Job Search Tips

Accounting

Careers in accounting range from drafting financial statements to setting up systems of monitoring and control. Despite recent bad press, auditors are always in demand in good and bad economic times. Some consultants hail from accounting backgrounds. If insurance and actuarial work interests you, then accounting may be good. Accountants pursue certifications like Certified Public Accountant or Chartered Accountant once their degrees are done. There are half a million professionals in the world working for the big Accounting firms with each firm conducting over 2,000 audits a year.

Decision Sciences & Quantitative Analysis

Careers that emphasize numerical and statistical analysis are required in every industry and company. As you can imagine, the challenge for marketing and management types is to bolster their analytical skills, while ''bean counters'' need to work on their people skills.

Finance

Investment banking is often at the top of most students' wish lists. IB entails the following: global equity, debt and mergers and acquisitions. Analysts, traders and brokers play different roles in each. The analysts review, examine and criticize the people, products and profits of the investments that you will consider. Brokers represent investors and provide advice and recommendations based on aversion to risk. Traders receive investment orders and execute them. Some traders execute on behalf of others and earn a commission; others trade their own account.

Marketing

Before becoming VP of Marketing, expect to crawl up the food chain. PR specialists and communication experts make others look good and take the heat for them. Brand managers oversee a product from inception, development and launch.

Management

Management examines corporate development, strategic planning, competition and organizational change in extensive case studies. As a result, many consultants have Management backgrounds.