Who hires Entrepreneurship Majors?
I'm thinking about majoring in Entrepreneurship but I want to be able to land a job in case my business fails. Who hires Entrepreneurship majors?
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So you are learning about how to be an entrepreneur, but if that fails you want to work for someone else? Major in something real and you wont have to ask this question. If you want to run a business knowing the fundamentals of accounting and finance are way more important anyway.
This cracks me up! Without entrepreneurship, where would we be today? You said the fundamentals of accounting and finance are more important. Entrepreneurship majors are required to take classes in accounting and finance. In fact, I am taking an Entrepreneurial Finance class right now. All of the classes are just more focused than taking a general accounting class, or a general finance class. Second of all, employers don't look at your resume and hire someone because of their major. Experience speaks. What organizations were you involved with? What accomplishments have you made? People always say, if you want to become an entrepreneur, why go to school? Well, it is all about getting involved and creating a network. I chose to go school to become an entrepreneur and I have created a network of people that I would not even come close to if I would have tried without any schooling. I also have lifetime advisors. Finally, I have entered in numerous competitions and gained publicity locally and nationwide. Finally, if you decide not to start your own business, many employers hire due to managerial skill, sales experience, and the creativity entrepreneurs have.
You could have done everyone of these things doing something more practical than an entrepreneurship major. And your assertion that employers don't differentiate between majors, holding all experience constant, is dead wrong.
OP, listen, getting an entrepreneurship major is just limiting yourself. My semi-target offers entrepreneurship and this is what i've seen. About 5% were already successful entrepreneurs from HS or early on in their college career. These kids were going to be successful if they had majored in basket weaving. About another 20% have spent their summers working for start ups and are looking for the next big thing or hope to get grants or backing to start their own companies. Almost none of them have full time offers or backing to start their own company. Most of them are idiots. Of the remaining 75% basically all of them double majored in something more useful for finding a job (finance, marketing, econ, CS, etc). And most of those kids found jobs in the area that their other major was in or business jobs that generally require some sort of quantitative major.
So if you are going to major in entrepreneurship, that's fine, but make it a second major behind something more useful.
major only matters so much...
school reputation matters much more.
As long as you can spin a good story than it doesnt matter that much
major in what you like
I can't think of a single reason to major in entrepreneurship.
I certainly would never hire someone who majored in it.
12% of stanford mba, you not gonna hire any of them?
I don't think Stanford MBA's who are majoring in EE are going to be looking for a job in banking. I would rather look at someone majoring in finance over an EE person any day.
If this is for UG then take a real major.
There's a huge difference between an undergraduate major, and an MBA concentration.
And, further, it's not just an issue of what you learn. It's an issue of the market signal it sends, and the interests and personality it signifies.
major in marketing and finance. if you want to start your own business. from those that i've spoken to people who start their own business had wished they majored in marketing. after you create your good/service it's all about marketing. you can always hire your CPA or accountant.
This is for undergrad? Entrepreneurship is about taking an idea and converting it into a successful idea. I think you missed out on something important man (hint: it starts with i and ends with a).
You go to Carnegie Mellon and want to major in entrepreneurship? How about you choose a real major.
Well whether you believe an Entrepreneurship major is "real" or not it exists and they are being hired by companies. I was just wondering which types of companies would actually need an Entrepreneurship major. Well thanks for the input !
Probably Google or some type of start up. Seriously, have you done any searching. Lets see, I wanted to work in finance so I majored in finance. People who major in EE typically have a strong desire to start your own company. Pretty simple I would think. I would rank EE slightly above management majors.
honestly dude, you want to come out of undergrad with some type of skill knowledge... whether it be engineering, finance, marketing, or even playing the violin. don't major in entrepreneurship especially in this environment.
isnt it better to be master of one than a jack of all trades?
I did a quick Google search and this is the curriculum for one school:
http://w4.stern.nyu.edu/ei/academic.cfm?doc_id=1955
It seems like it teaches you "everything but the idea." Kind of an odd concept--could be wrong, but isn't at least 80% of a start up's success based on the idea? I guess if I had an idea, I would hire an EE major to do all the bullshit work for me...
To OP. I thought I noticed your name from previous posts. BS. Carnegie Mellon (Finance)->Deloitte/Accenture for 2 years->MBA Carnegie Mellon->Attempt to land MBB or BS. Carnegie Mellon (Finance)->MBA Carnegie Mellon->Attempt to land MBB From a previous post.
It sounds like you are just throwing darts at a Wall and hoping some shyt sticks and a lucrative/prestigious job comes out of it. Entrepreneurship/Consulting, Banking, etc. etc. Did you wake up each morning, read one article in NYT and decided, wow that's cool, I should go do it. Shouldn't you be doing a SA or something? Leveraging that for a full-time position. Otherwise, you should already have accepted a FT offer back in Spring.
Look, I'm all for like sharing ideas and all discussing career paths. But what is your point? Not satisfied with your current offer? If you have to ask about Entrepreneurship, then you probably aren't cut-out to be entrepreneur. It's the "make-it-or-break-it" mentality of going for the gold that makes a truly successful and daring entrepreneur.
I like how he says he wants to know about what type of companies hire ent majors, then when people say they would never hire one he says he absolutely knows that companies hire them.
If I had to put money on it, I'd say you could get a position as a bank teller.
HEY!
alright, enough with the bashing. i concentrated in entp, tried to start a business, failed, and then turned out fine. still plan on starting my own business eventually.
Perhaps we are ignorant of what courses are required for this major but it doesn't seem to offer any particular benefit to a company. You have a broad base of knowledge but few entry level positions need that. Your best bet would be to work for a smaller company that is expanding and needs someone to wear a lot of different hats. Outside of that you don't seem particularly qualified, as far as knowledge wise, unless you want to teach "entrepreneurship". Although being a failed entrepreneur isn't exactly a great resume for such a career it hasn't stopped many college professors from teaching what they couldn't do in the real world.
finance is barely a real major either.
i think of it similar to doctors. Specialist make the most money while general practitioners make good money. Entrepreneurs majors seem to be a jack of all trades (general practitioner) while becoming a specialist in a particular field like fin/hr/marketing/econ would make you more appealing to the company doing the Hiring.
get a science degree, i have my degree in engineering/physics, I can always be an entrepreneur, invent something, then sell it. that's all.
Yourself.
Sorry, but your topic question was asking for it.
Everybody goes to get an entrepreneurship major, talking about how it's so awesome. Then, 99% fail at being entrepreneurs (usually the 1% were already successful ents). Then, they wonder why nobody will hire them.
Justin, guess why? It's because you have a degree in entrepreneurship. For an entrepreneur, the only thing a college degree should be is a backup. You get your degree in entrepreneurship by going out, starting businesses, fucking up, and trying again. Get a degree in something that someone else will actually give a shit about and have use for in their established business.
It's good that you, apparently, as a college student, know more about what employers want to see then people that go to work on a daily basis. And no shit your activities outside of school mean a lot. But how does someone quantify the businesses you started and failed? Or why would they choose a guy who has failed for a year or two as an entrepreneur over a guy who has a year or two of experience and is known to do a decent job? You don't know anything about working within the confines of an established organization. But hey, maybe you'll get lucky with one of your current contacts.
I just feel as a hiring manager if I were looking down at a resume and it said entrepreneurship major, a red flag is raised in one way or another.
Either I'm the guy who thinks you're lazy so you majored in entrepreneurship, or I'm the guy who thinks you're playing me and this company until you've made the cash to start that first business. Either way nothing is there that screams great potential employee from the major. You could no doubt get hired, but that major will not help you at all in anything I can think of; not even how to be entrepreneurial.
How the hell do you teach someone to have balls?
Or worse, you're the guy that sucked at starting a business, doesn't want to work here, and are going to stick around until the end of time, doing nothing, and collecting a $40k paycheck
Agree 100%
I really don't understand the bashing. While I didn't major in Entrepreneurship, I really wish I would have for the sake of learning something interesting and enjoying college courses. You guys sound extremely brainwashed with all of that "what company is going to hire me", "but, I need to major in something that looks good for this company"...life is to short to consistently worry about what a company or industry thinks, b/c at the end of the day your beloved future employer won't give a shit about you. The only difference between a Finance major and Entre. major at my college (given my s/n it shouldn't be hard to figure out which one) was 5 classes. 5 classes, that's it. If 5 classes can really give you the skills you need to become "specialized" then I must have missed the memo.
FWIW, I majored in Management and during my senior year had interviews with Google, Facebook, the FBI, Pepsi, Wells Fargo, IMG Sports, Bank of America, etc. and that was without a fancy brand name junior year internship. I really doubt I could have hit all of those options with a specialized accounting or finance degree.
I think that people see the major as too broad. There is a chance that you might come out of this UG degree with a non specific skill set. You could always minor in it and receive the foundation for it and major in something else. I just think that if you want to go into finance having an econ major or finance/mathematics major will be sign more highly than what you want. With that being said if you do have start up experience you could always look towards becoming a business analyst if you have connections. It will help you to gain experience project managing.
I think that people see the major as too broad. There is a chance that you might come out of this UG degree with a non specific skill set. You could always minor in it and receive the foundation for it and major in something else. I just think that if you want to go into finance having an econ major or finance/mathematics major will be sign more highly than what you want. With that being said if you do have start up experience you could always look towards becoming a business analyst if you have connections. It will help you to gain experience project managing.
An entreprenuership major can still be hired in companies because of the kind of creativity, dynamism and motivation that enables them to seize opportunities and accomplish great things for employers. I'm an entreprenuership major I talk from experience. Thank you!
That's a bullshit line you get fed by the school. You don't get any of those things by being an entrepreneurship major, you get them from being an entrepreneur. entrepreneurship major =/= entrepreneur
Or one can do Masters in Entrepreneurship so they can be able to teach it.
Sounds like a BS major...
do not major in entrepeneurship: recruiters and interviewers want people who they'll assume have an "entrepreneurial spirit," its in many job descriptions. If you're at a non-target, double major in finance/accounting or finance/economics, if you're at a target (Ivy League, Duke/JHU/Little Three), major in anything but art history.
This is actually a pretty nuanced question to answer. A lot of people debate whether or not entrepreneurship is something that can be taught in an undergrad (or academic) environment. I personally fall on the "no" side for many reasons but plenty of competent well-regarded people think that it can. Business was once seen as something that couldn't be taught as well, etc,etc.
If you major in entrepreneurship, the underlying assumption is that you want to be an entrepreneur and start a startup. This more or less means that you don't want anyone to explicitly hire you. That's great if you actually form a successful company. If you don't, you can either go work for someone else's startup or scavenge for other jobs.
When it comes to early stage startups, I've said it before - no one cares what your diploma says. If they don't think you can generate more value than your paycheck, you won't get hired. If you come in knowing nothing but "entrepreneurship", it'll be hard to prove your worth. If they're a Web/IT startup, why would they hire you over the entrepreneurial CS major with a bit of startup experience? Plus...some startups use headhunters and some show up to career fairs but...by far most of them do early hiring through informal networks. Every offer I - and most of the people I know - have gotten has initially come through a friend of a friend of a friend or something. It's almost as important to be known among your peers as competent as to have a fancy schmancy degree.
Honestly, most companies will probably hire an entrepreneurship (or ANY) major given the right circumstances. BUT, few people are going to be out there looking for people with your degree any time soon. If you can bring other things to the table i.e. awesome network, other technical skills, proven track record of being generally competent, then you'll be fine.
Otherwise, don't rely on this "entrepreneurial spirit" crap. Most companies also want team players. Doesn't mean you should major in team playing.
I was an Entrepreneurship Major. It is a powerful degree, and I will tell you why. It honed the creative expertise earned from before college by conjoining it with specialized university level business concepts. Negotiation and creative ventures were a strong emphasis placed by my Alma mater in this degree, as it requires critical thinking, creative innovation, and ubiquitous collaboration. Entrepreneurs rise to the top, because they have the ability to morph and fill areas of weakness in an enterprise - an extremely valuable asset. "Jack of all trades" will always be found at the top of each managerial hierarchy (depending on seniority). Not only do they understand the accountants, they understand the marketers, the graphic designers, the subordinates, the sub-subordinates, the managers, the reps, etc. Those with specific and specialized talents are an asset to an organization, but the entrepreneurial mind is the conductor of an orchestral machine run by many facets and cogs.
Future entrepreneurs who are reading: Find an organization which aligns with a mission that you resonate with. Display your broad reaching abilities, and verbally express your passion to lead, and your empathetic affinities for all trades. Remember, above all, your unquenchable thirst to learn everything about everything is your most powerful attribute!
lol at least you're not majoring in leadership like my friend at UDel.
i feel like "entrepreneurship" comes off as fluff unless you can really sell it and explain why you chose that over, say, econ, something else in finance, etc.
Hey, if it works for you, then that's all that matters. Personally, I would not major in it because I don't find it useful. It's also something I'm not passionate about. Firms hire all types of majors and wouldn't discriminate if they saw that someone majored in X. I think it would just make for an interesting story, tbh.
Hire yourself bro
If possible, double major in accounting and finance. Join an Entrepreneurship Club as an EC or something - don't waste your time with a degree in it. Almost no marketability to an employer, much like a Leadership or Management degree.
OP, posted just over 6 years ago. I hope he is doing well! Probably in Silicon Valley
Hey man fuck all these haters on this post. If ur a hustler you can get a gig anywhere. I was an international relations major and right out of college I got a job in REPE, cus I convinced then I was a quick learner and I was honest and myself in the interview.
An Entrepreneurship Major - Thoughts? (Originally Posted: 04/28/2010)
What are your thoughts on majoring in Entrepreneurship?
Fortune Magazine just did an article on the Top 5 Schools for Entrepreneurs:
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/smallbusiness/1003/gallery.small_bu…
This is a relatively new major, however many schools have started whole programs tailored toward this major.
I have a feeling most people will see it as a joke major, but from my understanding these students often have to run their own businesses, create extensive business plans (if you have ever tried to create one, it can be daunting), and give multiple live pitch presentations to investors during their 4 years.
Thoughts on how this major is looked upon and where you see it growing?
do an analytical major it will pay off in the long run
I am not looking on advice as to what major I should pick personally, just trying to get the communities opinion on it :)
If I wanted to be an entrepreneur, I'd major in business or an engineering field that relates to the potential product. If I wanted to make sure I stamped "not a team player, not going to stick around" on my resume, I'd major in entrepreneurship.
Nm
I took entrepreneurship classes during b-school and thought they were interesting. However, that said, I feel like it takes a bit more than just "knowing" how to be an entrepreneur to be one. Even with a good idea, I still think it takes more than the know-how.
I've actually sat in on a few lectures and found them very very interesting. I went to a lecture at a friend of mines' school and they had a guy called Mark Driscoll come and speak to them. Apparently he's a total boss, baker scholar, was the guy behind the world cup trophy tour and owns the Panther Racing Team. It was a very very interesting lecture.
Having said that though, I've no idea how employers would view it.
There are some things you can't really grasp no matter how many classes you take in it. Entrepreneurship is one of them - being successful in starting your own business is a blend of experience and business sense, neither of which comes from reading a book. So, pick a major where tons of courses WILL make a difference.
I guess I may be the only guy on WSO that majored in Entrepreneurship . It is still considered a business major in my school (top 10 ranked for entrepreneurship)and I had to take all the analytical classes as well (stat, fin, acc etc..)
Personally it helped me a lot, as I am now running a start-up. However most of my classmates that majored in Entrepreneurship are doing back office/middle office finance jobs.
Nobama88, I assume he means that you're giving off the impression that your ultimate goal/biggest priority is to go off and start your own business, so your heart is not in the job.
Thoughts on a degree in entreprenuership (Originally Posted: 08/05/2011)
I recently came across an undergrad degree in entrepreneurship where the school syllabus would almost be same as that of BBA.
In addition students have to first do market research, than prepare a business plan, than make a pitch for seed -corn for angel investors and than turn a profit in the company and finally in the final year lead the company through transition stage. All of this will be done under Consultancy Level support from the University.
A portion of marks will be based on how successfully the students start and run the company.
So by the end of the degree the students will cover a syllabus almost same as that of BBA but also have a few years of entrepreneurship experience running their own company.
What are your thoughts on such a degree and how would employers see few years of work experience running a company?
see babson college...
Rank 1 in entrepreneurship MBA since decades. Looks very interesting.
You would undoubtedly learn a lot., but I would recommend adding a double major such as finance or accounting.
This.
Double Major is NOT a choice, allowed by the course. Since already there is a shit load of work do as compared to a traditional degree. http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/business/bsc/businessenterprise
Also will this will be considered full time work experience by the employers
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