Professional Experience in Business Management - Essay Example

? Essay on Professional Experience of Affiliation Professional Experience A career in business management cannot be described in linear terms. This is because experiences vary from one person to the other depending on interests, geographical area, and field of focus. Nevertheless, all professional pursuits in business management have a distinctive starting point. There is a plethora of job opportunities in this field owing to the diversity of business management careers. Some of these careers include accounting, marketing management, economics and management science, human resource management, business law, and entrepreneurship. As such, it is crucial for one to understand the exact job that they would like to pursue and that is in line with their interests. Any person who wishes to pursue a lucrative career in this field has no alternative other than majoring in business management. It is both profitable and rewarding in so far as career fulfillment is concerned (Cronje & Du Toit, 2004). As a person with an undergraduate degree in business management, I am firmly convinced that the groundwork for my career in business management has been done. Consequently, it all falls back to me to pursue additional strategies that will guide my career paths within companies so that I can advance and move further upwards on the corporate ladder. In addition, this degree has offered me substantial knowledge and skills on starting, operating and running my own business portfolio. Essentially, there are several other dimensions I can choose to utilize the skills so far acquired in my undergraduate studies. This factor is reinforced by the fact that management skills are needed virtually in all professions. For instance, engineering or healthcare sectors require a manager to run the day-to-day activities of their organizations. In general, professional engagement in business management equips one with skills of marketing and sales, interpersonal skills, co-ordination, personal relations, budget and finance, and security. In this vein, a student in this career must learn or enhance their qualities in aspects such as planning, organizing, leadership, communication, policy making and formulation, and staffing (Needle, 2010). Based on my experience in undergraduate studies, it is undeniable that a career in business calls for diligence and sufficient period of preparation. It demands specialized training for effective mastery of the various conditions that characterize the world of business. This training is offered in various universities through regular degree programs. In addition to the undergraduate degree, a significant proportion of the graduates opt for an associate degree that takes a maximum of two years. This extra degree enhances their chances of joining the field of business management easily. However, there are other critical training programs offered by private organizations in this particular field. This is to simply imply that training grounds or avenues for business management are readily available. Whereas such training programs provide a quicker means for someone to venture into professional management fields, it is those who have gone through universities that are regarded as having an upper hand in terms of credibility (Magdaline, Place, & Baratz, 1998). My experience in the business management course has taught me a number of lessons, some of which are far-fetched from professional engagement. For instance, I have realized that any person who wishes to succeed in any profession must be willing to spend considerable time learning. In addition, just the same way business studies have a branch referred to as business ethics, work life equally demands for solid work ethics. Several businesses are rolled out every year with the hope of clinching the most coveted top market positions. Unfortunately, not all of these entities manage to attain their goals. The big question that then begs for answers is what differentiates successful and unsuccessful businesses. According to findings from the research carried out by a significant number of business consultants, a majority of great business ideas end up failing due to mismanagement issues. While most students pursue their academics, little emphasis is placed on developing proper inter-personal relations. As such, these managers fail to strike a rapport with both the employees and the customers (Bowen & Rawlins, 2010). The end result is that the business idea, no matter how good it is, ends up failing. Ask any manager on what it takes to be a successful manager, and they would not fail to mention the aspect of personal relations. An indispensable skill in business management career is the ability to interact effectively with people of different interests, opinions, geographical region, religion, and ethnic backgrounds. This equally includes workers and customers who may possess their own special needs. In addition, an effective business manager should remain at par with the latest advancements in information and technology (Nieuwenhuizen, 2009). It is from this reality that I intend to pursue and obtain certification in the field of information and technology. According to my experience as well as experiences I have observed in other people in this profession; it is quite evident that business management offers a great path for a person who is in need of a stable and profitable job. Apart from this, such a profession guarantees occasional promotions. Also, it is worth noting that this career is much beneficial to those individuals who are willing to embrace the various technicalities that come along with it. As an undergraduate student, I learned that a person studying this course needs to possess strong skills in subjects such as mathematics, science as well as technical skills. Nonetheless, all these skills could be rendered null and void if the interpersonal skills of the manager are significantly compromised. My decision to pursue an additional graduate program has equally been beneficial to me. However, I must state categorically that this graduate program has had very little impact in so far as my professional career of business management is concerned. It has benefited me more on a personal level rather than in a professional dimension. The graduate program majored in aspects such as international relations, conflict management on an international scale, diplomacy and military interventions. In as much as aspects of economics in international systems were also covered, it is undeniable that the focus was far away from what business management entails. On the other hand, I cannot deny the fact that the program has placed me at an educational level that is considerably higher than that of some of my “superiors.” It has ceased to be shocking to overhear some of my colleagues questioning my motive of undertaking this graduate program in addition to the undergraduate degree that I already have. In defense of my decision to pursue a graduate degree, I often let them understand that these seminars have only served to broaden my mind on international affairs rather than professional development. As already stated, an educated mind is that which has been subjected to a series of experiences throughout one’s lifetime. This is the kind that I now desire apart from my undergraduate knowledge in business management. The graduate program has greatly enhanced my knowledge on international matters and conflicts that beleaguer the world. Having successfully undertaken most of the seminars, I must acknowledge the fact that I have broadened my mind in matters relating to international conflicts, diplomacy, terrorism and military intervention. At the moment, it is totally unwise to remain unaware of the threats that America and the entire world face. For instance, the challenges arising from terrorism and proliferation of nuclear weapons have become an issue to contend with in the political scenes. Terror organizations such as MUJAO of Mali, Al Qaeda of Afghanistan, and Al-Shabaab of Somalia are propagating all sorts of crimes against humanity. MUJAO of Mali has been accused of kidnapping mostly foreign expatriates or missioners and demanding ransom (Gabriel, 2008). Understanding such developments are critical in analyzing and either supporting or rejecting the government’s foreign policies. This could also be an important parameter to use in gauging and electing candidates in various positions of governance. Whereas the graduate program appears to be far-fetched from my undergraduate specialty, I find it unfair not to acknowledge some of the lessons that I can effectively apply in my business management profession. One such strong area of the seminar was in regard to conflict management. A case that particularly impressed me is the Peace of Westphalia. After a period of perennial wars between Spain and the Dutch Republic (1618-1648), the two states finally decided to resolve their differences through the Peace of Westphalia. A series of treaties were signed, thus making the end of an era of destructive wars (Whaley, 2011). This case can equally be applied in resolving the ever present conflicts both in work and personal settings. It is important to tackle a problem in its early stages before it degenerates into a nightmare. In business management, personal relation is very critical. As a matter of fact, it is this interpersonal interaction with employees, customers and suppliers that dictate the cooperation a manager of a business is likely to experience. Since it is almost impossible to avoid conflict in a social business environment, an effective business manager needs to expeditiously adopt diplomatic means of conflict resolution. This will not only reduce the rate of employee turnover but will also create afferent commitment from the same employees. Needless to say, education is a continuous process that certainly ends when one stops to exist. As such, I cannot say that my undergraduate degree was the end of learning for me because life offers humanity a lot of other learning opportunities. However, it could probably be the end of pursuing a professional career. This is because at the moment, I do not have any clear ambition of pursuing a further professional course. I find what I have achieved so far to be fulfilling as I have even exceeded my expectations. Among all my siblings, I am the only person to have ever pursued a degree course. In other words, my professional goal does not exert much pressure on me to further my academic training. Nevertheless, a reasonable degree of knowledge in information and technology is necessary. As such, I intended to enroll for Information and Technology Certifications. I wish to work as a Foreign Service Specialist (information systems) for the Department of State or Department of Homeland Security. Ultimately, I look forward to work as a Foreign Service Officer or Consulate Officer in United States embassies and consulates around the world. In conclusion, the experiences I have undergone in my profession are significant in so far as my career development is concerned. I have been able to equip myself with significant management skills that appertain to planning, organizing various matters in the organization, management of staff, offering direction, coordinating different departments, and controlling through activities such as budgeting. Ever since I stepped my foot in an undergraduate lecture room, I have increased my knowledge progressively. I have equally gained a substantial insight in business management from the time I have spent in a practical business setting. At the moment, I cannot run away from the feeling of contentment in so far as my professional academic pursuits are concerned. Apart from Information and Technology Certifications, I do not have an immediate goal of pursuing further education in my field of specialization or any other field. What I have achieved so far is quite fulfilling. But then again, as the future remains unpredictable, I cannot confidently surmise that this is the end of my education. In regard to the graduate program undertaken, I must say that I have gained so much. I have come to appreciate the role of diplomatic efforts in resolving international conflicts. Whereas countries may be allies, it would be totally illogical to assume that conflicts will never arise. As such, diplomacy is the surest and so far the best strategy for preventing conflicts from being blown out of proportion (London, 1999). References Bowen, S. A., & Rawlins, B. (2010). An overview of the public relations function. London: Business Expert Press. Cronje, G. J., & Du Toit, G. S. (2004). Introduction to business management. London: Oxford University Press. Gabriel, B. (2008). They must be stopped: Why we must defeat radical islam and how we can do it. Texas: St. Martin's Press. London, M. (1999). Principled leadership and business diplomacy: Values-based strategies for management development. London: Greenwood Publishing Group. Magdaline, I., Place, G., & Baratz, L. (1998). Opportunities in business management careers. New York: VGM Career Horizons. Needle, D. (2010). Business in context: An introduction to business and its environment. London: Cengage Learning EMEA. Nieuwenhuizen, C. (2009). Business management for entrepreneurs. Sydney: Juta and Company Ltd. Whaley, J. (2011). Germany and the Holy Roman Empire: Volume II: The Peace of Westphalia to the dissolution of the Reich, 1648-1806. London: Oxford University Press. Read More