Explore with Purpose

How to Choose the Right Career Path

Choosing a career isn't just about picking a job; it's about finding a path that aligns with your skills, interests, and aspirations. Here's how to get started:

• Understanding Business Careers and Concentrations: Business is a vast field with many different career paths. Start by learning about the various majors and concentrations we offer and the types of careers they lead to. This will help you narrow down your choices and find a field that genuinely excites you. [Link to career pathways page]
• Take a Career Assessment: Unsure where to start? A career assessment can help you identify your strengths, values, and interests to find potential career paths that are a great fit. It's an excellent way to discover your "dream job" and a crucial first step in your exploration. [Link to career assessment page]
• Research Jobs and Job Titles: Once you have a few ideas, dive into the details. Use platforms like LinkedIn and job boards to research job titles, review job descriptions, and see what skills and qualifications are in high demand. A quick way to start this is with Google Career Dreamer [Link to career dreamer tool]
• Conduct Informational Interviews: The best way to learn about a job is to talk to someone who has it. Reach out to professionals in fields that interest you. Ask about their daily responsibilities, career progression, and what they love—or don't love—about their work. This is a powerful way to build connections and gain real-world insight.
• Attend Career Events: The School of Business offers Career Events, UCR’s Career Center and Handshake are also your hub for upcoming job fairs, employer information sessions, and workshops. These events are fantastic opportunities to meet with recruiters, learn about companies, and expand your professional network.
• Gain Hands-on Experience: There's no substitute for experience. Look for opportunities to job shadow professionals, volunteer in your field of interest, or even schedule employer site visits to see the work environment firsthand. SBLC Clubs also provide many of these opportunities.  
• Join a School of Business Club: Get involved in one of the many student organizations focused on specific business concentrations. This is a great way to network with peers, gain leadership experience, and learn from guest speakers in your field.
• Make a Choice (for further exploration): Based on your research and experiences, choose one or two career paths to explore more deeply. This isn't a final decision—it's a focused goal for your next steps.

Explore Business Career Paths by Major and Concentration

Discover the diverse careers you can pursue within the School of Business. Each concentration prepares you for a unique set of roles and industries.

• Actuarial Science: A career in actuarial science combines mathematics, statistics, and business to assess risk in a professional capacity.
• Business Administration: No matter your concentration, a degree in Business Administration provides a solid foundation for a wide range of careers. Review each concentration to help you choose the one that's right for you.
  • Accounting and Auditing Careers https://business.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/accounting_concentration_card.pdf
  • Business Analytics Careers https://business.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/business_analytics_concentration_card.pdf
  • Finance Careers  https://business.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/finance_concentration_card.pdf
  • Information Systems Careers https://business.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/information_systems_concentration-card.pdf
  • Marketing Careers https://business.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/marketing_concentration_card.pdf
  • Management Careers
    • Strategy and Entrepreneurship https://business.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/management_concentration_card_strategy_entrepreneur.pdf
    • Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management https://business.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/management_concentration_card_hr.pdf
  • Operations and Supply Chain Careers https://business.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2024-03/oscm_concentration_card.pdf
• Business Analytics: This field focuses on using data to make informed business decisions. 
  • Business Analyst: A business analyst acts as a bridge between business needs and technology solutions. They identify problems and opportunities within an organization, then work with IT teams and stakeholders to develop data-driven solutions that meet strategic goals.

To specialize in an area of analytics, students can add a minor in Business Administration in one of the following specializations:

• Financial: A financial analyst evaluates financial data to help individuals and organizations make investment decisions. They study market trends, analyze company performance, and build financial models to forecast future results and recommend strategies.
• Management: Often called management consultants, these professionals are hired to help organizations improve their performance. They gather and analyze information about a company's operations, recommend ways to increase efficiency, and help implement changes.
• Marketing: A marketing analyst studies market conditions and consumer behavior to help a company sell products and services more effectively. They analyze campaign data, research customer demographics, and identify new marketing opportunities to maximize return on investment.
• Systems: A systems analyst focuses on the design, implementation, and maintenance of information systems. They assess an organization's technological needs, then design and manage the installation of new systems to improve operational efficiency and data management.