Career Advice for a Christian Business Major
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." - Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
A business (BBA/BBS) degree is one of DBU's most popular degree programs — and, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, it's also one of the top majors for students across the United States.
This really comes as no surprise, as a business degree generally has a good ROI for your college investment. According to one calculator, the majors with the biggest ROI at DBU are business administration, management, and marketing. Finance and financial management services are also among DBU's top-earning degrees.
Even more importantly, a business degree opens the door to multiple and diverse opportunities for future career paths — careers that are in demand and on track for faster-than-average growth.
Preparing for a Career as a Christian with a Business Degree
Whether you're exploring a business major at DBU or you're well on your way with your DBU business (BBA/BBS) degree program, your future career path is probably on your mind.
In DBU's College of Business, students learn critical problem-solving skills and gain fundamental knowledge of essential business disciplines like accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, management, and marketing. Even a minor in business can help set you apart in the ever-increasing competitive job market.
Please Note: DBU degrees and stats vary by academic calendar year as we tailor our offerings to changing student needs. Visit the current catalog for the most up-to-date academic offerings.
Careers for a Business Major
There are many possible jobs for Christian college students with a business degree. Here are a few of the most in-demand to consider:
Project Manager
Project managers play an essential role in an organization because they coordinate, lead, and shepherd every single detail of a project — from budget to vendors, timeline, milestones, and more — all while collaborating and interfacing with the various teams involved. They may also serve as a point of contact for a client or customer base.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for a project manager is projected to grow 7% from 2023-2033, which is faster than the national average.*
Management Consultant
If you like problem-solving, a role as a management consultant — sometimes called a management analyst — may be right for you. Consultants identify and recommend ways to improve an organization's efficiency while also counseling managers on how to make their company more profitable. Throughout this process, you might also analyze financial records, interview team members, and consult with clients.
The job outlook for a management consultant is projected to grow 11% from 2023-2033, much faster than the national average.*
Financial Analyst
For those who love crunching numbers, you might be right on course for a financial analyst career. This type of role guides businesses on how to grow their assets or revenue and become more profitable.
The job outlook for financial analysts is projected to grow 9% from 2023-2033, much faster than the national average for all occupations.*
Personal Financial Advisor
If you love watching the stock exchange, you might be cut out for a job as a personal financial advisor. This is often a highly relationship-driven role, where you meet with individuals and help them manage their finances — from investments and stocks to mortgages, taxes, estate planning, retirement, and more.
The job outlook for personal financial advisors is projected to grow 17% from 2023-2033, much faster than the national average for all occupations.
This is only a tiny snapshot of the jobs available to business majors. Other roles for business degree holders include marketing managers, accountants, real estate managers, human resources specialists, and so much more.
To learn more about these potential career paths or other business degree job opportunities for Christian students in Dallas, DBU has incredible career services resources, including our Candid Career+ hub, where you can explore career-focused videos, job trends, and more.
1Based on data available as of Monday, November 11, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Using Faith to Guide Your Career Path
As you're exploring careers for Christian business graduates in Dallas, Texas, you can use your faith to guide your next steps in many ways.
Pursue Bible Study and Prayer
God's word is always going to be a vital compass to guide your path as you prayerfully consider your next steps. With the competing priorities of college life, it can be easy to put Bible study and prayer on the back burner. However, prioritizing the power of prayer in college can be a transformative experience for students who serve the Lord.
In addition to your own quiet time for reading and reflection, consider joining a group Bible study; this will hold you accountable and connect you with peers in similar stages of life, which can be valuable.
Prioritize Your Values
As you think through your first job out of college, it can be helpful to reflect on the faith-based principles you'd like to see modeled by the company you work for. While some businesses, such as Hobby Lobby, Herman Miller, In-N-Out Burger, and Chick-fil-A, take a stronger Christian stance, many corporations do not lead with faith as core to their practices. That doesn't mean you won't find alignment with values a company may prioritize, like honesty, integrity, compassion, and more. Make sure the companies you're considering working for align with the values you consider to be non-negotiable.
Consider an Internship
Part of what makes college so pivotal are the times when you get out of the classroom and into the world. An internship is often the first significant step in your career. That's because internships for college students can lead to important insights into your career path while helping you develop servant leadership skills and equipping you with real-world knowledge. They can also help you get your foot in the door at a company!
Dallas Baptist University has relationships with many local companies and facilitates a wide range of Dallas internship opportunities for students.
The DBU Handshake system has thousands of internship opportunities for any course of study, including all things business.
So Why Study Business?
Beyond the practical reason of getting a job after graduation, students who have been gifted by God with the skills, abilities, and interests in business should prepare themselves for this calling by pursuing a course of study in business. Business not only benefits society but also opens doors for the spread of the Gospel.
God calls followers of Jesus to carry out the sacred work of starting, managing, and running businesses with creativity and excellence in all they do, blessing stakeholders as they do so.
