Gaining experience in the business field?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

Hello!

I have a question regarding gaining experience in the business field. I’m currently a high school sophomore whose interested in the field of business but have had no experience and/or connections to those who are in the field of business. What do you recommend for me if I want to expand my knowledge about this field? Do I just search people up at companies, email them to see if I could shadow them or something like that? How do I gain internships/shadowing experience as a high schooler?

Thanks!!

2

Your best option would be to get a part time or summer job in a restaurant or store. That will give you a feel for what business and work is all about.

3

Working retail is good experience for business. Another avenue would be to look into doing volunteer office work. You might be doing real simple tasks like filing and photocopying but you would see what is going on around you. Depending on your computer skills you might even be able to do some data entry. In part if depends on what part of business your interested in. Not knowing what is in your area you could see about helping in your school office or perhaps contact your local chamber of commerce for ideas about companies that may like having some volunteer help. Perhaps your guidance counselor will have some suggestions on who to contact.

4

Start your own company. Identify a need or gap in the market, find something you are passionate about and run with it

5

“Business” is a huge general category. When I was in high school,I worked in a family owned retail store. I learned the retail side of the business, and also about inventory tracking. I got some insight into how they decided what to purchase for the store, too, and how marketing worked for them. I still remember a lot of those lessons even though I work in totally different types of (larger) businesses now.

So I think something at a small business could give you some background. Work hard and try to get a good reference, which could help when you are in college and looking for internships of substance.

Does your area have Junior Achievement? That is a business oriented EC.

6

I agree…get a part time job. Tell your boss that you are thinking about majoring in business and if they could show you different aspects of the business…e.g. inventory, scheduling, ordering, marketing etc etc