Almost every business needs managers who oversee day-to-day operations. Business managers are among the most common jobs in the U.S., especially in small- to medium-sized businesses. One of the greatest things about being a business manager is you can choose to work in a field that interests you!
Your business management skills can easily fit into working in retail, hospitality, healthcare, real estate, entertainment, banking and finance, manufacturing, beauty and wellness, you name it!
What a Business Manager Does
If you’re considering going to school to become a business manager, you’re probably wondering, “What does a business manager do?” It turns out, a lot!
A business manager is involved in many aspects of running a business. If you work for a small business, you may oversee everything from bookkeeping to payroll, hiring, scheduling and negotiating with vendors. In a larger company, you might handle only one aspect, such as accounting or operations such as shipping or deliveries.
Here is a typical business manager job description:
- Track inventory and coordinate with vendors
- Open and close the business each day, including setting alarms and putting cash into a safe
- Schedule staff, help train new hires and approve timecards
- Log daily sales data and generate sales reports
- Track expenses and pay invoices
- Help resolve customer and employee problems and complaints
Essential Skills for Business Managers
As a business manager, you’ll be in a leadership role in your company! You’ll typically be a go-between for upper management and “worker bees” (employees who do most of the hands-on work in a business). To be successful, you’ll need the following skills:
- Leadership: You’ll want to set a good example for the people you manage. This means showing up on time, delegating tasks, training new hires and not gossiping.
- Communication: Since you’ll be working with your supervisors, vendors, customers, and the people you supervise, you’ll need to communicate effectively with all of them. Listening well and giving clear directions and constructive feedback are a few examples. You’ll also write emails or reports for upper management.
- Business and Technical Skills: You’ll spend a lot of time on a computer using software like QuickBooks, Excel, Word and Outlook. Don’t worry if you haven’t used these before — you’ll learn how to use these programs in your schooling!
- Financial Skills: You’ll be overseeing budgets, expenses and sales receipts. You don’t need to be a math whiz, but you’ll want to have a basic understanding of business finances.
- Problem-Solving Skills: As a manager, you’ll often have to resolve disagreements among staff, customers or vendors. You’ll need to figure out how problems started and the best way to resolve them.
- Time Management: Since you’ll be responsible for many tasks, you’ll want to avoid falling behind. Last-minute problems are common, so you’ll need to decide which task needs attention first.
Why Pursue a Career as a Business Manager?
A business management career can be both high-paying and fulfilling! These are the top reasons why you might want to pursue a business management career:
- Fast track to a good salary: You don’t need to go to school for several years before you can start earning a good salary. You can become a business manager in just over a year by earning an Associate of Applied Science degree.
- Versatility: Almost every business needs a business manager, so you can work in any industry you like. For example, you could work for a doctor’s office, a fitness center, a bank, a shipping company, a plant nursery, a restaurant, a sporting goods store or a performing arts theater.
- Management and Teamwork: You get to make important decisions that help a business run smoothly. You also get to help others in their jobs.
- Advancement Opportunities: Many business managers are promoted to higher management positions once they’ve gained experience.
- Strong Job Outlook: O*NET OnLine rates most frontline supervisor and operations management jobs as having a “Bright Outlook” (meaning a lot of job openings).
Education and Qualifications Needed
Most business management jobs require some formal education, typically an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. You’ll need a high school diploma or a GED to enroll in an AAS degree program.
Most AAS degree programs require you to earn 60 to 75 credit hours at a technical school or community college. Traditional AAS programs take about two years to complete, but some schools like National Career College offer fast-track programs you can complete in just 14 months!
Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to become a business manager:
Step 1: Gain Relevant Education
As a business manager, you’ll need some specific skills. If you’ve taken some general education classes already (economics, math, psychology, or history), they might count toward your degree. While earning your AAS degree, you’ll study topics such as:
- Accounting and tax preparation
- Business software (QuickBooks, Excel, Word and Outlook)
- Business and human resource management skills
- Business marketing and law
- Communication
Step 2: Build Work Experience
Look for opportunities in your current job to gain relevant skills. For example, if you work as a salesclerk in a clothing store, tell your manager you’d like to learn more about the business. Offer to train new hires, track inventory, and read sales reports. If you work as a cashier, ask if you can move up to the customer service desk.
Many students land internship jobs while they are still in school, which is a great way to build skills. You’ll also meet people who might hire you full-time after you graduate. Some larger corporations offer management trainee jobs. They prefer students who are working toward or have an AAS degree.
Another option is to get a job (while you’re still in school) as an assistant to someone in management or operations or as a bank teller. These are usually entry-level jobs that don’t require a degree. Once you get your degree, you might be able to move up to a manager job.
Step 3: Develop Your Leadership Skills
Demonstrate to others that you have leadership skills you can do this in your current job by taking on additional duties. You can also volunteer for an organization or join a club. You can help them organize events or work as their treasurer.
Common Business Manager Role Challenges
Business managers do a lot of financial work like accounting, but they also manage people and sometimes people don’t get along. One of the most common responsibilities you’ll see listed in a business manager job description is resolving workplace conflict! You’ll need to actively listen to all sides and help everyone involved find a solution.
Other common challenges you’ll encounter as a business manager include:
- Motivating underperforming workers: You’ll need to figure out why someone isn’t doing a good job, they might just need more training or have personal problems outside of work.
- Dealing with unexpected “fires:” Problems will always come up that will pull you away from your normal duties. For example, an important customer received the wrong order and now they’re mad, or two people called in sick and your staff can’t handle customer demands.
- Enforcing unpopular policies: Sometimes, you’ll be forced to tell your staff about new rules or ways of doing things that they won’t like. They might blame you. You’ll need to be prepared to explain the changes and answer questions honestly.
- Managing a heavy workload: Business managers often have many responsibilities. Hourly employees can clock out at the end of a shift. Managers often end up working long hours just to get their work done.
Start Your Journey to Becoming a Business Manager
Now you know how to become a business manager, so you just need to take the first step and find a degree program that fits your schedule and goals! If you work weekdays, look for programs that offer evening or weekend classes such as National Career College. If you’re ready to take on a new challenge that will lead to a new career, you can request more information here.