Business law marketing - Career Watch-2002 - Careers 2002 - Statistical Data Included

Jeanne McNulty-King

ALTHOUGH OUR ECONOMY MAY HAVE SOFTENED, those entering careers in law and business are finding a healthy number of opportunities. Many of these careers are considered recession-proof. If you look solely at accounting, demand hasn't been greater. Stats from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants show a steady slide in accounting majors, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 20 percent increase in jobs through 2008.

On-campus recruitment shows no signs of slowing down at many law and business schools. "We've been bracing for adjustments from recruiters but there haven't been any yet," says Roger Stegman, dean of student affairs at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. In fact, corporate recruitment efforts at the school have doubled in the past three years and applications to the Gabelli School of Business have increased 55 percent.

IT TAKES SCHOOLIN'

A JD (juris doctor or law degree) or MBA (master's in business administration) requires two or three years of professional school beyond the four years of undergrad study. Although you can major in anything as an undergraduate, many future lawyers study English or philosophy, and many pre-MBA students take business, math, and marketing courses.

Keep in mind that an advanced degree can set you back more than $200,000 in tuition and lost income (from not working those years). However, your future income can pay off big. Many new B-school (short for business school) grads have seen their starting salaries rocket by 80 percent beyond their pre-MBA wages.

Career experts all agree: The most important thing you can bring to business and law are good communication skills. "You need to be detail-oriented, and have good research and analytical skills," says Susan Giundi, director of career services at the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor.

Depending on their area of expertise, liberal arts grads do well in business. English majors tend to be good at presentations and writing persuasively, and may go into marketing and advertising. Math majors are recruited for banking, and history majors make excellent researchers. Even philosophy majors, who are taught to work through arguments, have been finding jobs with corporations.

With just a two-year associate's degree, you can work as a computer network administrator, office administrator, paralegal, court stenographer, or a legal assistant.

WHERE THE JOBS ARE

One of the biggest demands comes from consulting firms, which top the list of employers seeking new college graduates, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). "Many organizations are now outsourcing projects instead of doing them in house," says Camille Luckenbaugh, spokesperson for NACE. "That's a reflection of how the work world has changed."

Another hot business field is hospitality management. "Our seniors are getting five to ten job offers each," says Sarah Parks, director of the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at Pennsylvania State University in University Park.

RELATED ARTICLE: SPORTS AGENT

JEANNE MCNULTY-KING

AGE: 34

LOCATION: Missoula, MT

JOB: President and CEO of 2 X Inc.

EDUCATION: No specific education requirements. Business, marketing, and legal training may be helpful. McNulty-King graduated from the University of Montana with a bachelor's degree in zoology. More importantly, she played professional basketball and learned firsthand about players' needs and the duties of a good sports agent.

SALARY: Sports agents generally work on a commission basis. The commission varies from one to five percent of salaries. For endorsements, the commission may be as high as 33 percent.

ON THE JOB: A sports agent is like an athlete's business partner. For the athletes she represents, McNulty-King negotiates contracts (including salaries) and deals for product endorsements. When she's not in her office phoning her athletes, she's traveling to scout new athletes, watch the players she already represents, and maintain in-person relationships with both college and professional coaches.

REWARDS: As a former player, McNulty-King enjoys helping clients like the WNBA's Betty Lennox. "I can think back and remember what I needed as a player and supply that to my players," she says. "I also think it is very important to just be there for the players and provide friendship and support."

CHALLENGES: Salaries and endorsement contracts for women athletes still lag behind those of their male counterparts. "I only represent female athletes. Women's contracts, at present, are substantially less and therefore most women will take a back seat with agents representing both men and women," says McNulty-King.

MORE INFO: North American Society for Sports Management, www.nassm.com

Seth Endo

PARALEGAL

PIOTR KIETLINSKI

AGE: 22

LOCATION: Washington, DC

JOB: Paralegal for Goldstein and Associates, P.C.

EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree is usually required. Some employers prefer their paralegals to have an associate's degree, bachelor's degree, or certification in the field. Kietlinski received his bachelor's degree in history from the University of Chicago.

SALARY: The median annual salary for paralegals is $32,760.

ON THE JOB: Kietlinski's day-to-day activities vary, depending on the needs of the firm. He performs administrative tasks such as photocopying, booking lunch reservations, and billing clients. In addition, he meets with opposing counsel, prepares substantive memos, and provides valuable research.

REWARDS: Being a paralegal offers great experience for those interested in a legal career. "At my firm, after three or four months, paralegals do the same work as most first-year associates," says Kietlinski.

CHALLENGES: "Lots of responsibility coupled with high expectations. Your boss may sometimes forget that you do not have the same amount of legal training as a lawyer.

MORE INFO: National Federation of Paralegal Associations, www.paralegals.org

Seth Endo

HR MANAGER

KRISTI BREEN

AGE: 33

LOCATION: Orlando, FL

JOB: Manages the college intern recruitment program for Walt Disney World

EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree is usually expected for managerial level positions. A major in a business-related field, especially human resources, is helpful. Breen has a BA in international affairs from the University of Colorado in Boulder.

SALARY: The median salary is $49,010.

ON THE JOB: Breen oversees the marketing, promotion, and recruitment efforts made by Walt Disney World on more than 400 college campuses nationwide to attract student and graduate interns.

STARTING OUT: Breen liked the human resources field when she graduated college because of the numerous opportunities it offered. "I found it amazing that I could work in a career in which I traveled around the country and possibly the world offering life-changing experiences to students," she says.

REWARDS: "The opportunity to see students grow, both personally and professionally, from employment at Disney. I actively recruited on campuses before becoming a manager, and sometimes you can get close to the students personally."

CHALLENGES: "Job markets change, and the recruitment process always has to be revamped to keep up. Today students are technologically savvy--they're used to Internet sites and interactive media. They don't respond so well to conventional methods of recruitment, like posters or fliers."

MORE INFO: Society of H man Resource Management, www.shrm.org

David Schaffer

ACCOUNTANT

VERONICA LOCKER

AGE: 28

LOCATION: Indianapolis, IN

JOB: Certified public accountant (CPA) for Eli Lilly & Company. Youngest member of the Indiana CPA Society Board of Directors.

EDUCATION: Locker has a bachelor of science in accounting from Butler University in Indianapolis. In Indiana, accountants must have at least three years of work experience before earning the CPA designation.

SALARY: Accountants earn approximately $38,618 per year. Senior accountants may earn six figures.

ON THE JOB: "At Eli Lilly, our positions are rotated every few years," she says. Although some people may perceive accounting careers as a dry exercise in bean-counting, the opposite is true. "In my current assignment, I actually do little number crunching," Locker says. "I'm part of a new, worldwide computer system integration and I'm involved in organizational management, working with the technical staff. There's a lot of analysis and projecting." Many CEOs and successful business people have accounting backgrounds. And Locker certainly doesn't fit the stereotype of the stuffy accountant She's an avid salsa dancer who says she often feels like Clark Kent: "When I dance, my hair comes down, glasses get tossed, and the corporate suit comes off. It keeps me sane."

REWARDS: "It's rewarding when company expectations are met and when I've successfully explained complicated concepts to people. It's great when you're helping people and your work is valued."

CHALLENGES: "Trying to find common ground among many different types of people can be a challenge."

MORE INFO: The American Institute for Certified Public Accountants, www.aicpa.org

Melanie Gold

LAWYER

JANE GORDON

AGE: 28

LOCATION: West Palm Beach, FL

JOB: Lawyer representing grassroots environmental groups that are seeking to stop irresponsible development Gordon recently became a partner in her firm.

EDUCATION: Gordon earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Florida International University, and a juris doctor from Nova Southeastern University School of Law in Fort Lauderdale. Lawyers typically complete three years of law school before taking the bar exam.

SALARY: The median annual salary for lawyers is $89,044.

ON THE JOB: "I represent the good guys who aren't usually represented. You need an incredible amount of money to challenge developers, so I represent groups at a lower rate," she says. On a typical day, Gordon goes to court hearings, meets with judges to keep track of her cases, and attends mediations to help clients work out differences. Afternoons are spent doing research, both online and in the courthouse library. "In environmental issues, we're forging new legal ground," she says. "You have to do a lot of research so you're not defeated in five seconds." Her painstaking research paid off when she halted development of a golf course on a technical issue. "I discovered that the population studies had been interpreted incorrectly," she says. That put a stop to the golf course and discouraged the developer from trying again.

STARTING OUT: Interested in environmental issues since college, Gordon likes the opportunity to put her ideals into action through a "respected profession." "You have to feel good about what you do," she says.

REWARDS: "I like going to court and answering the judge's questions, as well as settling cases outside of court, trying to get parties to see eye-to-eye."

CHALLENGES: Currently, she is working with a group of concerned citizens trying to stop the development of an 11,000-dwelling unit on farmland. Gordon works on many appeals--arguing against decisions made at the trial level--by drafting briefs and conducting additional research for cases such as the development of a 10-story condo on Mangrove Island, a fragile barrier island that's home to rare manatees and wood storks.

MORE INFO: The American Bar Association, www.abanet.org

Nancy Fitzgerald

ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE

SARA SCHNEIDER

AGE: 31

LOCATION: Detroit, MI

JOB: Associate Media Director, General Motors-Planworks

EDUCATION: Typical curriculum paths include business, economics, telecommunications, advertising, or journalism. Schneider graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in English and a minor in marketing. Ultimately, ad plans must be sold to the client, so well-polished communication skills, both verbal and written, are necessary. Teamwork and creativity are essential to the success of any project, and numbers/data analysis is important.

SALARY: The median hourly earnings of advertising managers is $26.11. In 1998, nonsupervisory workers in advertising averaged $647 a week.

ON THE JOB: Schneider develops media plans for cars like the Chevy Cavalier. To attract young, female buyers, Schneider helped launch the "Be Smart, Look Smart" campaign, which featured booklets on style inserted in magazines such as Vogue and Glamour. She arranged a partnership with Macy's department store so that the store's fashions could be used in the booklets and so that a $50 Macy's gift certificate could be offered to potential customers if they visited a dealer to "try a Cavalier on for size."

STARTING OUT: Schneider was exposed to advertising through her family: Her father worked in the marketing finance area for Chrysler, then became chief financial officer of BBDO/Detroit (the agency that services Dodge). In college, Schneider joined the Ad Club and interned at an agency in Columbus, Ohio. On her first day at her first job (Young & Rubicam in Detroit), she and another recent graduate were given the choice between an account position and one in media planning. "I took the media job," she says. "I knew I liked it from the exposure during my internship. We still keep in touch. I'm still in media, she's still in accounts, and we giggle about how random the choice was, and how right it turned out to be."

REWARDS: "Producing award-winning work that generates success on behalf of your clients is rewarding," she says. Schneider also says media planning folks are a fun group: "There are so many opportunities to meet people, network, and have fun: lunches, parties, dinners, special events."

CHALLENGES: "Keeping fresh," The media landscape, not to mention today's business climate is ever-changing. Meeting deadlines can also be challenging.

MORE INFO: American Association of Advertising Agencies, www.aaaa.org; AdAge.com, AdWeek.com

Courtnay Sander

HOSPITALITY/SALES MANAGER

HEATHER DIETER

AGE: 28

LOCATION: Philadelphia, PA

JOB: National sales manager, Ritz-Carlton Hotel

EDUCATION: Many hospitality/hotel managers have degrees in hospitality management or business administration. College internships and work experience are also important in landing a job in the hotel industry. Dieter has a bachelor's degree in hotel management from Pennsylvania State University.

SALARY: The median annual salary for sales managers is $63,620.

ON THE JOB: Dieter is responsible for group sales -- booking large blocks of rooms for conventions and special events. She works with a team to negotiate deals with clients who include celebrities, dignitaries, or CEOs. Aiming for an "assertive but amiable" attitude, Dieter meets with prospective clients at her office or theirs.

The Ritz-Carlton's five-star amenities and services may speak for themselves, but when meeting clients outside of the hotel, "It's completely up to me to tell a story--set up the scene and convince clients why the Ritz-Carlton is the best place for them to take their business."

REWARDS: Dieter travels frequently to cities across the country, from D.C. to L.A. Clinching a deal is "exhilarating--I just booked 800 rooms."

CHALLENGES: "A lot of our clients are very knowledgeable about what they can ask for," she says. Not only are good negotiating skills key, but "you've got to know where the line is between good business and bad business." Dieter works 10-hour days and her schedule must remain flexible: "If a client wants to meet on a Saturday, I can't say no."

MORE INFO: The Association of Professional Hospitality Managers, www.aphm.org

Nancy Fitzgerald

FINANCIAL PLANNER

E. MARTIN VON KANEL

AGE: 39

LOCATION: Torrance, CA

JOB: Financial planner

EDUCATION: Von Kanel holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and certification for financial planning (CFP).

SALARY: Earnings vary, but top financial planners may earn nearly $200,000 per year.

ON THE JOB: "I arrive at the office at 6:30 a.m. when the stock markets open here on the West Coast, and sit at my computer to buy and sell stocks for my clients," Von Kanel says. Later, he often meets with new clients to examine their finances, set goals, and make a plan to reach those goals. Some financial planners offer additional services, such as portfolio management and insurance product sales.

STARTING OUT: Inspired by his grandfather, a businessman and investor, Von Kanel worked for a large insurance company to learn the ropes of the financial services industry. Soon after earning his CFP certification, Von Kanel opened his own financial planning firm.

REWARDS: "Seeing a client be able to pay for his daughter's college education."

CHALLENGES: Clients who want to invest only in the "hot" investment "Diversification-- owning stocks in different types of businesses-- is never out of style," he says.

MORE INFO: Certified Financial Planners Board of Standards, www.cfp-board.org; the Financial Planning Association, www.fpanet.org

K.D. Kuch

TRAVEL MANAGER

KELLY CAMPS

AGE: 33

LOCATION: Anaheim, CA

JOB: Operations Manager, Contiki USA

EDUCATION: Camps has a bachelor's degree in history and a master's in American history from San Diego State University. "[Contiki] likes to hire people with bachelor's degrees," she says. "However, it is also important that people have experience working with the public and are friendly and outgoing." Travel experience is also an asset, as well as patience and a mind for details. Some colleges offer majors in travel and tourism. The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) has a correspondence course that provides a basic understanding of the industry.

SALARY: Tour managers can earn around $14,000 per year plus gratuities due to the seasonal nature of the work. Those with office positions can earn $25,000 to $40,000 a year.

ON THE JOB: "As an operations manager, I train and work with tour managers. Tour managers travel from one destination to another and give passengers city tours and practical information. They are responsible for all the on-the-road organization, such as accounting, organizing group activities, and booking all excursions. Tours usually arrive at their destinations by 5 p.m., and the tour manger takes them to dinner and organizes night activities. Some days start at 7 and end at midnight.

"Part of my job is making sure all of our suppliers--restaurants and excursion operators--have our tour dates, menus, and prices. I begin hiring tour managers around January and set up training. During the summer, I schedule our tour managers, do payroll, liaison with suppliers, operate the tours, and handle any problems that arise.

"Communication skills are essential. We meet the needs of a lot of people of different nationalities from different walls of life. Multi-tasking is key to being a tour manager so you need strong organizational skills."

STARTING OUT: "I actually backpacked through Europe with a friend and came back and saw an ad saying 'travel with 18- to 35-year-olds.' I started out as a tour manager."

REWARDS: "As a tour manager, I got to take people around the U.S. and Canada and know that they had a great time. I got to travel all over North America, which was amazing."

CHALLENGES: "Being flexible when something goes wrong is sometimes a challenge. Tours can experience weather delays, hotel changes, medical emergencies, but we always have a contingency plan. Being a tour manager is not just a summer job. We do pretty intensive training [during the year], and work from April to October."

MORE INFO: National Tourism Association, www.ntaonline.com; ASTA, www.astanet.com

Heather Lindsey

LEARN & EARN

Here are median annual earnings of various business and law occupations
as reported by BLS.


Associated Degree

Hotel Front-Desk Clerk    $15,160
Secretary                 $23,560
Court Stenographer        $25,430
Paralegal                 $32,760

Bachelor's Degree

Hotel Sales/Marketing     $34,910
Business Consultant       $49,470
Chief Executive Officer   $55,890

Professional Degree

Federal Judge            $136,700

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