Tag: underclassman

What is a Marketing Major and is it Right for Me?

If you love everything about creating and selling a new product to the audience of your choice, becoming a marketing major might be right up your alley. Marketing majors study the art and science of figuring out what people want; armed with that knowledge, they create, optimize and promote products and services to sell to a target demographic.

What does marketing actually entail? Here’s what you need to consider.

What is a marketing major?

“Marketing” is an umbrella term for anything dealing with the creation of a product or service and its subsequent branding in the hopes of getting people to buy or interact with it. Because there are so many different parts to marketing, marketing majors spend a lot of time learning about various parts of the process before concentrating and honing in on a particular area of study.

Your classes as a marketing major can vary greatly depending on the program, but potential options include advertising and promotion, marketing communications, public relations, market research, consumer behavior, marketing strategy, management and sales.

Is it right for me?

If you’re still getting the hang of what a marketing major does, here are several key questions to ask yourself:

  • Do I watch TV commercials and wonder why brands made their ads a certain way?
  • Am I interested in sales? Do I like figuring out the best way to pitch and sell a product to consumers of any kind?
  • Do I like communicating and working with others? Do I consider my interpersonal skills to be a strong suit?
  • Am I able to handle criticism and feedback from peers, professors and professionals well?
  • Do I look forward to interning and gaining valuable work experience during college?
  • Am I able to think creatively as well as quantitatively? Am I as willing to brainstorm interesting campaign ideas as I am to analyze metrics?
  • Am I good at thinking outside the box? Can I spin things in a way that’s different to what others are doing?

Is marketing the same as advertising?

You might also be wondering how a marketing major differs from an advertising major. While both fall under most schools’ communications departments, they’re typically treated as entirely different majors.

What’s the biggest difference? Marketing is about every part of the process of brainstorming and creating a product, including how it’s packaged, sold and improved for further promotion. Advertising is only a part of marketing, but it’s an extremely crucial one that shouldn’t be overlooked. This is why it’s almost always a separate major.

What can I do with a marketing degree?

The great thing about a marketing degree is that it can prepare you to enter any number of fields related to creating and promoting a product, and your major will teach you basic marketing principles that you can use regardless of the industry you’re targeting.

Entry-level marketing roles can include:

  • marketing manager
  • social media marketer
  • public relations account executive
  • product manager
  • brand partnerships manager
  • advertising associate
  • design specialist
  • …and much more!

Additionally, some marketing majors decide to specialize their studies by going to graduate school. For instance, you may go back to school to focus on learning more about brand strategy or international marketing.

What do people who majored in marketing earn?

Marketing managers and other entry-level marketing professionals typically have salaries starting in the $35,000-$45,000 range, though there’s lots of room for promotions and salary increases depending on your field and where you work. For instance, you may start off as a marketing manager making $40,000 a year, whereas a marketing director can tip the scales at over $100,00 per year. Of course, there are plenty of exceptions: at a big company like Google, and you can make as much as $80,000 for an entry-level marketing manager position!

Next, learn more about this college major such as Education and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Dress for a Job Interview at a Corporation.

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Marketing Major?

Being a marketing major is a great way to develop your knowledge of the marketing industry and to discover what’s involved in promoting brands and products. As a marketing major, you’ll be doing things like understanding the psychology behind consumer behavior, designing marketing campaigns and learning about social media trends. To accomplish these things successfully, you’ll need to develop a strong and diverse skill set.

Here are the five skills you’ll need to succeed as a marketing major:

Creativity

Since marketing campaigns often require unique approaches, creativity is a prerequisite for anyone thinking of taking on a marketing major. During your time in college, you’ll be able to put your creativity to use by coming up with ideas for marketing campaigns in your classes and then determining the best ways to test them out.

Communications skills

Being able to communicate effectively is a crucial part of any job and this is especially true when it comes to marketing since this field is all about making a particular message or idea engaging to an audience. Having strong verbal and written communication skills is extremely important for those who are thinking of taking on this major.

Analytical skills

Since marketing is heavily driven by data and metrics, having an analytical mindset is a key component of succeeding in this major. From understanding the science behind a particular marketing strategy to being able to quantify results and demonstrate the value of a particular campaign, putting your analytical skills to use will help you understand the true power of marketing and give you insights into how you can improve on each campaign.

Organization skills

Whether you end up working for a marketing agency or as part of an in-house marketing team, once you leave college you’ll likely be in a role that requires you to do several things at once such as managing social media accounts, coming up with new campaigns and creating reports to track the performance of those campaigns. To do these things effectively, you’ll need to be able to organize your time effectively and to prioritize new tasks as they come up.

Knowledge of media trends

Since marketing requires you to capitalize on media trends in order to develop successful campaigns, having a solid understanding of those trends (and why they matter) is an important aspect of being a marketing major. In addition to being interested in media trends and marketing campaigns, marketing majors will also benefit from having a sense of why certain strategies work when others don’t.

By knowing what to expect from a marketing major and developing the right skill set, you’ll be able to maximize the impact of your studies and to set yourself up for success after graduation.

Next, learn more about this college major such as the Career Opportunities for Marketing Majors and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as the Top 10 Things You Should Look For In an Internship.

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Health and Medicine Major?

If spending all day deep in the world of science and getting to help people along the way sounds like the perfect career to you, majoring in something health- or medicine-related may be the right fit. But before you officially dive into that world, here are 5 important skill sets that successful health and medicine majors have.

Science and quantitative skills

It goes without saying, but health and medicine majors need to have serious science and quantitative chops to work in their fields. Most of your classes will be related to science (and sometimes math), so if you feel that these are strongest subject areas, you could definitely keep up with the rigor that comes with health and medicine majors.

Interpersonal skills

Regardless of what part of the health or medical field you end up going into, you’ll be working with patients and other healthcare professionals constantly, and being able to be calm and helpful at all times is an important skill.

You’ll have to show this same level of dedication to working and getting along with others during your health and medicine studies, both in the classroom and on the ground if your major requires you to work at a clinic, hospital or other facility that provides health care.

Attention to detail

Medicine is a detail-oriented field, so health and medicine majors are meticulous when it comes every part of the process. From filling out paperwork to working with real patients, you’ll need to make sure your T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted every step of the way if you want to be successful in college and beyond.

Problem-solving skills

At the end of the day, health and medicine are about solving the numerous issues that others deal with, and often you’ll have to think of creative and unique solutions to help. Health and medicine majors are people who are excited by taking on new challenges and finding interesting ways the conquer those challenges.

Ability to work well under pressure

Whether it’s taking difficult exams or trying to diagnose a patient, health and medicine majors are constantly being pushed to their limits to find answers quickly. If you like the feeling of working at a fast pace and handle pressure well, you won’t be phased by whatever comes your way throughout your college years.

 

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Mastering Your Summer Internship and find answers to common interview questions such as Why Do You Want to Work Here?.

 

What is a Sociology Major and is it Right for Me?

Wonder how social groups came to be and want to understand the forces affecting our culture today? A sociology major may be for you.

What is a sociology major?

The “official” definition for sociology is that it’s the study of institutions; however, that’s a pretty vague idea. To go more in-depth, sociology looks at how groups of people behave and how they interact with society as a whole.

In sociology classes, you’ll tackle broad social theory and general concepts of human behavior in your introductory classes before getting to study specific groups, places or units. For example, you may take a class on the sociology of the family, where you’ll talk about what it means to be part of a family unit both historically and in the present-day. Then, you’ll connect other topics to your discussions. For instance, how do laws regulating family planning change how families operate? If people are getting married later, how does that affect family structure?

What is the difference between sociology, psychology and anthropology?

Many people wonder what the difference is between psychology and sociology. While the two are definitely linked (and often students may double-major in both or major in one while minoring in the other), psychology focuses on the behavior of the individual, whereas sociology focuses on the behavior of groups.

People have similar questions about sociology versus anthropology. Anthropology studies the history of the behavior of humans, so there’s definitely an added component of what the past tells us about the present.

Is It right for me?

Before you take on a sociology major, here are some key questions to ask yourself:

  • Am I a strong reader and writer? Do I look forward to reading and interpreting both original texts and the theories of others in the field?
  • Am I open-minded? How do I react if people in class make a statement or argument I don’t agree with?
  • Do I take criticism and feedback well? Will I be phased if a peer or professor disagrees with me?
  • Am I excited to do field work that requires me to spend many hours surveying a group of people, analyzing the data, and presenting it?
  • Am I willing to take on a longer research project, like a capstone or thesis?

What can I do with a sociology degree?

Some may be perplexed as to what can be done with a sociology degree, but by studying such a broad topic and also having the opportunity to concentrate, sociology majors are able to work in a variety of fields.

A small sampling of positions that sociology majors have gone on to include:

  • Professor
  • Community organizer
  • Educator
  • Activist
  • Politician
  • Political scientist
  • Non-profit aid worker
  • Social worker

What do people who majored in sociology earn?

While it certainly doesn’t apply to all sociology majors, many go into careers of public service or aid work, which means salaries won’t necessarily be high. Starting salaries range anywhere from $25,000-$40,000. However, many of these former sociology majors find their work meaningful and life-changing, which can mean even more than a paycheck.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Sociology Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Should I Intern as a College Freshman?

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Sociology Major?

Before you dive in and start surveying populations, there are some things you need to know about becoming a sociology major. Here are the most important skills you’ll need in order to be successful in this major.

Reading and writing skills

Sociology requires a great deal of reading. As part of your major, you’ll have to read both original texts as well as critiques of ideas from other academics and people in the space. To be successful as a sociology major, you’ll have to not just read these texts but annotate and understand them as well.

Additionally, sociology majors write plenty of reading responses, research papers and other reports, so you’ll need to have a clear and concise writing style to present your ideas.

Critical thinking skills

In sociology, you’ll be thinking and talking about complex problems that will require you to give serious critiques and arguments. Nothing in sociology should ever be taken at face value, so you’ll have to be sure to think critically in the classroom.

Communication skills

While your introductory sociology classes may be lecture-style, as you take more and more classes, you’ll be in smaller classroom settings where you’ll have to present your ideas to a group of peers.

The best sociology majors are those who come prepared for class, have thought about their ideas and arguments and can present them in a thoughtful and articulate manner. If you want to thrive in this major, strong communication skills are a must.

Research skills

Having strong research skills is also critical for sociology majors. Since sociology requires you to survey populations by creating your own experiments, understanding how to structure an experiment and write up the results is a key factor in being able to succeed in this major.

Open-mindedness and patience

Sociology classes often discuss a number of emotionally charged topics, from racial discrimination to family planning. Regardless of where you go to school, you’re guaranteed to find someone in a sociology class whose argument you find disagreeable or even offensive.

Sociology majors need to be open-minded to the ideas of their peers to figure out what they came to those conclusions. But they also need to know when to pick their battles and the mediums through which to present their arguments.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Sociology Major and is It Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Top 10 Things You Should Look For In An Internship.

What is a Global Studies Major and is it Right for Me?

If you’re a huge fan of social sciences like political science, economics, anthropology, sociology and geography, becoming a global studies major may be for you. If you choose to take on this course of study, you’ll be examining, comparing and contrasting different cultures and the issues they face.

What is a global studies major?

A global studies major is a broad, interdisciplinary social science major. Your classes will cover subjects areas like economics, statistics, political science, history and geography, focusing in on specific cultures and issues within each of these broader categories.

Most global studies program also offer you the ability to concentrate on a particular culture or issue, especially during your last year or two in college. For example, you may broadly study women’s issues and then narrow your personal research focus to women’s issues in Southeast Asia.

Is it right for me?

  • Before committing to the major, here are some important questions to ask yourself.
  • Am I able and excited to learn a language (and possibly even multiple languages)?
  • Do I want to (and have the financial means to) go abroad? Am I excited to immerse myself in other cultures?
  • Do I like keeping up with current events and understanding how they fit with larger historical patterns?
  • Am I able to look at the big picture of different places as well as look at them on a more culture-specific level?
  • Would I be okay with dedicating my time to a long-term project, like a capstone or thesis

What can I do with a global studies degree?

The great thing about a global studies degree is that the knowledge base is broad and gives you the ability to pursue a variety of fields based on your other interests. Some of the careers you can get with a global studies major include:

  • journalist/correspondent
  • government official
  • politician
  • international businessperson
  • lawyer
  • salesperson
  • travel guide
  • nonprofit leader
  • diplomat
  • humanitarian worker
  • educator
  • … and more

What does someone who majored in global studies earn?

Because there are many career option for global studies majors, there’s no consensus on the salary range among majors in this group. For example, a humanitarian worker is likely to have a starting salary of $25,000-$30,000 while a government worker is much more likely to be in the $40,000-$50,000 range.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Global Studies Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as When to Start Applying for a Summer Internship.

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Global Studies Major?

Because global studies majors are studying so many different social science disciplines, knowing how to best tackle such an interdisciplinary major can be tricky. Here are several key skills you’ll need to be able to stay on top of your work and get the most out of your major.

Reading skills

Typically social science classes tend to be much more reading-intensive than other majors, so you should expect to spend lots of your time reading during the week. Being a “good” reader isn’t just about actually opening a book; it’s knowing how to take great notes and really absorb what you’re learning.

Critical thinking skills

Global studies majors need to be able to think critically about big picture issues and how they affect specific cultures and communities. Doing so requires people who can think about the bigger vision as well as small details and also apply those thoughts when trying to solve complex problems.

Problem-solving skills

Global studies majors are looking at a variety of social problems and discussing how they can be solved. The best global studies majors will be able to make compelling arguments and provide innovative solutions to issues affecting the world and these different communities.

Research skills

Global studies requires a lot of research and citing to back up claims, so you’ll have to be comfortable doing heavy research for assignments and projects and also citing your sources correctly. Additionally, streaming your research process and keeping yourself organized are a critical part of this major.

Communication skills

Whether it’s through writing or public speaking, global studies majors are constantly communicating ideas and findings to peers and professors. Doing so requires confidence in your abilities to communicate clearly and effectively regardless of the platform, the topic or your audience.

 

Next, learn more about this college major such as Marketing and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Write a Cover Letter.

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Finance Major?

Studying finance is both challenging and rewarding and when preparing to do so, it’s important to assess your skill set and understand whether the major is a good fit for you. You should also ask yourself these important questions: What types of abilities will I need to possess to be successful if I pursue a finance degree? Are they inherited or acquired? Can I get better at these skills through time?

Here are some of the most common skills you’ll need as a finance major:

Problem-Solving Skills

As a finance major, you’ll constantly be asked to change the status quo of a situation given a set number of variables. Companies often ask, “How do we enhance performance and minimize resources within this period of time?” To answer these questions, you’ll need to assess what can be done differently, spot trends within industries and evaluate potential opportunities.

Quantitative and Statistical Analysis Skills

Finance is driven heavily by numbers. If math and statistics have been areas of strength for you in the past, you’re likely to thrive as a finance major. In order to understand and analyze data, link concepts and derive conclusions based on these findings, you will need a strong mathematical foundation.

Microsoft Excel Skills

Having strong Microsoft Excel skills goes hand in hand with analyzing data. This is because working in finance involves putting together financial models that can be used to test out an investment strategy or financial decision. To build up your Excel skills, you’ll need to spend time learning the various features and functions of the program and then practice creating models, charts and pivot tables.

Creativity

Creativity is often an underrated skill when it comes to finance. This skill is often thought of as something that’s prominent in the arts, but it’s also a common trait of those who succeed as finance majors. In your classes, you’ll be asked to come up with unique solutions to problems or even implement proven solutions in unique ways. You’ll showcase your creativity through how you report the data you study and how you answer any pushback you might receive on concepts your present.

Communication Skills

The ability to communicate your analysis, findings and conclusions is really important as you head toward a career in finance. This is because in any finance-related position, you will need to effectively talk through complex data to show how various aspects of the business may be impacted. As a finance major, you’ll be put through a series of different projects, both individually and in group presentations, to hone your communication skills and prepare you for a potential career path within the industry.

While there are other traits to being a successful finance major, these are a few that you will need regardless of what specialization or industry you end up pursuing.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Finance Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Top 10 Things You Should Look For In An Internship.

Career Opportunities for Business Majors

Few college majors are as in demand as a business major. This is because the skills you develop through this major are applicable pretty much everywhere, from a small tech startup to a Fortune 500 giant. While studying to become a business major, you’ll learn all sorts of things including how to manage operations, assess risks and transform work environments. It’s a career that can be as laid back, as fast-paced and as financially rewarding as you’d like it to be, depending on what type of environment you choose to work in. Career opportunities for business majors include business management, operations, e-commerce, finance and hospitality.

Here are some of the many fields where you can use your business degree:

Business management

Business management is a broad field that involves various managerial responsibilities and can apply to any number of industries including technology, retail and the nonprofit sector. Business management roles usually involve the day-to-day management of a company and the implementation of processes designed to improve how a company operates. They can also include human resources management, where you manage employer-employee relations and take a hands-on approach to recruiting and training. This is a great career for anyone who is interested in all the elements involved in running a business and helping it succeed.

Operations

Similar to business management, a role in operations involves handling the logistics involved with running a business. This can be anything from handling financial assets to developing and streamlining processes designed to keep the business functioning optimally. This career path is best suited to business majors who are interested in coordinating various departments and ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

E-commerce

Another popular career for business majors, especially in today’s tech-heavy globalized society, is e-commerce. This career path puts your creative and analytical skills to use by tasking you with creating and implementing strategies designed to increase a company’s revenue and customer base. It’s a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in developing strategies designed to drive sales.

Finance

Your business skills are just as useful in the world of finance where you can be a financial analyst, account executive or accountant. Working in finance will give you hands-on experience of working with clients and coming up with financial solutions designed to meet their needs. This is a great career path for those interested in investing and asset management.

Hospitality

Business majors can also be found in the hospitality industry where they are often responsible for the day-to-day management of both boutique hotels and major hotel chains. As hotel managers, they are responsible for everything from hiring hotel staff to ensuring customer satisfaction. Similar to business management and operations, this career path is best suited to those who are interested in coordinating different departments and ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

One of the best things about a business major is that it can take you anywhere, allowing you to contribute to the productivity and efficiency of all sorts of businesses. The best way to find out which type of business is right for you is to take on an internship in a field that interests you. This will give you the hands-on experience you need to find the perfect job.

Next, learn more about this college major such as the Types of Internships for Business Majors and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 6 Ways to Impress Your New Boss.

What is a Math Major and is it Right for Me?

Do you love working with numbers? Do you love the fact that numbers in themselves are a whole other language? Want to spend your day problem-solving and working with others? If so, being a math major might be perfect for you.

Many people are intimidated by the thought of majoring in math, or they have misconceptions about what math majors actually do. Here’s what the life of a math major is really like, so you can decide if it’s right for you.

What is a math major?

Becoming a math major is about more than just being good with numbers; it requires a big time commitment that includes going to class, meeting with study groups and teaching assistants (TAs) and solving problem sets. If you’re willing to take the time to be successful in the major, it can definitely be the right track for you.

Additionally, the term “math” is broad, which means that math majors often tackle a number of different topics within that concept. Potential classes include algebra, calculus, trigonometry, geometry, computational mathematics, statistics, number theory and discrete math. Thus, even if you consider yourself a “good” math student in school, you’ll want to be sure you can do well in any math course, not just in a particular subject area like calculus.

Furthermore, many math majors often concentrate in a particular math subject or even major or minor in that area. It’s not uncommon to meet people who double major in math and computer science or math and statistics.

It’s also important to note that often people in more quantitative fields decide to pursue graduate degrees (a Masters, PhD or specialized certification program), so that will also have to factor into your decision as well.

Is it right for me?

Here are several key questions to ask before pursuing a math major in college:

  • Am I willing to put in extra time going to study groups or TA (teaching assistant) sessions to work on my problem sets?
  • Do I like problem-solving, especially when the answer doesn’t come easily to me at first? Am I willing to work on a particular problem as long as it takes, no matter how hard it is?
  • Am I willing to ask for help from a professor or TA if I need it?
  • Do I like working on different types of math, including calculus, algebra, statistics, geometry and computational mathematics?
  • Would I be open to double-majoring, minoring or focusing on a particular area of math, like statistics, accounting or computer science?
  • Am I interested in pursuing a graduate degree to supplementing my undergraduate one if my career called for it?

What can I do with a math degree?

Very few people with math degrees go on to be “mathematicians” per se, but the great thing about this degree is that if you want to work in a quantitative field after you graduate from college, a math major gives you many diverse options.

Math majors have gone on to a number of interesting positions, including:

  • professor
  • investment banker
  • financial/business analyst
  • accountant
  • statistician
  • researcher
  • information technology analyst
  • engineer
  • programmer
  • …and more

What do people who majored in math earn?

Great news: Majoring in math and pursuing a quantitative career involving numbers and research can give you a great ROI (return on investment) after graduation. For example, actuaries make a median salary of $70,000, and operations research analyst managers have a median salary of $146,000.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Math Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship?