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Choosing an international business concentration could help you to develop the skills needed to work in global business. This degree concentration gives you the opportunity to learn specialized communication skills and other skills useful in the business field, no matter where you end up working. The knowledge and skills you could gain with this business degree concentration could help you build a successful career in international trade, logistics, human resources, or other areas of global business.

Careers in International Business

The material covered in a business administration degree with a concentration in international business is relevant to many career paths. You could find a wide range of entry-level jobs while getting started in the business world. As you gain more experience and possibly earn an advanced degree, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), you could look for more advanced career options.

Entry-Level Jobs in International Business

Financial Analyst

Financial analysts in international business are responsible for studying foreign markets and coming up with investment recommendations. These analysts also have other responsibilities, such as analyzing business and economic trends in foreign markets, keeping up with regulatory requirements, and assessing financial data.

Training and Development Manager

Training and development managers are responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing programs aimed at improving or expanding staff knowledge and skills in an organization. These managers evaluate the need for this type of training, manage budgets for training and development, and evaluate the success of these programs.

Marketing Manager

Marketing managers in international business handle marketing tasks and initiatives for companies that do business in other countries. This involves studying and understanding a company’s target market in one or more countries.

Advanced International Business Careers

Management Analyst

Management analysts in international business help global organizations find ways to improve efficiency. This involves gathering information about issues or challenges organizations face, coming up with solutions to these challenges, and making recommendations to the organization’s leaders. Management analysts might offer consulting services to government agencies, multinational corporations, or other organizations with an international presence.

Business Executive

Working as a business executive in an international setting involves setting goals for an organization or department, establishing relevant policies and procedures, and handling other crucial tasks. Business executives working for international companies need to have a high amount of cultural awareness to ensure that their department or organization meets its goals.

Important Skills to Learn for International Business

The coursework for an international business concentration is designed to help students develop essential skills for working in global markets. The following are some skills you can expect to learn when choosing this concentration.

Collaboration

Working well with others is an important skill when working in international business. You will need to have strong teamwork skills that allow you to collaborate with other professionals in order to complete projects or handle other work assignments and tasks.

Cross-Cultural Communication

A big part of working in international business is interacting with professionals from other cultures. In addition to basic communication skills, you will need strong cross-cultural communication skills for this type of work. These skills help ensure you can effectively communicate with business professionals in other countries and cultures.

Cultural Awareness

Cultural awareness is a crucial skill for a successful international business career. This skill involves being aware of other cultures, accepting them, and considering this knowledge when making business decisions or handling business tasks, such as developing new products and services.

Active Listening

Active listening is an essential part of communication in international business. This type of listening involves showing interest in what the other person is saying, being aware of non-verbal cues, asking questions for clarification, and other techniques.

Adaptability

The international business world can change rapidly, which makes it essential to have flexibility or adaptability. You may need to change projects, processes, or other aspects of your job as situations or global markets fluctuate.

Advantages of Working in International Business

International business can be an incredibly fulfilling career path to pursue. When you work in a global setting, you can enjoy several benefits, including the following:

Opportunities to Travel

Working in international business can provide you with opportunities to travel. Depending on your job, you might travel to multiple locations throughout the year or frequently travel to a particular country or region. You might also have opportunities to travel abroad to professional conferences and other events that are relevant to your career.

More Diverse Relationship Building

When you work in an international business setting, you have the opportunity to interact with people from a diverse range of cultures and backgrounds. A job at a local business staffed entirely by others from your region is not an inherently negative thing, but exposure to individuals whose lived experiences vary significantly from your own forces you to view things from a new perspective, opens your eyes to new ways of thinking, and can help you develop relationships with people you may have never expected.  Mark Twain is famously quoted as having said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness,” and when you work in international business, your exposure to people on an international scale could help make you a more open-minded and well-rounded professional.

Global Networking Opportunities

Being an international business professional means you have many networking opportunities available. Instead of mainly having networking opportunities in your own country, you can build connections with business leaders and other professionals worldwide.

Industry Trends in International Business

Studying international business could help you develop an awareness global business trends, such as outsourcing, sustainability, and climate change. Increased awareness of how globalization impacts the climate and local communities is leading to a push for greater sustainability to reduce environmental harm. A growing interest in outsourcing, such as outsourcing certain projects, comes from organizations looking for more efficient ways to conduct business on a global scale.

Professional Organizations in International Business

Several professional and industry organizations provide opportunities to meet international business leaders, network with fellow global business professionals, and learn about job openings. Some of these organizations include the World Trade OrganizationInternational Chamber of CommerceInternational Association of Business CommunicatorsInternational Business OrganizationInternational Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, and International Executives Association.

Is a Degree Concentration in International Business Worth It?

Choosing a degree concentration in international business is well worth it if you are interested in issues related to global business. You might also have an opportunity to do an internship or attend networking events to help you build international business connections.

If you would like to learn more about earning an international business degree, please contact Post University. Our school offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree with a concentration in International Business Administration.

Thank you for reading! The views and information provided in this post do not reflect Post University programs and/or outcomes directly. If you are interested in learning more about our programs, you can find a complete list of our programs on our website or reach out directly!

Please note jobs and/or career outcomes highlighted in this blog do not reflect jobs or career outcomes expected from any Post program. To learn more about Post’s program and their outcomes, please fill out a form to speak with an admissions advisor.