General Manager jobs

When the typical person in the United States hears the word "general manager," they may immediately think of it in relation to professional sports. In the sport of football, for instance, the general manager of a club is accountable for all financial dealings, as well as business strategy, staff assignments, and player contracts. In this capacity, general managers often draw the ire of armchair commentators located all over the country.

In the corporate sector, there is less public scrutiny over the hiring and firing of individual personnel, but the obligations of a general manager are, for the most part, the same. Within an organization, the day-to-day operations of a certain department fall under the purview of a general manager (GM). And it is their responsibility to mold that group into an effective and cohesive unit that is able to achieve the operational goals that have been set. It goes without saying that the objective is not to win the Super Bowl, but there are times when the stakes are just as high: the choice that a general manager makes may have repercussions that amount to millions of dollars.

General managers may take on a wide variety of responsibilities, the most of which are determined by the specific organization and division that they are in charge of serving. For instance, a general manager at a technology business could have experience in information technology and work as a product manager, but a general manager at a manufacturing company would be an expert in supply chain logistics. The majority of the time, general managers are in charge of lower-level managers and report upward to senior executives. This demands not only an in-depth knowledge of the functions performed by a particular department but also a strong aptitude for inspiring and directing the work of huge groups of people.

However, the benefits certainly outweigh the drawbacks: the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the United States reports that the typical annual pay of a general manager is more than $125,000. (BLS May 2020). Companies in the financial sector as well as those in the food and beverage industry are among the most significant employers of general and operations managers, with a total workforce of about 2.5 million people (BLS May 2020).

The general manager of a business department and the general manager of a sports club have many similarities. The ability to pay close attention to detail, together with a competitive attitude and a tolerance for taking risks, are all requirements for this position. Continue reading for a detailed walkthrough of the steps involved in entering the area of general management if you feel you are prepared to do so.

A Directional Outline on How to Achieve General Manager Status

Earning a Bachelor's Degree Is the First Step (Four Years)

Aspiring general managers are required to get a bachelor's degree upon completion of their high school education. Even while one may choose to major in any field linked to business (such as economics, finance, or marketing, for example), the route that is most likely to lead to success is to concentrate on business administration or management. A competitive high school grade point average (at least 3.0), letters of reference, scores on the SAT or ACT, and a personal statement are often required for admission to a university or college. The prerequisites for admission to a school might differ from one institution to another.

A bachelor of science (BS) in management may be earned fully online via Arizona State University's online learning platform. Topics such as the principles of the global economy, e-business, human resources, and collaborative teams are included in the core curriculum. In addition, some of the highlighted courses include topics including organizational behavior, cross-cultural management, leading companies, as well as organization and management leadership. Both residents and non-residents pay the same price of $688 per credit to participate in this 120-credit program.

Students who enroll in the on-campus bachelor of science in business administration (BSBA) program offered by the Questrom School of Business at Boston University begin their studies with an introduction to management concepts on day one of their freshman year. The dynamics of managing companies, modeling business choices and market consequences, management communications, and operations management are some of the key courses.

Students have the opportunity to select a functional concentration from one of eleven different options, including accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, general management, international management, law, management information systems, marketing, operations and technology management, organizational behavior, and strategy and innovation. The average annual cost of tuition for this four-year program is around $58,560.

The second step is to get some early work experience (Optional, Timeline Varies)

After receiving their bachelor's degrees, many individuals who want to work in general management look for entry-level employment. Entry-level jobs can prove to be an invaluable experience, even though some people would rather skip straight to getting their MBA (see step three below), as they offer the opportunity to learn on the job while also shaping the direction of one's career towards a particular subset of business, such as human resources, information technology, or finance.

Before being promoted to the role of general manager, an aspiring general manager will almost always be required to have experience in positions of lesser responsibility first. Beginning early, on the other hand, may help one's application to graduate school as well as their résumé for future work opportunities. Early job experience is an advantageous investment since some businesses may even finance a part of their employee's graduate tuition, making it a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Step Three: Obtain an MBA Degree (One to Three Years)

An aspiring general manager who already has a bachelor's degree will find that acquiring a master's degree in business administration is quite helpful in advancing their career. The Master of Business Administration is useful for nearly any business-related job, but it is especially beneficial for those who want to become general managers. Students in Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs will hone their business acumen, expand their professional networks, and master the management abilities that transform a role-player into a leader.

A competitive undergraduate GPA (at least 3.0), letters of recommendation, GRE and/or GMAT scores, a personal statement, and work experience are generally required for admission to MBA programs. However, the admissions requirements for MBA programs will vary from school to school and will typically include some combination of the following.

The D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University provides a fully accredited online Master of Business Administration degree that is equivalent to the on-campus version in terms of academic quality, but comes with the additional benefit of more scheduling flexibility. Classes in management are a required part of the core curriculum. These classes cover a variety of management-related topics, including operations and supply chain management, managing people and organizations, managing the global enterprise, managing information resources, and managing ethics in the workplace and marketplace.

Students have the option of following a generalist curriculum or adding a focus in one of the following areas: finance, healthcare management, high technology management, innovation entrepreneurship, international management, marketing, supply chain management, or sustainability. The 50-credit curriculum has an estimated cost of $1,600 per credit and may be finished in two years' time or longer if necessary.

The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School offers a versatile MBA program that students have the option of completing either online, on campus, or in a hybrid mode. Classes such as business communications, negotiation, business analytics, business leadership and human values, economics for decision making, and operations management are included in the curriculum for the business foundation section of the program.

Students enrolled in an online education program have the option of further specializing their study by selecting one of the following four concentrations: marketing, healthcare management, leading companies, or financial firms. On-campus students have access to all of the aforementioned concentration choices, in addition to three more, including real estate and infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and multidisciplinary business. It will take around 32 months to finish the program, which has a total of 54 credits, a price of $1,370 each credit, and a credit cost of $1,370.

The online Master of Business Administration program at Southern New Hampshire University consists of thirty credits and seventeen areas of concentration, one of which is sport management. This program's curriculum includes classes on topics such as sport and society, the globalization of sport business, and administration of sport organizations. Applicants have the option of transferring up to six credits and may begin their studies on any of several dates. The GRE and GMAT are not needed for entrance into this program.

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs has given its stamp of approval to SNHU's online MBA program, which underwent a curriculum overhaul in the year 2021. (ACBSP). Students also have access to a variety of support services, including academic advice and private online learning groups. This course can be finished in a little over a year and will set you back roughly $627 per credit.

MBA programs are available both on-campus and online via the Kania School of Management at the University of Scranton. There are a total of eight distinct areas of concentration available, three of which are in management. The supply chain management, production planning and control, project management, and quality management are the primary focuses of the courses that make up the operations management concentration. This program has been granted accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

The number of students allowed in each MBA class at the University of Scranton is regulated at twenty, making it one of the twenty-seven Jesuit schools and institutions in the United States. The students in this program collaborate with the members of the MBA faculty as well as their classmates to build a solid network of cohorts that will assist them in making the transition from academic to professional life. The cost of tuition for each credit in this program is $965.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program that is offered online by the University of Saint Mary includes human resource management as one of its six areas of specialization. This focus involves a total of 33 credit hours, consisting of eight required classes as well as three electives chosen from the following areas: organizational change and development; training and development; and conflict management and negotiation. This course may be finished in either a full or part-time capacity, and it has received accreditation from the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

Graduates who have completed this focus for their MBA are prepared to take measured risks and are well-positioned for positions in human resource management. MBA graduates who have also received training in human resources are ready to lead teams and assist firms in navigating tricky circumstances since they have studied business and ethics, conflict management, and negotiating. The total cost of tuition for this program is $20,065 each semester.

Consideration should be given to professional certification in the fourth step (Optional, Timeline Varies)

The pursuit of professional certification is something that a lot of general managers do, even if it's not required. By exhibiting a dedication to and an awareness of the industry's best practices, a general manager may differentiate themselves from the more educated competition and stand out from the pack. And since maintaining one's certification sometimes requires the completion of continuing education units, credentialed general managers are frequently required to do so, which increases the likelihood that they are current on developments in their field.

The Certified Manager (CM) certification is a strong credential that is offered by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM), which provides the certification. A weighted point system that takes into account both education and job experience is used to determine eligibility. Although there is considerable leeway for interpretation within that framework, in most cases a bachelor's degree and four years of relevant managerial experience are all that is required. Applicants are need to pass three distinct multiple-choice examinations before they can be considered eligible: one on management basics, one on planning and organizing, and one on leading and managing.

On the ICPM website, you may get a comprehensive outline of the subject matter included in each exam. The candidates are allowed two hours to finish each exam, which consists of a total of one hundred questions. The combined costs of the application and the test come to $555. Those who already possess the CM designation will be required to recertify every three years by completing 45 professional development units (PDUs) that have a management or leadership-related emphasis.