Introduction

The range of career options are so varied that it’s essential you do your research and develop your knowledge and understanding of your chosen area. Roles are advertised directly through employers' websites, general graduate careers websites such as TARGETjobs, and also via CareerHub.

With little management experience you can gain a place on a general management graduate scheme, although many people also join a company in a junior position and then work their way up towards a management position. 

If you are looking to gain experience

As many graduate scheme and entry-level roles are open to students from any discipline, it’s important to differentiate yourself by gaining relevant experience and developing your skills, via internships, volunteering or extra-curricular activities.

Work experience can often help you demonstrate a capacity to develop practical skills, such as team working and problem solving, but also your commercial awareness and an understanding of the challenges that businesses face in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Maintaining your commercial awareness can also be supported by meeting with businesses on campus, regularly reading business focused news sources, such as the FT, and speaking with LSE alumni.

Some businesses, particularly larger organisations, offer formal summer internships programmes. Smaller companies may advertise through LSE Careers, so check CareerHub regularly. Generate at LSE run a year-round programme of events to enable you to meet with smaller businesses and entrepreneurs directly.  Networking and speculative applications can be an effective way of securing experience in smaller organisations.

If you’re early on in your career

Develop your understanding of the many different options available to you and target your approach to gaining relevant experience. Your focus should be on accumulating evidence for why working within your chosen area of business is the right fit for you.

If you have more experience

The best route is likely to be through recruitment agencies and search firms, networking within the sector and applying directly for roles on company websites and via LinkedIn.

If you’re changing career

Reflect on what your existing skills might add to a business and be prepared to be flexible. LSE Alumni who have changed career often emphasise the important of making a number of moves in the first few years in order to gain experience and credibility.

This blog from LSE Careers highlights some of the areas to focus on.

Not sure what to do next?

We’re here to talk over your career plans with you. It doesn’t matter what stage you’re at, so don’t feel you have to have it all worked out. You can book a one-to-one appointment with a careers consultant on CareerHub.

There are many different job roles in this sector. We've outlined some of the ones likely to be of most interest to LSE students, with links to where you can find more information. If you can, try and talk to someone who's doing the job you're interested in, so you get a real flavour of what it's like.

• Management – typically, managers oversee the daily functioning of a team or department, setting goals, motivating staff, solving problems, evaluating results, etc. Roles exist in all sectors, companies and countries and responsibilities vary depending on context. The Prospects overview of Business, consulting and management is a useful resource, including job profiles ranging from office to retail manager. 
• Human Resources – supports and manages an organisation’s people and associated processes. Great scope for specialism and development within a particular function, for example learning and development or equality and diversity. Some graduate trainees are based purely within the HR department, while other schemes move you across different business areas including marketing and management. Increasing numbers of companies now outsource key elements of their HR functions. As a result, opportunities exist with HR consultancy, particularly for LSE students with a specialist Master's degree. Read Abbas and Elina's LSE 'Alum of the month' profiles to find out how they have used their HR knowledge and experience. The Prospects Human resources officer job profile also provides further details.
• Logistics, supply chain and procurement – procures, manages and dispatches goods and services.A logistics professional focuses on four main aspects: supply, production support, distribution, and returns. A supply chain professional oversees the processes which occur within the overall supply chain, including manufacturing and procurement processing. Large global businesses that specialise in logistics include DHL, Maersk, and Kuehne + Nagel. The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport provides a useful overview for graduates.
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)– also known as sustainability, responsible business practice, social responsibility or corporate citizenship. Ensures a business's processes, strategies and everyday work follows ethical, environmental and sustainable guidelines. Training schemes specifically around CSR are rare, so gaining commercial awareness in business along with an understanding of environmental or ethical issues will help to demonstrate your commitment. Check out the Allaboutcareers overview of corporate social responsibility.
• Operations and Operational Research– usesstatistical and mathematical modelling to analyse and solve business related problems for clients. Can be employed across a wide range of sectors including manufacturing, transport and logistics, energy, FMCG, and healthcare. The TARGETjobs Operational researcher job description provides more information.
• Sales – works directly with clients, growing profits and working towards targets. Graduates are required across all areas of business, not just within the retail sector. Organisations ranging from BMW to Adidas run graduate programmes, usually open to graduates from any discipline. The TARGETjobs overview of sales will tell you more. 
• Recruitment – drawson elements of both sales and HR to source employers for companies of all sizes, and many opportunities exist for graduates from any discipline. The TARGETjobs Recruitment consultant job description provides further details.