Organisations are built by robust and dynamic managers. Professional managers identify and pursue new opportunities, tackle many of the challenges faced by society, and find solutions to real-world issues.
What is management?
At its core, management is about getting things done. It’s about achieving goals and building unity. From the food we eat, to the clothes we wear, the electronic gadgets we use and the medicines that keep us healthy, our lives are shaped by people and organisations with the skills and experience to build and lead teams, structure businesses, and manage operations.
What kind of job can you get in management?
Management plays a key role in all kinds of industries such as professional sports, government, film production, or almost any other area of private industry.
So where could your study in management take you? You might want to take on roles such as:
- Operations manager: designing and controlling business operations and production.
- Management consultant: providing expert advice on organisational management and design.
- Team leader or company supervisor: leading a team of professionals in achieving organisational strategy.
- Human resource manager: using strategic tools to organise the recruitment training and development of organisational staff.
- Management analyst: investigating strategies to help an organisation reduce costs, drive business profits and sustainably increase revenue.
And that’s just scratching the surface. How you want to use a management degree is only really limited by your imagination.
What skills do you need for a career in management?
The skills of a good manager extend to every part of society. Their skills are needed in all industries, from government to private industries. They run better hospitals and build better schools.
For international student Andra, a Masters of Human Resources Management was the natural choice for her, as she has always been drawn to people and has strong communication skills.
In fact, one of the reasons she chose to study at Murdoch was to meet people from all around the world, to further improve her communication skills with a range of different people.
"Murdoch has given me the amazing opportunity to mingle with people from different cultures. While other universities have a high number of students who often they mix with their own race, Murdoch gave me the opportunity to socialise and not be boxed in.
I think this is really important for all students, especially international students. Mingling with the ‘same kind’ of people won’t benefit us and won’t teach us anything, but by exposing ourselves to different people and cultures we can broaden our view and understanding of the world.”
Managers are organised professionals. If you’re hoping to progress into a management career, you’ll need to hone the following skills:
- Organisation skills: needed to prioritise, juggle responsibilities and manage workloads; oversee employees, carry out appraisals and review goals.
- Digital skills: needed to project manage, communicate and coordinate teams remotely; and track finances.
- Interpersonal skills: required to ensure team members are treated with dignity and consideration. Managers are there to build jobs that people enjoy doing.
- Leadership skills: All good managers lead and it’s important to be passionate about what you do, define goals, empower your team, and ensure that motivation is high.
- Communication skills: necessary to maintain unity, focus and shared understanding.
- Strategic and critical thinking skills: crucial in building a future and important in enabling teams to adapt to, and take advantage of, change.
- Delegation skills: needed to build organisational capabilities and build empowered teams.
Good managers are rarities but their impact on the world can be immense.
Murdoch Senior Lecturer in Management, Dr Simon Minaee.
What industries can you work in with a degree in management?
A degree in management gives graduates opportunities to pursue flexible and fulfilling careers across several industries.
When you decide to study a management degree at Murdoch, you gain the opportunity to customise your course and combine it with a second major. Adding a second major will enhance your career prospects in selected industries and enable you to focus your studies. Popular combinations include:
- Finance
- Marketing
- International Business
- Human Resources Management
- Global Business and Politics
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation