1. Finance or Marketing?

2. Functional area – your interest in the area Grade point average – demonstrates discipline and intelligence Experience – internship or part-time experience in functional area – demonstrates work ethic and you have an idea what goes on in your chosen functional area

3. More technically oriented More certifications Narrower job descriptions? Known for difficulty More mathematical and formula oriented More conceptual Wider choices of jobs Usually less technical and certification oriented, but there are exceptions Can I still be a technically oriented administrator?

4. Major organization - Financial Management AssociationFinancial Management Association FMA assistance - http://www.fma.org/Student/ http://www.fma.org/Student/

5. Nearly all firms, government agencies, and organizations have at least one financial manager to supervise the preparation of financial reports, guide investment activities, and execute cash-management strategies. Since computers can very efficiently record and organize data, financial managers spend much time developing strategies to help the organization realize its long-term goals. Financial managers’ responsibilities vary according to position. Specific titles include controller, treasurer or finance officer, credit manager, cash manager, and risk and insurance manager. Controllers prepare special reports as required by regulatory authorities and oversee the preparation of financial reports, such as income statements, balance sheets, and analyses of future earnings or expenses, which describe and predict the organization’s financial position. In many firms, controllers supervise the accounting, audit, and budget departments. Treasurers and finance officers direct an organization’s budgets and financial objectives by overseeing the investment of funds and managing associated risks, supervising cash management activities, addressing mergers and acquisitions, and implementing capital-raising strategies to sustain a firm as it expands. Credit managers supervise a firm’s issuance of credit by establishing credit-rating criteria, determining credit ceilings, and monitoring collection of unsettled accounts. Financial and accounting systems for the banking transactions of multinational organizations are developed by managers who specialize in international finance. From: http://www.careeroverview.com/financial-management-careers.htmlhttp://www.careeroverview.com/financial-management-careers.html

6. Cash managers help firms meet their business and investment needs by monitoring and controlling the flow of cash receipts and disbursements. Cashflow projections are essential to determining whether a firm needs loans to meet cash requirements and deciding how a firm should invest surplus cash. Risk and insurance managers, in addition to managing a firm’s insurance budget, direct programs to minimize potential risks and losses from a firm’s financial and business operations. Financial institutions—commercial banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, mortgage and finance companies, and the like—also employ financial managers. Depending on their area of specialty, these employees’ duties include lending, trusts, mortgages, investments, and various programs, including sales, operations, or electronic financial services. In some firms, these managers might also solicit business, authorize loans, and direct the investment of funds, making sure always to follow Federal and State laws and regulations. Branch managers of financial institutions oversee all operations of a branch office. Their duties might include hiring personnel, approving loans and lines of credit, attracting business by establishing good relationships in the community, and helping customers with concerns about their account. Financial managers employed in financial institutions need to stay current with the rapidly growing range of financial products and services.

7. On top of these general responsibilities, financial managers have unique duties in each organization and industry. Government financial managers, for instance, must be intimately familiar with the government appropriations and budgeting processes. Healthcare financial managers, on the other hand, need specialized understanding of healthcare financing issues. In nearly all cases, financial managers must know any special tax laws or regulations that concern their industry. To reduce risks and maximize profits, firms rely more and more on the guidance of experienced and knowledgeable financial managers in mergers and consolidations, and in international expansion and related financing. Firms increasingly hire financial managers as temporary consultants to advise senior managers on these types of business operations. In fact, some small firms hire contracting companies to handle all of their accounting and financial needs. Technological advances that continue to reduce the time it takes to create financial reports have forced the financial manager’s role to evolve, especially in business. These managers often work on teams and spend more time analyzing data. From these analyses, they create strategies for more efficient business procedures, which they in turn us to advise top management. Because of this increasing reliance on computers, financial managers need to keep up with the latest technological advances in order to maximize their firm’s efficiency.

8. Major organization - American Marketing AssociationAmerican Marketing Association AMA career assistance – http://www.marketingpower.com/Careers/Pa ges/default.aspx http://www.marketingpower.com/Careers/Pa ges/default.aspx

9. "Graduates are creative and forward-thinking, understand the power of media in all its forms, and are skilled communicators and team players," says Margaret Holbrough, a careers adviser at Graduate Prospects.mediaGraduate All of which can lead not only to careers in marketing, but in industries and sectors as diverse as retail, fashion,­ manufacturing, financial and public services, leisure and tourism,­ ­consumer goods, music, electronics and so on. "Public relations, sales, brand management, advertising and general management are all careers where the analytical and problem-solving skills of marketing graduates will be welcomed," adds Holbrough. Knowledge of international markets may also be of interest to multinational organisations.

10. Marketing Careers Marketing managers might oversee several departments working to determine market demand, maximizing profits through pricing and distribution strategies, and direct promotion efforts. The average annual salary for 2003 was about $74,000. As part of an in-house department or offsite market research firm, market research analysts are responsible for defining the 'problem,' developing research methodology, analyzing data, and interpreting and presenting the results. A master's degree is the minimum requirement at many firms in the private sector. With a bachelor's degree in marketing, you can enter the field as a research assistant, trainee, or marketing interviewer. The demand for market researchers will remain strong, mostly working through research firms. The brand or product manager oversees the marketing responsibilities for a particular type of product. It is a challenging, well-paid career and won't put excessive overtime or travel demands on you. It's also a very competitive field, so a bachelor's degree in marketing or commerce is suggested as a minimum prerequisite. From: http://www.worldwidelearn.com/online-education-guide/business/marketing- major.htm

11. The sales manager supervises the sales force including establishing territories and quotas, recruiting and hiring, training, and incentives programs. Work experience plus a degree is preferred as you will be responsible for working with the data and statistics you've gathered to increase profitability and make planning decisions. Advertising managers can choose either the business side of advertising (account management or account planning); or the creative side, where they create ads or work in media planning and production. Another arm of the marketing field is public relations, where you'll have a similar goal, with a different methodology. You'll be in charge of projecting and maintaining a favorable image for your organization or client. Online retailing is another growth opportunity for marketing degree holders. Almost all major retailers have online ordering, which opens up new career possibilities, especially with the recent proliferation of online degrees in e- commerce. Nonprofit sector - There is a growing demand for marketing management professionals in many nonprofit fields. Some of the interest areas include: arts and culture, community economic development, education, environment, foundations, government, health care, international aid, and social services.