There are two types of employees as far as an organization is concerned – those who lead and those who follow the leaders - and both have their own place and importance in an organization. If you fall in the former category, then you have crossed the first hurdle towards becoming a successful manager.

Amongst all the skills needed for a career in business administration or management, leadership skills perhaps rank the highest. The ability to direct others, motivate them to perform, lead by example, while working as part of a team are hallmark of a great manager.

The lure of becoming a leader apart, there are several reasons why a business administration degree is one of the most popular college degree programs of our time. The first reason, of course, is the golden gate to opportunity that it opens. Students who graduate with a degree in business administration are sought after by companies looking for confident individuals skilled in critical decision-making, strategic planning, leading teams, and devising ways to make businesses viable and profitable.

These skills are sought after not just by the private sector, but also by the government and non-profit sectors. In fact, widespread job losses in corporate America have led many B-school graduates to turn their interest towards the government and non-profit sectors. And the interest is mutual with federal agencies and non-profit organizations looking to hire more and more business administration degree graduates through innovative recruitment programs.

While graduates are aware of the difference between a corporate and government salary, many take up federal opportunities in order to use their skills and knowledge to do things that have a much larger impact than their corporate jobs can ever have. Some of the federal agencies that actively recruit business administration graduates are the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Postal Service, Department of Veteran Affairs, Department of Defense, etc.

According to Call to Serve, an organization dedicated to providing information on federal careers, more than 200,000 individuals are employed in business careers across the various federal agencies and departments.*

Even though several indicators point to growth in employment of business students in these sectors, it is safe to assume that the first choice of most business administration degree graduates remains the private sector. One of the main reasons, of course, is the huge earning potential that corporate jobs have. Although the compensation package given to business managers may vary, they can earn anywhere between $30,000 and $100,000 an year.**

Other than financial security, the corporate or private sectors offers them ample job opportunities, diverse roles, plum positions straight out of school, faster advancement to key leadership roles, challenging work environment, and a chance to work in a geographic location of their choice.

Whether you want to tread a different path by opting for a federal or non-profit opportunity or chart your own course in a corporate job – a degree in business administration is your ticket to success.

*www.makingthedifference.org/federalcareers/business.shtml

**www.bls.gov/oco/ocos010.htm