Business law marketing

Careers and Colleges, Jan-Feb, 2002 by 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.