, I would ask the class these questions?

• Can I motivate you?
• Can you motivate me?

After all their common and unusual answers, I would say, “the answer is no to both questions.” The best that any of us can do is to create the proper environment that allows us to motivate ourselves... and that, my friends, totally revolves around and has its roots in PSYCHOLOGY.

As I phased out of the marketplace, I began realizing that there was a new set of skills that the “ideal” manager needed to possess which were IT and computer skills and I just don't mean just building and repairing computers or manipulating software but understanding how to use social media and technology to your advantage including all smart devices.

According to the Harvard Business Review,

What fuels long-term business success? Not operational excellence, technology breakthroughs, or new business models, but management innovation--new ways of mobilizing talent, allocating resources, and formulating strategies. Through history, management innovation has enabled companies to cross new performance thresholds and build enduring advantages.

In "The Future of Management," Gary Hamel argues that organizations need management innovation now more than ever. Why? The management paradigm of the last century--centered on control and efficiency--no longer suffices in a world where adaptability and creativity drive business success. To thrive in the future, companies must reinvent management.

Hamel explains how to turn your company into a serial management innovator, revealing: the make-or-break challenges that will determine competitive success in an age of relentless, head-snapping change; the toxic effects of traditional management beliefs; the unconventional management practices generating breakthrough results in "modern management pioneers;" the radical principles that will need to become part of every company's "management DNA;" and the steps your company can take now to build your "management advantage."

And, what about cyber terrorism?

As incidents of cyber-attacks (and even infrastructure attacks to water systems and electrical grids) grow, billions of dollars are stolen and billions of people are at risk each year. This may lead to an increase in a widespread fear of the very technology that people need to use go about everyday commerce and communication [sources: Fantz; IGF].

Managing all of this on a daily basis is going to be just as exhilarating as it is overwhelming.