<p>Ah, well I am a Freshman in college, just completed my first semester, and took a business speaking class. The thing is, I don't look forward to Public Speaking a whole lot after taking this class...not too mention I completely blew it on one of my presentations. Do business professions require a lot of public speaking? Also will there be a lot of public speaking to look forward to in my next 3 years of college? Thanks.</p>
<p>I hope it isn't all public speaking. It just blows that if you aren't academically successful in engineering, science, or math, or creative like in architecture, that you have to resort to being a huge people person. I hope it's not like that for all business majors. Yes, communication skills is a given for any major, but that's easy without being personal. Anyway, I just hope all the harder majors just require hard work than understanding to put so many concepts together.</p>
<p>"It just blows that if you aren't academically successful in engineering, science, or math, or creative like in architecture, that you have to resort to being a huge people person."</p>
<p>Uh, what else would there be? Analytical, creative, interpersonal. Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't "blow," it's just what people relegate themselves to.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.toastmasters.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.toastmasters.org/</a></p>
<p>Get involved while you're still in college if it bothers you. Maybe you'll make some connections, and at the very least it'll look nice as an EC on a resume.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, you will be doing lots of presentations in the next three years. And no matter what industry you go into later on, public speaking is important. You do want to know how to convince your boss and fellow workers during a meeting. It is very important!</p>
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It just blows that if you aren't academically successful in engineering, science, or math, or creative like in architecture, that you have to resort to being a huge people person.
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<p>It's called life, suck it up.</p>
<p>I had a job right out of high school that FORCED me to talk to at least 50 different people a day. After a few years I met and/or came in contact with several thousand people. I was very, very social individual after that.</p>
<p>Afterwards I took my public speaking class in college and I had a blast with it. I got to know all the kids in my class and I talked to them before class so when I gave speeches it was just like talking to them (which it was).</p>
<p>When you are forced to do something you're not comfortable with, there's a chance you will end up liking it and you'll be a better person because of it.</p>
<p>Ah man, maybe I wasn't being so clear. It's so obvious that you have to have people skills but listen, are there any business or civil, mechanical, nursing, etc majors that have the same interests as me? No, than I will probably be a lonely person, unless I do Computer Science <em>hint hint</em></p>
<p>Public speaking will only become important if you want to make a very good living and want to advance in the firm that you are working for. Lets face it:there are many good workers. The way one worker gets promoted over another is based on the impression they give to management. Public speaking is a MAJOR way to leave an impression, whether good or bad.</p>
<p>School makes you believe that your most important skills are analytical and critical reading and writing skills. While these are important, the most important skills in business, in my opinion, are interpersonal skills and communication skills,which include both writing and public speaking. If you are weak in one of the areas of communication, you will have a very hard time being promoted, obtaining clients etc.</p>
<p>Oh definitely, and I think college is stressing that more than ever now in all areas. But that isn't a problem for me. I don't want to change my interests though just for someone else. I'll adapt to them with their interests, but I will never change myself.</p>
<p>Billy Lee notes,"I'll adapt to them with their interests, but I will never change myself."</p>
<p>Response: My mom always said,"Tigers can't change their spots." Perhaps this is true,but it you don't accomodate your skills to your company's needs, you will be deemed obsolete at worst or not worth of a promotion at best. I have found that with enough desire and training, people can change somewhat if they REALLY want to change. If you want to take the attitude that "I will never change myself," you will be in for a hard road in my opinion.... Flexibilty usually doens't hurt in life and is usually a great survival technique. Those that are flexible thrive and survive. Those that are inflexible die! It is survival of the fittest.</p>
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are there any business or civil, mechanical, nursing, etc majors that have the same interests as me?
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<p>What does interests have to do with it? If you expect to have a good job you are going to have to talk to people and have interpersonal skills. If you can do good presentations, that's the ticket to promotion.</p>
<p>If you're going to want to be shy and keep to yourself nobody is going to go out of his way to throw things your way. You won't even be able to have a good job interview if you are not comfortable with your speaking skills.</p>
<p>That doesn't have anything to do with interests, that's just life.</p>
<p>Taxguy has some VERY, VERY good advice on the subject.</p>
<p>You can not be successful in business without adapting. Period.</p>
<p>Well maybe I should just get my degree really. I have no ambitions for a huge family, traveling, and parties, etc. It seems to be the main goal and reason why they want money. I'm a simple man, and I'll tell you something. I like something not many people are open about. I like a lot of video games. The reason I say that my interests are going to clash with others is cause I can't relate to anyone, but I can do small talk here and there I guess. I will probably not party with them if they want. Maybe a little I don't know. But I'm not that kind of person, you guys have to understand, that they're actually people in this world that are into different things. And getting a decent job, regardless of whether I grow or advance or not, is going to pretty much support my hobbies cause it's not a very extravagant lifestyle. This makes me question whether I should do business, if I'm not getting into the right crowd, bahahaha.</p>
<p>You're not into different things. You're not a special butterfly. Probably a full third of the male population between 15 and 24 years old are introverted and like video games.</p>
<p>Life is adaptation, if you don't change yourself then you aren't alive. Speaking skills are something you can easily develop, whether or not you enjoy talking to people is generally a result of the kind of people you're around. Eventually you'll have responsibilities besides yourself, and you'll realize that hobbies aren't everything in life.</p>
<p>From what I can tell you aren't in college, so the reality is that you have no idea what you're going to like. I'd really be surprised if you don't hate computer science, because if you're lucky you'll have one class in four years that's about video game development. If you don't like CS, don't major in CS, because nothing will suck your soul faster than a math and theory heavy major where you don't enjoy studying the concepts presented. If you don't like business, don't major in business. But you don't know what you do and don't like.</p>
<p>All you are is unsure. You don't want to work outside your comfort zone (public speaking), and you want to keep playing video games. Well, very few people enjoy regularly working outside their comfort zone, and plenty of people play video games for hours a day. The problem for you is that you don't really know what your comfort zone is, and that's why you're going to college.</p>
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I have no ambitions for a huge family, traveling, and parties, etc.
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<p>Your interests will change as you get older. Case in point, one of my math professors was an engineer for years and then he decided to pursue a Ph.D. and become a professor. My interests have changed as well from when I was about your age.</p>
<p>I am assuming you are around 19 or so, and I'll tell you when I was 23 I was A LOT different than I was at 19, interests and everything. I was a different person.</p>
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But I'm not that kind of person, you guys have to understand, that they're actually people in this world that are into different things.
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<p>BS. I was the EXACT same way growing up as you are now. But I learned to adapt. You will learn how to change when you have to put food on the table for yourself. And change I did, for the better. If you have the attitude that you don't want to improve yourself for the better, you will never see what you are capable of doing. I LOVE the fact that I started out with nowhere with nothing without any clue of what I was capable of doing, and I just went out there with the "why not?" attitude and I achieved far more than I could have aimed for.</p>
<p>Guys, you probably didn't get what I meant or actually I didn't specify earlier when I said I just wanted to get my degree. I am actually almost a senior, I am 24 years old. So I have around 80 something credits. I thought I could change around my general studies major a few years ago with engineering or a CS degree. The problem is, I was so uncertain back then, and I didn't apply myself or take action to get the funds I needed to take full time classes. My opinions now I guess are changed. I know society pressures you into this whole idea of marriage and everything, but it'll be hard for me, it's not really only my social skills. I have this quality that not many people like, it's biological-wise, not physical or personality-wise, and that has made me into a nasty person. I don't think many will understand how tough it is. Anyway, I just want to get a degree and move on.</p>
<p>^ Wait, so why are you venting here?</p>
<p>Billy, you are a selfish person. Just admit it and stop making excuses.</p>
<p>Okay, but anyway I got a question. I want to do information systems, but this rebound thing is bothering me. I want to be a systems analyst or a database administrator or something. I don't really want to do accounting or finance, cause I just don't want to think about money and numbers all the time. So, I just want to know, will this have some stability from your guys experience? I know it's not as stable as engineering, but I could use some input for this. Is this a good field for guys with interests like mines?</p>
<p>Information Technology is typically less stable than other areas. However, if you go to a fortune 500 type company that is "employee frendly" (ie rarely lays off employees) then you could certainly find stability and still be lazy while surfing the internet all day posting on message boards about your favorite video games. In short, yes this is probably for you. I'm not sure if u want to major in MIS, but it's certainly not an easy major.</p>
<p>However, both systems analysts and DBAs have to deal with people. If you are good at what you do, then you may get away with being a grumpy crotchety bastard. However, if you want to see promotions you will still need to be a people person.</p>
<p>The only reason why I want to do systems analyst or database person is cause I wanted to have a little creativity in a business career. I want to major in IS cause I don't want to fail any more classes, though it's not a guarantee, CS is real heavy in abstraction and requires more dedication away from all your hobbies.</p>