Hi, I need help in deciding whether Business would be a good major for me. Are there any jobs or majors in Business where one doesn’t have to sit all day staring at a computer? Googling hasn’t helped much so I’m here. I just don’t want to do that for the rest of my life, so if anyone can share their advice, daily routine, or experiences, it would be much appreciated.
Thank you
Human resources, facility management, line operations and production, workplace safety and security… the business world is filled with different roles and different career paths.
But if you aren’t interested in business at all… why not pick a major which DOES interest you?
I am interested in business. I meant if there are jobs that pay well in business and which don’t require you to be on a computer all day. Thanks
I don’t stare at a computer but many do but so do engineers and other people.
Business is just a category - there’s sub categories within business -real estate, finance, marketing, etc.
I think your job will determine your duties.
I’m basically a manufacturer’s rep…not my title but basically what I am. I work for a car company and visit car dealers. I’m on the computer at night or in the morning or when i’m not traveling.
But then i’m out talking to General Managers and Sales Managers and Service Managers, etc. or i’m at meetings, etc.
Every job is different.
I imagine an accountant is in meetings and has their head buried in a computer too.
A field engineer might be out solving issues with a car - vs. just looking at data but they do that too.
I don’t think you can say - is business for me based on - I don’t want to sit in front of a computer.
Many will but some won’t. And that’s likely in many fields.
Study what interests you - the world is changing and the role you get may not even exist today. Worry about the job later.
You can become a executive in marketing and just go from meeting to meeting, delegate tasks and never do any real work other than overseeing “'strategic initiatives”.
ha ha - that’s funny - and sort of true.
they look at data too - after they have someone crank some out for them.
The marketing executives at any company I’ve ever worked for spend HOURS cranking out spreadsheets, projecting volume, answering the question “Why is profitability down 3% when market share is up 5%?” and all sorts of spreadsheet/excel/powerpoint analytics.
Do NOT go into marketing if you don’t want to sit at a computer all day! The SVP of marketing will get random emails from the CEO at 3 am “I was just in Cleveland and noticed we’ve lost shelf space at Kroger, can you find out why?” and will NOT wait three weeks to get an answer. The answer will be buried in a years worth of customer data, and that means MORE analysis…
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The best type of jobs where there is little screen time are sales jobs (high end sales, not used car) and relationship management jobs where you are the liason between your company and its clients. You get to go to fancy conferences, take people out to dinner but have to solve any issues that happen (like Harvey Keitel’s cleaner role).
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People who sell elevator systems, aircraft engines, and other other multi-million dollar products would disagree vociferously with your description.
Do you actually know anyone who is in sales and relationship management? If you are selling MRI machines to hospitals, you are not taking anyone to dinner- you are working with the developers, engineers, etc. to fully understand the product capabilities, and then spending months working through the specs, compiling user data (yes, sitting at a computer), etc.
OP- many people who sell expensive products (escalator systems to municipalities for their subways, anything aerospace) are engineers who moved into sales. And they ALL spend time in front of a computer.
Yes. I spent years in relationship management for 2 Fortune 100 companies. That’s what I did.
My job was to create shelf space for our products, did a lot of traveling, worked with our sales team and resolved any service issues. My clients were top financial institutions.
I also worked with marketing to create and execute on “strategic initiatives”.
I think one can’t plan now for a career not looking at a computer.
Study something of interest.
Then you will seek jobs that meet your needs.
If you’re interested in avoiding computers (or rather, don’t want a desk job) these sites might help you brainstorm:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/non-office-jobs
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