Insights Behind the Data of the Michigan Ross BBA Employment Report

Last fall, we published the annual Bachelor of Business Administration employment report, which summarizes the career paths and earning packages of recent Ross School of Business graduates. The employment report tells an incredible story: BBAs earned record-high salaries, pursued their unique interests in a diverse mix of functions and industries, and leveraged summer internships with nearly 400 companies to land great full-time positions upon graduation.

If you’re reading this, I’m going to assume that you’re sitting with some pretty big questions. Questions about your future and how your decisions might impact the first few steps of your career journey.

“What do BBA students do after they graduate?”

“How did they figure out what they wanted to do?”

“How do I know which path is right for me?” 

Analyzing employment data is a critical step as you make an informed decision about your future. But the categories in an employment report (e.g. accounting, finance, marketing, etc.) don’t always tell the whole story.

There is so much more to a business student’s career journey than what could ever be communicated in simple, neat categories.

Three career insights behind the data

The full story of an employment report really starts to come alive when we look at what’s happening behind the numbers. It’s that part of the story that older students and graduates often say made a difference in how confident they feel about navigating their career development journeys.

Those insights have sparked new ideas, released students’ long-held pressures to have it all figured out, opened up possibilities never before imagined, and inspired them to try new things that led them toward the career paths that truly fit them.

#1: Career possibilities open up with the power of “What + Where + Who”

You’ll see employment data organized in categories of functions, industries, and companies. But what do these terms actually mean and how do they fit together? 
 

• Function = similar types of roles or sets of tasks one performs in an organization (what)
• Industry = the type of product or service that an organization provides (where)
• Organization/Company = organized group of people with a particular purpose (who)

Thinking about “what + where + who” is the secret that can shift our career journeys from the pressure cooker of, “There’s a perfect career for me, and over the next few years, I must find it!” to a space of curiosity and exploration where we ask, “What type of tasks do I enjoy most? In what settings might I want to do that work? In what environments (where) do I feel most comfortable? Who are the people I want to surround myself with?”

Use employment report data as a starting point, but be mindful that it’s not a single-choice menu. Use it as a tool to get a sense of what’s available, but remember that your path will be unique to you. Consider how your strengths and curiosities could show up in the what, where, and who.

#2: It’s a career journey with a long game and a short game

With careers spanning 40+ years, you will have many jobs. And the odds are pretty good that you’ll make a few career pivots, too. 

Where you start your journey will not lock you into one function, industry, or company forever. As you play “the long game,” you will have opportunities to explore, try new things, learn, grow, and evolve. 

The jobs you hold throughout your career will not be endpoints, but rather stepping stones. You may find that patterns emerge. Or you might explore a range of interests and curiosities to curate a resume of incredibly diverse experiences. For now, follow your strengths, interests, and priorities to ask, “What’s the next best step… for me… right now?”

#3: Embrace the messy middle

Employment data reports can suggest a linear path. Input = become a BBA. Output = accept a job. And that feels good! We’re human. We crave structure, order, and a clearly defined path forward. But, career journeys are anything but linear and employment reports don’t tell us about the messy middle. 

They don’t show us the stories about the interests explored only to find out the thing you thought you would love is actually boring to you. Nor do they highlight the curiosity pursued on a whim only to be introduced to a completely new opportunity that excites you.

The messy middle of our career journeys can be one of the most thrilling and rewarding experiences if we lean into the ambiguity, seek the support of those we trust, and let go of the pressures to be perfect or to have “the right” answer before taking action. It takes courage to embrace the messy middle and to make choices based on what makes us unique rather than social pressures or preconceptions. 

Lifelong career search skills with the Ross CDO

The Ross CDO and its team of dedicated career coaches and employer relations staff will be your guide as you explore career options, develop foundational career skills, engage in and prepare for recruiting, and find your career fit beyond Ross.

Through your coursework, you’ll learn how to create clarity from chaos, make informed decisions in the face of ambiguity, and think critically to solve complex problems - skills that will serve you incredibly well as you successfully navigate your career.

As you begin your Ross experience, remember the stories behind the employment data - stories of young business professionals just like you who started with ambition, curiosity, an employment report, and a whole bunch of questions. Those Ross alumni are out there and they are ready to share their career stories with you.

Cheers to you, the adventures that await, and the possibilities as you begin to write your career story.

Go Blue!
Erin

Erin Allett
Director of BBA Career Coaching & Education