Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Senior manager of business operations job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected senior manager of business operations job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 189,200 new jobs for senior managers of business operations are projected over the next decade.
Senior manager of business operations salaries have increased 4% for senior managers of business operations in the last 5 years.
There are over 33,892 senior managers of business operations currently employed in the United States.
There are 259,214 active senior manager of business operations job openings in the US.
The average senior manager of business operations salary is $122,562.
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33,892 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 26,654 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 27,254 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 25,999 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 25,118 | 0.01% |
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $122,562 | $58.92 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $119,168 | $57.29 | --0.1% |
| 2023 | $119,345 | $57.38 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $118,730 | $57.08 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $117,430 | $56.46 | +1.6% |
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 446 | 64% |
| 2 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 1,148 | 37% |
| 3 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 658 | 34% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 346 | 33% |
| 5 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 286 | 33% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 242 | 33% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 932 | 30% |
| 8 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 876 | 30% |
| 9 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,798 | 27% |
| 10 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,625 | 27% |
| 11 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 812 | 27% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,363 | 26% |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,478 | 26% |
| 14 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 348 | 26% |
| 15 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,704 | 25% |
| 16 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,790 | 24% |
| 17 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 1,069 | 24% |
| 18 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,638 | 23% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,309 | 23% |
| 20 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 653 | 22% |
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coral Gables | 2 | 4% | $90,466 |
| 2 | Littleton | 1 | 2% | $129,778 |
| 3 | Boca Raton | 1 | 1% | $90,910 |
| 4 | Lansing | 1 | 1% | $103,197 |
| 5 | Mountain View | 1 | 1% | $162,750 |
| 6 | Santa Clara | 1 | 1% | $162,586 |
| 7 | Tallahassee | 1 | 1% | $92,109 |
| 8 | Atlanta | 2 | 0% | $97,051 |
| 9 | Denver | 2 | 0% | $129,735 |
| 10 | Sacramento | 2 | 0% | $162,856 |
| 11 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $145,762 |
| 12 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $126,817 |
| 13 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $122,866 |
| 14 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $149,672 |
| 15 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $90,507 |
| 16 | San Francisco | 1 | 0% | $163,578 |
| 17 | Tampa | 1 | 0% | $91,786 |
| 18 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $182,955 |
Susquehanna University
Murray State University

SUNY Plattsburgh
University Of Puget Sound
Catawba College

Pennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny

Landmark College

Northwestern Michigan College

University of West Georgia
Tiffin University

Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Montgomery College
Creighton University

Pepperdine University, Seaver College

Sam Houston State University

Houston Baptist University

Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College - City University of New York

Farmingdale State College
Susquehanna University
Business Administration, Management And Operations
Lauren Smith: Lauren Smith advises graduates to actively engage in a dual pursuit of entrepreneurship and traditional corporate roles, emphasizing the importance of gaining diverse experiences.
Lauren Smith: Lauren Smith suggests that maximizing salary potential at the start of a career can be achieved by acquiring experience in different facets of business, such as entrepreneurship, corporate roles, and operational management.
Lauren Smith: Lauren Smith highlights the significance of skills in organizational management, operations, training development, and marketing, providing a well-rounded perspective on corporate dynamics.
Murray State University
Educational Administration And Supervision
Dr. Ben Littlepage: I believe skills associated with organizational systems (e.g. procedures, processes) and hybridized management are essential for the field. Organizations (e.g. schools, institutions) will continue to be lean for a variety of reasons. The ability to achieve results by refining systems and maximizing resources cannot be understated. Hybrid work schedules and communication are not leaving education. Leaders that embrace hybridized technologies for assessment, employee satisfaction and development, and content delivery will remain competitive in the face of a private market looking to capitalize on laggard leaders.
Dr. Ben Littlepage: I recommend new graduates pursue opportunities that offer a tangible skill or experience. Be the 'yes' person in the office, even if there is not a monetary reward. You will eventually leverage those opportunities for a gain.
Dr. Ben Littlepage: Salary is maximized when leaders are sought after. Leaders who pursue meaningful experiences and remain 'market ready' are viewed as an asset to any organization. Leaders must carefully consider where the field is moving and respond.
Dr. Kim Roberts: Business-related occupations offer attractive salaries and offer a variety of disciplines, such as accounting, contract management, cybersecurity, finance, human resources, logistics, marketing, management, operations, sales, and more. However, business careers are often demanding, requiring long work weeks and travel.
Skills
leadership
communication
innovation
adaptation
critical thinking
problem solving
emotional intelligence
empathy
teamwork
cultural competence
conflict management
ethics and social responsibility
Dr. Kim Roberts: Business professionals lead organizations by focused efforts that revolve around products/services, processes, and people. Business professionals work to ensure the firm's products and/or services meet customer expectations, with an eye toward an ever-changing market. They manage processes that produce or support the firm's products. This requires the ability to analyze data to make informed decisions, to drive continuous improvement, and to solve problems through critical thinking. Successful business professionals must also create climates that promote teamwork and foster collaboration.
Dr. Kim Roberts: Now is a good time to enter business professions because of the projected growth of employment opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Overall employment in business and financial occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032." Furthermore, the growth of online learning and online degrees means a full-time job and family commitments are not roadblocks to earning a business degree.

SUNY Plattsburgh
Marketing and Entrepreneurship Department
Dr. Laurent Josien: Excel is an important skill to have. Having a certification is a big plus to have on your resume. Not a skill, but having some internship experience is also a high-value item on your resume.
Dr. Laurent Josien: The ability to interact with people is the most important skill a manager needs to have.
Dr. Laurent Josien: Software and/or coding skill is very valuable; Bloomberg Terminal Certification and the ability to use/understand software like Tableau or DOMO for business visualization/analytics will put you ahead of many applicants and get you higher-paid positions.
University Of Puget Sound
School of Business and Leadership
Andreas Udbye Ph.D.: In my main fields of expertise, supply chain management, and international business, it never hurts to point to accomplishments, successes, projects completed and targets achieved. My general experience, however, is that resumes must contain information on your hard and technical skills just to make it through the first cut and get the interview, and then your softer skills and personality can be brought to life during the actual interview. Most hiring managers tend to hire or recommend people based on whether they like their attitudes and see a good fit. In interview situations, it is often productive to bring up hobbies and activities that you are passionate about if you get a chance.
Andreas Udbye Ph.D.: Collaboration and teamwork skills are crucial, as well as the ability to focus and meet deadlines. Although it is nice to mention that you are a good multi-tasker, most people are these days, and employers seem to like people who can stay the course and complete tasks on time and with high quality. Tenacity and accuracy are other attractive attributes.
Andreas Udbye Ph.D.: Job listings in supply chain management will typically list more technical skills than what can realistically be possessed by one person (SQL, Python, ERP, project management, etc.), but at a minimum, an applicant needs strong spreadsheet skills and at least some exposure to database management.
Catawba College
Theatre Arts
Dr. Elizabeth Homan Ph.D.: Networking, networking, networking. And being a nice, friendly, honest human being. Flexibility and a level head in the face of persistent change. Resilience and an ability to work with the conditions in which you find yourself. Working with what you have, not what you wish you had.
Dr. Elizabeth Homan Ph.D.: Organization, written and oral communication, adeptness at social media. Ability to use and manipulate data.
Dr. Elizabeth Homan Ph.D.: Being someone others want to work with again and again. The industry is small, and your reputation will either sink you or get you lots of work.

Pennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny
Business Department
Bernie Cerasaro: Skills employers would be looking for would be functional skills and interpersonal skills. Functional skills should stand out on a resume and be aligned to the business job in question. For example, if focused on marketing positions, marketing skills such as data analytics, market research, consumer behavior, global marketing, and professional selling skills would be areas for which employers would be looking. If the job market is looking for someone in accounting, then functional skills that would stand out would be intermediate financial accounting skills and courses on taxation and auditing. For those seeking positions in project management or supply chain management, skills that would stand out would encompass subject matter such as project management, portfolio management, operations planning and control, purchasing and materials management, and knowledge of ERP type systems and other business processes.
Skill sets can be enhanced via various types of certification. For example, those interested in accounting might pursue a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) license, which requires 150 credits. As most universities require 120 credits for a bachelor's degree in business, a CPA would require just an additional 30 credits, which students can start accumulating while still at college. Project management certification is also an opportunity to enhance the aforementioned skills and would certainly stand out on an applicant's resume. The Project Management Institute (PMI) promotes PMP certification, which validates that you are highly skilled in soft skills to lead project teams and have the required technical aspects of managing projects. Some universities are working with the PMI to have PMI-approved courses. Approved courses are used toward the PMP training hours required to sit for the exam. For example, Penn State University has received approval for two such courses, Portfolio Management and Organizations and Project Planning and Resource Management.
Due to the high rate of interaction with the global marketplace and the complexity of international business, managers are looking more closely at applicants who have some familiarity with global markets and international culture, such as applicants who may have study abroad experience, traveled internationally, speak a foreign language or have lived or worked in another country.
Bernie Cerasaro: Soft skills or conceptual skills are critical in today's business world. Lack of such interpersonal skills is a major reason highly qualified professionals are not promoted (Lee, n.d.)
As a former recruiter for Xerox Corporation, I looked for problem-solving, decision-making, and time management skills. Problem-solving supports creativity allowing workers to evaluate and prioritize options to determine the best solution. Much time and money can be wasted in selecting the wrong option.
Proper decision-making allows companies to quickly react to internal problems, customer concerns, changing market trends, and the use of ever-advancing technology in the workplace. The increased use of empowerment in the workplace, which has been enhanced due to the pandemic, has allowed employees to make more decisions, which requires strong decision-making capability. In addition, the pandemic has caused many businesses to use alternate work structures such as working from home, leading to less direct supervision. Consequently, employers are looking for people who are self-motivated, self-directed, and who employ good time management skills.
Teamwork is one of the most commonly required skills in the work environment. The ability to work together is essential. Due to downsizing, there are fewer managers within companies. Since few individuals possess all the knowledge and skills needed, teamwork has become essential. Getting along and working together to achieve objectives and meet deliverables is critical to project completion. Managers are also looking to teams to provide a greater range of ideas and innovation. Teams can also motivate each other for the timely completion of tasks.
Conflict management enhances decision-making abilities and increases creativity which produces innovative solutions for ongoing problems. The ability to handle conflict productively helps solve problems resulting in demoralization, absenteeism, and turnover. Productive resolution of such problems leads to increased trust and increased employee involvement.
For those aspiring to management positions, leadership is key. Leaders need to promote the company's mission and vision among their subordinates. They need to influence employees to achieve goals by motivating them, resulting in a higher level of performance. This type of leadership is paramount in today's marketplace for company advancement, expansion, and survival.
Other important soft skills include verbal and written communication, persuasive skills, negotiation, and listening skills. Communication is vital to company performance. The ability of company personnel to communicate clearly, succinctly, and accurately will increase productivity. Good communication requires being observant of both verbal and nonverbal signals.
Persuasion and negotiation, two other soft skills, require good listening skills. In today's work environment, employees are no longer subject to a hierarchical structure, a structure of non-questioning of their manager's requests. This requires managers to be more persuasive. Negotiation is practiced by all of us on a day-to-day basis, and more so in business. Strong negotiation skills are essential internally (managers and employees) and externally (sales negotiations, contract negotiations, etc.).
We often forget the skill of listening, as most of us prefer to talk rather than listen. However, it is essential to understand what your company and customers want. This is not just "hearing" but actually practicing listening skills by asking questions, confirming content heard, and providing feedback. Listening requires effort; it requires concentration and attention to what is being said.
Bernie Cerasaro: Most technical skills required in today's marketplace are associated with task requirements in specific functional areas. However, some skillsets can be considered general, such as using Word, Excel, or Zoom. Technical skills relevant to social media are also critical. The ability to construct a web page and post on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is essential. For [CBC1] functional areas, examples of needed technical expertise would be Microsoft Project for project management and SAP for supply chain management.
Bernie Cerasaro: Some of the same skills as indicated above are important as the person works their way up the ranks and increases their salary. Prominent skills include strong leadership, superior performance, handling conflict, and creating a trusting and productive work environment.
The choice of a functional area can also impact one's earnings depending upon the market's needs. Areas such as corporate accounting and finance, project management, supply chain management, and entrepreneurship can command higher earnings due to a higher demand for such individuals in the marketplace. However, the higher salaries for some of these positions might require a master's degree.
As a concluding note, even though we are amid a pandemic, which has resulted in certain industries/companies being unable to find sufficient employees, this does not imply that this will be the situation for all industries or that the graduate can relax as to developing a strong skill-oriented resume. Graduates still need to focus on functional, technical, and soft skills in order to design impactful resumes that clearly indicate their strongest skills and experience.

Dr. Jeanette Landin: Skills that stand out on contemporary business manager resumes are soft skills. Business managers indeed need insight and knowledge about the business and hard skills, including financial and other technical skills. What stands out on contemporary, successful business manager resumes are their soft skills. Interpersonal skills are atop the list because business is all about people working with other people to achieve a common goal: The business's mission. The people skills of communication, collaboration, and delegation are a vital part of the manager's ability to influence colleagues, delegate work, and achieve the company's mission.
Dr. Jeanette Landin: The most important soft skills have a common denominator: Communication. Communicating effectively across various media and with widely varying personalities is the key to being an effective business manager. Another critical soft skill is time and information management. The amount of information business managers process on an everyday basis has grown at an increasing rate during the last couple of decades. Business managers must manage multiple priorities, meetings, written and verbal communications, and social media efficiently. Therefore, handling multiple commitments and massive amounts of information is another essential soft skill.
Dr. Jeanette Landin: The most important hard skill is using current technology and the aptitude to learn innovative technology. Old-world technologies such as office technology skills are an absolute minimum for business managers. A business manager must be willing to learn and adapt to emerging electronic communication media to reach organizational goals. Managers can learn other hard or technical skills as needed to accomplish the company's objectives if the manager possesses the aptitude and disposition to be effective.
Dr. Jeanette Landin: The skill that will help you earn the most is inspiring other people to increase company productivity and high employee morale. An engaged and productive employee is the most important product of an effective manager. Managers who possess the ability to inspire colleagues and drive company objectives are invaluable.

Northwestern Michigan College
Business Academic Area Faculty
Kristy Berak McDonald: I asked a local HR expert for this question- Jennifer Ewing. She told me, "Ability to lead and motivate, financial acumen and a strategic thinker."
I would add that experiential learning (internships, work/study, relevant class projects) any real-world application of business skills stands out!
Kristy Berak McDonald: This is what I teach, so I love this question. Soft skills are the hard skills to teach because they really should be taught from a young age, and many times the student has never heard of soft skills. I think all soft skills are the most important, but in terms of being a business student, Dependability, life-long learner, strong communicator, attention to detail, adaptability, and empathy are my top priority.
Kristy Berak McDonald: All students should have strong computer skills, accounting basics, and marketing knowledge.
Kristy Berak McDonald: As the soft skills instructor, I believe you can teach skills, but you hire for effective human relations. Technical skills are not enough - interpersonal skills have to be strong. This means the student has been taught personal qualities like treating others with respect, making the right ethical decisions, emotional control, and the ability to work as a team. It also means that the student show thinking skills like creative problem solving, critical listening, and making effective decisions.

University of West Georgia
Department of Management in the Richards College of Business
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.: Given the recent pandemic, many employers are looking for employees who can easily adjust to changing conditions and adapt to working online if necessary. Thus, resumes that demonstrate a candidate is flexible, creative, and self-disciplined are going to be attractive. Additionally, the extent to which a candidate can show excellent time-management skills will likely create more opportunities in the job market.
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.: Soft skills are critical as many workers continue to work from home or at least work more of a hybrid schedule. The ability to work effectively with other individuals, sometimes from a distance, has never been more critical. Those individuals who exhibit excellent communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills will likely be in high demand.
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.: With the recent pandemic and the growing reliance on technology to perform many jobs, individuals have been forced to quickly develop or strengthen their technical skills. And these technical skills are in high demand by employers. Individuals with knowledge and experience with enterprise systems, Microsoft Office applications, and popular programming languages will have a significant advantage.
Thomas Gainey Ph.D.: With such a growing reliance on technology and data analytics, skills related to these areas will likely command higher salaries. Individuals with training in areas such as software engineering, digital marketing, web design, and quantitative analysis should find well-paid opportunities in the job market.
Tiffin University
School of Business
Dr. Bonnie Tiell: Experience and proven record of accomplishments, achievements, and added value to an organization (e.g., demonstration of increasing market shares, sales quotas, membership acquisition, etc.).
Dr. Bonnie Tiell: Interpersonal skills (communication), character development, effective decision making.
Dr. Bonnie Tiell: Direct occupational knowledge: Negotiating and understanding contracts | agreements, staff management, informational technology, budget, and financial reporting.
Dr. Bonnie Tiell: Skills helping managers earn the most are those that impact the bottom line - it depends on the organization's needs, but those that can produce or increase revenue will earn more --- sales!

Brandeis University
International Business School
Hagit Weihs Ph.D.: Students who gained experience in summer or part-time internships doing business analysis, financial analysis, data analytics, and business development tend to stand out. Students who served as either teaching assistants or research assistants also have an advantage. In addition, working on a school team and field projects on real companies provides students with both experience and networking opportunities that the market values.
Hagit Weihs Ph.D.: Good communication skills are crucial: being able to listen, learn and apply, as well as communicate questions, concerns, and suggestions in an effective, direct, and timely manner. Time management skills are highly valued. They translate into an efficient and reliable employee. Team spirit is a big advantage: the ability to take the initiative to lead an effort and contribute while working well in a team. And, of course, the willingness to learn independently is always appreciated. Finally, showing critical thinking is important.
Hagit Weihs Ph.D.: Employers appreciate accounting, finance, and marketing literacy. These include a deep understanding of the different business disciplines (good financial statement analysis skills, understanding how budgets are created and followed, understanding financial markets, marketing, etc.). Application of these skills using data analytics tools are very important - these include data manipulation and presentation for the purpose of decision making using various software tools.
Hagit Weihs Ph.D.: Students who specialize in a certain discipline will earn a higher initial salary. Examples are accounting or finance, marketing, real estate - having a deeper understanding of the discipline and internship and/or field project experience in that discipline. Networking, drive, and creativity, as well as the willingness to continue to learn and grow, will all continue to increase salary down the road.
Brandeis University
Brandeis International Business School
Aldo Musacchio Ph.D.: I think experiences or experiential learning in which they worked in teams with real companies using the hard skills that the market values. Summer internships doing data analytics or business development at a startup stand out. But also working on field projects at your school with a company in which you can display that you used your data analytics or digital marketing skills goes far.
Aldo Musacchio Ph.D.: When we talk to employers, they usually tell you they want students who know how to listen and drive. They want someone who is going to be happy to be in the company, who is going to participate actively in meetings and teams, and who is going to be good at listening and the following guidance.
Aldo Musacchio Ph.D.: Lately, employers appreciate software skills to manipulate data, like some knowledge of Python or R, and information visualization software like Tableau. Many companies have their databases in SQL format, and having the capacity to work with it is key. Interestingly, digital marketing and social media skills also get a lot of traction as many employers do not know how to keep and manage a presence in social media, especially in Instagram, and may not be as good as students using tools like Google Analytics.
Aldo Musacchio Ph.D.: More specialized knowledge in finance, accounting, and/or real estate with good programming skills will pay the most. The undergrads who get offers closer to $90-$100k spend a couple of years learning, say finance, and who had good internships in the topic. Real estate is also an impressive field at Brandeis. The salaries are good as long as our students have the training to do financial modeling, use Argos software, etc.
Montgomery College
Department of Performing Arts
R. Scott Hengen: Our technology will be advancing into a more wireless and digital environment. Components and accessories will be smaller, lighter, less hard-wired, and more remotely accessed, portable, and digital.
R. Scott Hengen: Your studies and time in school are a good base and support for your production in the industry. As you begin, please consider that you will still be learning and, even though you have learned the essentials, you will be asked to apply your skills and experience in new ways and in a more competitive and practical atmosphere. Deadlines must be met, and the economy of time and effort will be crucial. Work hard, but try to keep a balance between time in the industry and your home life.
R. Scott Hengen: Yes. The virus has prompted the industry to look at the production process. How the process and performances can economize, and the performative aspects can be translated into a remotely viewed but still lively environment. While creative personnel may not meet in person, they could even collaborate, albeit remotely. While the production can always be artistic, the experience will be streamlined. This translates into an economization in staffing needs and production scale and an update to needs in technology and content.
Moreover, it has caused a reassessment of the performative aspects and the need to find ways for the communal experience to be still present while bridging the confining boundaries of a digital screen. When in-person performances reconvene and at some point, the introspection of this time will echo into a transformed aesthetic, both in production and performance. The theatre-going experience may not be as grand, but it may further reach a broader audience.
This discussion also coincides with a more paramount and possibly more compelling argument of whose voices we will hear as this analysis of performative aspects commences. We are experiencing a forceful re-evaluation of leadership and themes of stories untold and sounds unheard, of behavior unrecognized and impacts undervalued. The next few years will show that the theatre industry will be forever transformed as a representation of the underserved and unheard will gain prominence to the effect of empowering the disenfranchised. Over the next decade, we may find a predominance of the modern perspective or economized re-examination of classic tales in a contemporary light rather than the pure enjoyment of retold classics.
Ravi Nath Ph.D.: I believe, the pandemic will impact how work is performed and how remote work will become common for employees. The graduates will have to adapt to this new paradigm as they will have to learn how to network, coordinate, and acclimate to the culture of the organizations in this environment.
Ravi Nath Ph.D.: Good communication skills, both written and oral, always serve well. Unless a graduate is able to effectively communicate and share their ideas and thoughts with others, their technical skills alone will not be sufficient in having a rewarding professional career.
The ability to successfully adapt to changing environments is also pivotal as the half-life of technology is quickly shrinking.
I will also add "resiliency' to this list of soft skills. Recovering from setbacks and quickly getting back on your feet has become a mantra particularly in the tech fields such as MIS and Data Science.
Ravi Nath Ph.D.: Clearly, having professional licenses/certificates distinguishes a graduate from others in searching and securing a position in the MIS and Analytics fields. Thus, I would highly recommend that students craft a professional portfolio of accomplishments, such as certificates, unique courses taken, class project details, and other extra curricula activities in order for them to stand out. Further, there is no substitute for internship experiences while in college as this proves to a prospective employer that the candidate demonstrates a proven record of real-world experience.

Steven Bauer: The coronavirus has accelerated the transformation to a digital world, and this effect will continue after the pandemic is behind us. Graduates will need to be able to navigate a hybrid business environment, with in-person and virtual meetings, interactions and platforms. There will also be increased opportunities to be entrepreneurial and innovative in the digital area. In addition, graduates will have to become more skilled at navigating a global environment since greater digitization will draw countries closer to each other.
Steven Bauer: The new hybrid world will make leading teams more challenging. This reality will put a premium on interpersonal skills. When the NASA astronaut, Richard Arnold, spoke at Pepperdine in 2019, he mentioned that team building was the single most important ability undergraduates could develop to become a good astronaut. The same holds for graduates wanting to go into business, particularly in the post coronavirus era. As part of their skills in this area, graduates will also need to be able and committed to addressing issues in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Steven Bauer: Business Analytics is becoming increasingly important across all functions in order to be able to identify and capture value. Thus a certification in this area, e.g., in Python, is particularly impactful. As far as courses, students should make sure they gain an exposure to all aspects of the business world, e.g., marketing, management, finance, accounting, strategic planning, law, etc., in order to prepare them for the wide array of challenges they will face.

Sam Houston State University
Department of Management & Marketing
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Good jobs out of college are those that offer structured training, development, and job rotation. While some college students identified their career at age 5 and never veered away, some are still figuring out what they want to do after college. A job opportunity that recognizes the potential of new talent, willing to invest in training and development, and provides opportunities for new employees to experience different job functions enables new graduates to gain a realistic job preview that pays and allows them to identify an opportunity within the company that best aligns with skills and interests. Positions that are for a specific job function but have an apprenticeship model, like a "sales trainee" position, are also great for career stepping stones right out of college.
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Flexible working arrangements were considered a perk or benefit, but given the pandemic more and more jobs will be designed with flexible work arrangements in mind. We will continue to see trends in the labor market with a push towards personal services (e.g. virtual assistants, professional organizers) and professional services. There will also continue to be a demand for knowledge work. More and more, employers are looking to hire applicants that can provide concrete evidence of being "Day 1" ready.
Employers will focus more on identifying prospects with certain "soft skills" which were a nice-to-have pre-pandemic, but are now critical for organizational survival. These skills include: critical thinking, agility, ability to adapt to change, resilience, virtual team effectiveness, crisis management, emotional intelligence, empathy, and inclusive leadership. Additionally, data analysis and interpretation is a highly sought after skill even for jobs that historically did not require analytical ability.
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Any certifications/licenses/courses that specifically relate to the job function, industry, desired skills of a job, or the individuals' desired career trajectory will have a major impact on attracting job prospects. For example, for someone seeking a sales position, courses that target professional selling, CRM, data management and analysis, sales forecasting, strategic management, business communications, social media marketing, leadership and project management would be beneficial.

Houston Baptist University
Accounting, Economics and Finance Department
Michael Kraten Ph.D.: It's easy to over-react and over-worry when one is immersed in a crisis, but graduates will be able to bounce back quickly -- along with the economy -- once we are all vaccinated and living normally again.
Michael Kraten Ph.D.: Good jobs out of college place graduates on career paths to better future jobs. Graduates must train themselves to always think one job ahead, and not to be tempted by minor short-term wage or benefit differences.
Michael Kraten Ph.D.: Short-term skills like data analytics establish college graduates as credible staff professionals. Long-term skills like critical thinking and persuasive communication can place graduates on long-term career paths to senior management.

Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College - City University of New York
Narendra P. Loomba Department of Management
Dr. Mary Kern Ph.D.: - Internships are going to be far fewer in number, and so many new graduates may be have less work experience, making it both more difficult to obtain a strong position and making the initial learning curve much more steep when they do land a job.
- Employers are going to have to navigate the role of remote work going forward much more actively. For example, we have learned that a lot of work can be done from our living rooms, and many find a lot of value in not having to commute in to an office. Being able to work remotely is going to be a prominent issue in employment negotiations going forward. Both employers and employees will need to evaluate the value (vs. costs) of being able to work from home and consider trade-offs in other forms of compensation.
Dr. Mary Kern Ph.D.: - Clearly, the ability to use different forms of communication technology has become key, and as these forms evolve rapidly, employers are look for an ability to adapt, adopt, and teach them to their colleagues.
- Evidence-based management and decision-making are playing a much larger role in organizations, and thus the ability to work with quantitative data to understand situations and to help make decisions is crucial.
Dr. Mary Kern Ph.D.: - Any job where you have an opportunity to learn is a good job. Ideally, I hope to see my students working in organizations that prioritize professional development opportunities and mentoring relationships, as these provide the opportunities and feedback critical for growth.

Farmingdale State College
Department of Economics
Xu Zhang Ph.D.: There are a few trends in the current job maket.
- Slow recovery. Based on the December job market reports released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market slowly recovered since April, but about 44% of the prepandemic jobs have not been gained back. Between March and April, about 22.16 million jobs were lost. The U.S. labor market started to revive in May, and since then until December the market experienced 23.32 million job gains, roughly 56% of pre-pandemic level. The unemployment rate decreased gradually from April (14.8%) to December (6.7%), but still almost twice its pre-pandemic level in February (3.5%). Additionally, although the number of unemployed persons dropped from 23.11million in April to 10.74 million in December 2020, there is still a huge gap compared to 5.72 million in February.
- Uneven impacts by industries. While overall economy was hard hit by the pandemic, the job losses disproportionally impacted industry sectors. Service industries such as educational service, elective healthcare, arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services, have been hurt the most due to social distancing. Other job losses in retail service sector were related to a boom on online shopping. In addition, teenagers experienced record high unemployment rate which is associated with lack of experiences and working in hard-hit service industries.
- More employers embracing remote work. The perception of remote work has totally changed during the pandemic. After experiencing sudden changes to remote work and managing the obstacles working at home, more and more workers and employers embrace remote work, which would expand the layouts of job hunting and talent search to larger geographic areas.
Xu Zhang Ph.D.: I believe the most important attributes employers seek on a resume remain the same-problem solving skills, team work skills, analytical/quantitative skills, verbal and written communication skills. However, given the pandemic or any other unexpected shock to work environment, how to quickly and efficiently adapt to new work modes can be a very valuable attribute standing out on resume.
Xu Zhang Ph.D.: The Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics program at Farmingdale State College is a
comprehensive course of study that prepares students to be real-life problem solvers so that upon
graduation students are ready to be employed in entry and junior-level positions in business and
industry, the public sector, and non-profit sector. The program features hands-on training in data
analytical techniques and culminates with a capstone course sequence of Economics Research
and Reporting followed by Applied Economic Analysis/Senior Project. While employment
losses also occurred in professional and business services and public sectors, the prospect of job
opportunities related to data analysis remains strong. Therefore, major metro-areas such as New
York are still considered good places for graduates to find work opportunities. Given the
embracing of remote work, graduates can also consider secondary metro-areas where businesses
and financial activities are reviving when the Covid-19 pandemic resolves.