Page 112 - Introduction to Business

86 PART 1 The Nature of Contemporary Business

banks, or the service sector (e.g., teaching, translation or interpretation, tourism
and hospitality, etc.). Next, government agencies offer challenging opportunities in
such fields as foreign service (foreign policy, economics and commerce, develop-
ment, research, and translation), intelligence, and teaching. Finally, international
organizations offer a host of opportunities, especially for extremely well qualified
graduates. Most large corporations do not assign employees who are freshly gradu-
ated to their international or overseas division until they have a comprehensive
understanding of the business. They must also prove themselves in domestic
assignments and come to understand the global nature of the business. It is there-
fore important for business majors to have some functional expertise and also take
courses in international business and culture. Most international organizations, like
the United Nations, the IMF, the WTO, and the World Bank, however, require employ-
ees to have advanced degrees in international business or economics.
The Internet is an excellent source for identifying opportunities in international
business. A google.com search of “international business careers” will provide you
with a wealth of information. Some of the information indicated here can be found
in International Business Careers (www.sc.maricopa.edu/ibs/internat.htm),
Careers in International Business (www.ibes.utoledo.edu/careers.htm), and the
Career Center of the University of California at Berkeley (career.berkeley.edu/
Icareers/Icareers.stm. An undergraduate with a strong interest in international
business could find the following entry-level positions interesting:

Careers with Small- or Medium-Sized Firms. Following are opportuni-
ties with companies in the export-import business, transportation and insurance,
travel agencies, and so on. Their duties and responsibilities could include
Researching and evaluating overseas customers and distributors
Preparing invoices, contracts, letters of credit, and shipping and customs
documents
Maintaining customer relations and service
Searching for the most attractive fares for international travel and providing
visa service
Traveling abroad at times to meet with customers or clients

Careers with Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). The best way to iden-
tify job opportunities with MNEs is to first identify those companies that generate
a sizeable portion of their revenue from international operations. An entry-level job
will invariably start with a domestic assignment before the employee works her or
his way to the international division of the firm. A career in international business
could start in any functional area mentioned before, such as accounting, auditing,
taxes, financial analysis, investment analysis, banking, corporate finance, human
resource management, planning, product management, sales, advertising, retail-
ing, foreign exchange trading, international cash management, or trade finance.

Careers with the Government. Unlike jobs with MNEs, entry-level interna-
tional business positions are readily found with government agencies. Some posi-
tions, like those with the U.S. Foreign Service, require potential employees to pass
an examination like the Foreign Service Examination. Other positions, like those
with the U.S. Department of Commerce or Treasury, will require an undergraduate
business degree with a strong aptitude for international business along with inter-
national cultural sensitivity. A useful link is FedWorld, which lists overseas job
opportunities with the U.S. government.

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