Entering the job market with a BA degree in Business

Business administration is a broad field of study that provides graduates with various competencies. When you look at job openings, you will see that many job offers are favouring business administration graduates. This is because qualifications for a specific job identify the preferred skillsets for an entry-level position, many of which business administration graduates already have as a result of their academic exposure.

Let us take a look at everything you need to know when entering the job market with a BA degree in Business Administration.

Different types of employers

You hold a BA degree in Business Administration and are now looking at career options after your graduation. It is also worth considering the opportunities and challenges of working for different types of employers. You can choose to start your own business, work for a big multinational corporation, a local company, a consulting firm, a start-up or go into the public sector. Or you can further your education with a Master degree, for example, a Master in Business Administration.

Top employment areas

Marketing & Communications

This field focuses on the development of written and verbal marketing communication. By analyzing the buyer behaviour, the determinants of building a company brand and conducting marketing analysis, you will be making a product, service or the company itself more marketable by highlighting its values to potential customers. Marketing & Communications goes deeper than just the production of printed or online material, it deals with the way a business communicates its messages, both internationally and externally in a dynamic customer environment.

Sales

The sales department in a company deals with selling the company’s products and services to customers (B2C) and other businesses (B2B) and is a critical component of every organisation's value chain. Sales may be domestic, international, or a combination of both. A position in the sales department means setting the strategy behind sales initiatives and goals, as well as maintaining good relationships with existing clients and winning over new ones. Specifically, you will have to ensure that current customers have the right products and services, identify new markets and customer leads, and pitch prospective customers. This makes it eminent that the sales function is a critical component of every organisation's value chain.

Finance

Every company, whatever its size, needs someone to manage its finances and ensure all the figures add up. When it comes to financing, there is always a demand for accountants with good reporting skills. Managing cash flow and monitoring profit and loss are key areas of work for accountants. They ensure all financial records and statements are in line with laws and regulations. Accountants also document business financial transactions over time. They compile the information needed to prepare entries for company accounts which are later used to make weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual closing statements and cost accounting reports. If you have a passion for numbers and detail, then this is the sector for you! Finance graduates can work in trading organisations, banks and even central banks.

Human Resource Management

Human Resource Management (HRM) is the practice of recruiting, hiring, deploying and managing company employees. A company’s HR department is usually responsible for creating, putting into effect and overseeing policies that support the organisation’s long term strategies. In detail, the HRM function views employees as a source of a sustainable competitive advantage which is difficult to imitate. As with other business assets, the goal is to make effective use of employees, through reducing risk, increasing employee wellbeing and maximising return on investment (ROI). Working in this field involves handling various human resources-related tasks such as managing a diverse workforce, creating employee recruitment plans and training schemes, and devising HR and leadership strategies.

Business Development

Simply put, business development is the ideas, initiatives, and activities that make a company better. This includes adapting the value proposition, increasing revenues, growth in terms of business expansion, increasing profitability by building strategic partnerships and making strategic business decisions. It comes with the responsibilities of organising, analysing and interpreting data which is then compiled into a report and presented to management. By using comprehensive profiling platforms, employees working in business development are able to drive research efforts, facilitate communication across the company and identify new business opportunities.

Consulting

Companies sometimes bring in consultants for advice and expertise on how to improve their business performance. Consultants help companies with their strategy, structure, management and operations in order to increase their profitability by developing any specialist skills that they may be lacking. They use their business skills to identify options for the company and suggest recommendations for change, as well as advise on additional resources to implement solutions. The work stretches across a variety of areas, including management, strategy, IT, finance, marketing, HR and supply chain management.

Purchasing

The purchasing department of a company is responsible for buying goods and services necessary for the company’s operations. Purchasing involves tasks such as ordering, raising purchase orders, receiving, and arranging payment. Working in purchasing means setting the standards and timing requirements for the goods the company needs, then searching for and comparing the suppliers’ reputation, what they offer, their quality and pricing. A strong purchasing team plays a critical role in maximising profits through careful selection of suppliers and managing the relationships created.

Logistics

Logistics refers to the overall process of managing how resources are acquired, stored, and transported to their final destination on time. It is part of the supply chain management in charge of governing transportation efforts. Understanding the whole supply chain is important so that it can be coordinated effectively and employees in this field can liaise with suppliers of raw materials, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers. Logistics management involves identifying prospective distributors and suppliers and determining their effectiveness and accessibility. Not to mention that the technology available today is playing an increasing role in logistics management helping organisations to efficiently track and manage their shipments.

Strategy Development

Strategy development is the process of researching and identifying strategic options, selecting the most promising and deciding how resources will be allocated across the company to achieve objectives. People working in strategy development make plans to materialise strategy and analyse business proposals, research the competition to identify threats and opportunities, assess the company’s operational and strategic performance, and align processes, resource-planning and department goals with the company’s overall strategy. A well-developed strategy and supply of excellent strategists can be a critical success factor for an organisation. Conversely, the absence of such can lead to failure.

Taking your BA degree in Business Administration at Berlin International

Here at Berlin International we enable our students to achieve their goals in their professional roles upon graduation and equip them with a broad academic foundation and practical methods and techniques. The nationality mix of students and staff creates an international learning atmosphere which puts our students at a huge advantage when entering the diverse workforce. Our goal is that our business graduates know what the main challenges of today’s businesses are and how to respond to them.

If that sounds interesting to you, here are some of the benefits of enrolling in the Bachelor degree in Business Administration program at our university:

• Easy, fast and online application

• Learning in small groups allows for a more personal approach

• Cooperation partners for internship and job opportunities

• State-recognized university with accredited programs

• Globally recognised degree

• Strong international environment at the heart of Berlin

• Fellow students from 92 different countries

• Practice-driven courses that prepare you for the global job market

6 tips for getting hired

Research the company

Before the interview, conduct comprehensive research on the company and the department you are interviewing with. Doing so will allow you to understand the company and its position in the market. This makes a good first impression by letting the recruiter know that you did your homework.

Tailor your CV and cover letter

This will show your potential new employer that you have researched well and are a suitable candidate for the job. Many companies are now using AI-powered tools to search for keywords in the applicant's cover letter that match the essential and desired skills they are looking for. By customizing your resume and cover letter, you increase your chances of advancing to the next round, as opposed to sending a generic copy of the two documents.

Your strength and weaknesses

Questions about candidates’ strengths and weaknesses often come up in an interview. If you do not know how to answer these questions, you may find yourself in an awkward situation. Write down a list of your honest strengths and weaknesses in your character and skills. It is important not to sound self-absorbed while avoiding painting yourself in a bad light. 

Remember the STAR approach 

Companies also often ask questions that refer to handling a difficult task and how the interviewee responded to it. The research shows that this is a very effective way of identifying how a candidate will do in the job. By using the STAR approach (Situation, Task, Action, Result), you can answer these questions very nicely. For “S” outline the situation, for “T” explain the task, for “A” describes how did you handle it and for “R” highlight the outcome. Additionally, you should always have plenty of good and bad examples and what you learnt from them.

Ask important questions

A great way to prepare for an interview is to write a list of questions to ask when the time comes. Asking relevant questions shows that you are actively listening. For example, a good question to ask is how the company plans to judge your success. It is important to avoid asking mundane questions but ones that demonstrate your competence. 

Wearing the appropriate attire

Preparing for a job is not just about what you say but also about how you physically present yourself. Your attire is likely the first thing an interviewer notices upon meeting you. Wear clothes that represent the culture of the company. For example, if the company maintains a formal culture, avoid wearing casual clothes.

We hope this article will help you enter the job market with a BA degree in Business Administration. And if you are interested in studying Business Administration in Berlin, we offer two specializations: Human Resource Management and Leadership and International Management & Marketing, as well as a BA degree in Digital Business & Management. Feel free to contact our Student Affairs team at any time via application@berlin-international.de.