How to Start a Career With a B.S. in Economics

Economics graduates should think carefully about their career options.

Although most economist jobs require a doctorate or a master's in economics, students who graduate from college with a bachelor's degree in the field do have career paths open to them. Men and women with a bachelor of science in economics can get jobs in business, consulting and government. With the variety of options available, putting your B.S. degree to work requires some careful thought about your career goals and a plan for meeting them. Ideally, this plan should begin while you are still in school completing your degree.

Instructions

1. Develop a career interest inventory by writing down your skills and interests. For example, you might like working with computers or conducting research. Your interests may include history and politics. Knowing your interests can help you apply your bachelor's degree toward a satisfying career option.

2. Match your skills and interests to possible career options for men and women with bachelor's degrees in economics. For example, if you are interested in politics and world events and enjoy conducting research, a career as a policy analyst might appeal to you. If you like working with computers and are interested in business and finance, working as a financial analyst is a career option.

3. Make an appointment to meet with the career adviser in your school's economics department or career advice office to discuss further career possibilities with your economics degree. Your adviser can offer other suggestions for tailoring your economics degree to the right career.

4. Select economics and elective courses to fulfill your degree requirements that support your career goals and interests. If you want to pursue a business career, supplement your economics studies with courses in business, accounting, finance, management and marketing. If you are interested in a government career or working in public policy, take courses in political science or other social sciences, such as sociology and anthropology. These courses further develop critical thinking, research and analytical skills.

5. Seek an internship that fits your career interests and enables you to explore the field you're interested in. A paid or unpaid internship gives you valuable experience working with others in a professional setting. It also provides an opportunity to develop valuable contacts that may serve as references or provide other help for your career. Who you know can be just as important as what you know.

6. Assemble a resume that emphasizes your career goals and highlights your skills. A bachelor's degree recipient interested in government work, for example, should highlight any internship experience with a government agency as well as a job seeker's research, data analysis and critical thinking skills. Many bachelor's degree recipients in economics start their government careers as research assistants or data analysts.

References

• American Economic Association: Careers

Resources

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Economists