<p>Currently I'm studying ECE right now, but I know I don't want to become an engineer when I graduate. I'm very interested in business and I want to pursue a career in the field. It's come to my attention that business firms are looking for engineering majors more and more because of their analytical skills and, well, "trainability." I really don't want to study business as an undergraduate because I'm planning on getting an MBA (and partly because I think an undergraduate business degree is pretty easy to get). From what I've read, the courses you take on your way to an MBA are pretty much the same as the ones you take in an undergraduate business school.... I'd rather not take the same classes twice.</p>
<p>Basically, I'm not sure what I should do to put me on the right path. I'm only a freshman (just completed my first semester), but I want to make sure I have all my plans set so I know what I'm doing in the future. I'm doing research in 2 different labs in case I change my mind about engineering and decide to do this (I think 2 labs is pretty good for a freshman, given the fact that none of my friends have any research experience yet). I'm trying to use my connections to get an internship this summer at a business firm in my area.... but the thing is, many of the people I ask say:</p>
<p>"Aren't you doing Engineering?"
Me: "Yes"
Them: "Then why do you want an internships there"
Me: [explains what i said above]
Them: "I dont understand... why dont you study business?"
Me: <em>sigh</em></p>
<p>I'm also considering minoring in Computational Finance... maybe this will increase my chances in the business world?</p>
<p>By the by, what I really want to know is .... am I on the right track? What are things I should be doing to increase my chances at landing a spot at a buiness firm? Should I be reading books on Finance, Accounting etc.?</p>
<p>It largely depends on the type of job in business you'd like to get. There's absolutely no problem with majoring in engineering if you want to land a job in ibanking or management consulting, but of course, you'll have trouble if you want to get a job in say accounting or corporate finance. </p>
<p>Plenty of management/tech consulting firms recruit engineers because they generally have good analytical skills. Plus, they generally have good quantitative skills and statsitically scored higher on standardized tests. </p>
<p>It'll be a little harder to get a job in ibanking because I don't think ibanking firms specifically recruit engineers. However, you can always fight for an interview by going to your business college's career fair and showing up at company presentations/info sessions. You could also really help yourself by getting some sort of experience that's related to finance. </p>
<p>The point is that certain businesses (ibanking & consulting mostly) are mainly looking for the most intelligent and personable people who fit their culture, so you'd have just as good a shot as anyone else. But as you probably already know, you're not going to qualify for specialized jobs such as human resources, accounting, corp. finance, supply chain management, etc.</p>
<p>I'm trying my best to find internships in the business world to get a solid foundation. I'm using any and all connections I have to land an interview (and hopefully an internship this summer). The rough part is showing them how a freshman engineer would be helpful in their world.</p>
<p>Of course, another answer to "Engineering to Business" is entrepreneurship... </p>
<p>I think I'm also in the same boat as you are, although I'm keeping the path to grad school open. Here at Penn, Wharton draws in a lot of firms, but the disadvantage is that Engineers have to compete with Whartonite and Econ majors...and then there're also Wharton-Engineering double majors who basically nullifies your engineering skill. But despite everything, Engineering single majors here do go into buisness fairly well as it seems.</p>
<p>That's definitely a good start. You should also look into the resources on your campus. You might be able to find business-oriented clubs that you can get invovled.</p>
<p>I'm also keeping the path to grad school open; I'm working in 2 different research labs on campus. </p>
<p>I'm trying to make it so I have a number of options when I come out of undergrad; given the fact that the labor market shifts from time to time I think this is the best course of action.</p>
<p>
[quote]
but the thing is, many of the people I ask say:</p>
<p>"Aren't you doing Engineering?"
Me: "Yes"
Them: "Then why do you want an internships there"
Me: [explains what i said above]
Them: "I dont understand... why dont you study business?"
Me: <em>sigh</em>
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's really odd that you're getting this reaction. I know a good number of engineers from MIT and Stanford who got banking offers, and nobody ever asked them questions like that. In fact, MIT might be the most suspect because somebody could just say "well, why did you study engineering, why didn't you just get a degree in management from the Sloan School?". Yet nobody ever asks these questions. Banks scoop up plenty of MIT engineers.</p>
<p>Well, the thing is the "them" in the dialogue above is actually referring to people who may not know much about the business world. My connections extend to my family and friends, and while they may know people in the business world, they know very little about it. </p>
<p>My point is, it doesn't matter. Banks have always hired plenty of engineers from the top engineering schools, of which CMU is one. One could ask why banks also hire plenty of English majors, History majors, Biology majors, PoliSci majors, etc. At least engineering and banking are connected through their heavy use of math and quantitative analysis. That's a closer connection than whatever History and banking have, yet the banks hire History majors too. Much closer.</p>
<p>Yeah, I understand banks hire engineers; I just want to make sure that I can beat out those MIT/Stanford guys by getting plenty of experience (starting my freshman summer). </p>
<p>im in the same position as you guys -- studying engineering but want to go into business</p>
<p>im currently a first year in pratt at duke.</p>
<p>why dont you try to double up with something more business related? i am not too familiar with the curriculum at CMU, but it is very possible to double up with econ, lots of people do it.</p>
<p>Like I said above, I feel like undergraduate business degrees are seemingly worthless considering I'll take the same courses if I got for an MBA.</p>
<p>Getting an Engineering degree, but don't really want to be an engineer. I'm in MechE. I'm planning on going into Law or Business afterward. I'll also be getting my MBA.</p>