Skip to Main Content
HBS Online
  • Courses
    Open Courses Mega Menu
    • Business Essentials
      • Credential of Readiness (CORe)
      • Business Analytics
      • Economics for Managers
      • Financial Accounting
    • Leadership & Management
      • Leadership Principles
      • Management Essentials
      • Negotiation Mastery
      • Organizational Leadership
      • Strategy Execution
      • Power and Influence for Positive Impact
    • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
      • Entrepreneurship Essentials
      • Disruptive Strategy
      • Negotiation Mastery
      • Design Thinking and Innovation
    • Strategy
      • Strategy Execution
      • Business Strategy
      • Economics for Managers
      • Disruptive Strategy
      • Global Business
      • Sustainable Business Strategy
    • Finance & Accounting
      • Financial Accounting
      • Leading with Finance
      • Alternative Investments
      • Sustainable Investing
    • Business in Society
      • Sustainable Business Strategy
      • Global Business
      • Sustainable Investing
      • Power and Influence for Positive Impact
    • All Courses
  • For Organizations
    Open For Organizations Mega Menu
    • Corporate Learning
      Help your employees master essential business concepts, improve effectiveness, and expand leadership capabilities.
    • Academic Solutions
      Integrate HBS Online courses into your curriculum to support programs and create unique educational opportunities.
    • Need Help?
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Contact Us
    • Black, Latinx, and underrepresented minority professionals
      Pathways to Business

      Stories designed to inspire future business leaders.

  • Insights
    Open Insights Mega Menu
    • Business Insights Blog
      • Career Development
      • Communication
      • Decision-Making
      • Earning Your MBA
      • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
      • Finance
      • Leadership
      • Management
      • Negotiation
      • Strategy
    • All Topics
    • Sample Business Lessons and E-Books

      Gain new insights and knowledge from leading faculty and industry experts.

    • Free Guide

      Learn how to formulate a successful business strategy.

  • More Info
    Open More Info Mega Menu
    • Learning Experience
      Master real-world business skills with our immersive platform and engaged community.
    • Certificates, Credentials, & Credits
      Learn how completing courses can boost your resume and move your career forward.
    • Learning Tracks
      Take your career to the next level with this specialization.
    • Financing & Policies
      • Employer Reimbursement
      • Payment & Financial Aid
      • Policies
    • Connect
      • Student Stories
      • Community
    • Need Help?
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Request Information
    • Apply Now
Login
My Courses
Access your courses and engage with your peers
My Account
Manage your account, applications, and payments.
HBS Home
  • About HBS
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
HBS Online
  • Courses
  • Business Essentials
  • Leadership & Management
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • Strategy
  • Finance & Accounting
  • Business in Society
  • For Organizations
  • Insights
  • More Info
  • About
  • Media Coverage
  • Founding Donors
  • Leadership Team
  • Careers
  • My Courses
  • My Account
  • Apply Now
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • HBS Online→
  • Business Insights→

Business Insights

Harvard Business School Online's Business Insights Blog provides the career insights you need to achieve your goals and gain confidence in your business skills.

 
Filter Results Arrow Down Arrow Up

Topics

Topics

  • Accounting
  • Analytics
  • Business Essentials
  • Business in Society
  • Career Development
  • Communication
  • Community
  • ConneXt
  • Decision-Making
  • Earning Your MBA
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Negotiation
  • News & Events
  • Productivity
  • Staff Spotlight
  • Strategy
  • Student Profiles
  • Technology
  • Work-Life Balance

Courses

Courses

  • Alternative Investments
  • Business Analytics
  • Business Strategy
  • CORe
  • Design Thinking and Innovation
  • Disruptive Strategy
  • Economics for Managers
  • Entrepreneurship Essentials
  • Financial Accounting
  • Global Business
  • Leadership Principles
  • Leading with Finance
  • Management Essentials
  • Negotiation Mastery
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Power and Influence for Positive Impact
  • Strategy Execution
  • Sustainable Business Strategy
  • Sustainable Investing
Subscribe to the Blog
RSS feed

Filters

Topics

Topics

  • Accounting
  • Analytics
  • Business Essentials
  • Business in Society
  • Career Development
  • Communication
  • Community
  • ConneXt
  • Decision-Making
  • Earning Your MBA
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Negotiation
  • News & Events
  • Productivity
  • Staff Spotlight
  • Strategy
  • Student Profiles
  • Technology
  • Work-Life Balance

Courses

Courses

  • Alternative Investments
  • Business Analytics
  • Business Strategy
  • CORe
  • Design Thinking and Innovation
  • Disruptive Strategy
  • Economics for Managers
  • Entrepreneurship Essentials
  • Financial Accounting
  • Global Business
  • Leadership Principles
  • Leading with Finance
  • Management Essentials
  • Negotiation Mastery
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Power and Influence for Positive Impact
  • Strategy Execution
  • Sustainable Business Strategy
  • Sustainable Investing
Subscribe to the Blog
RSS feed

3 Ways Business Skills Can Help You Grow Professionally

Manager Leading a Team Meeting
  • 03 Sep 2019
Michele Reynolds Author Staff
tag
  • CORe
  • Career Development
  • Leadership

Are you interested in growing your career, but don't know where to start? No matter which field you choose to pursue, there are certain fundamental skills that can help you find success.

According to a survey by the National Association for Colleges and Employers, hiring managers want candidates with strong communication, problem-solving, and quantitative skills, who also excel in leadership and strategic planning. So if you didn’t study business in college, you should consider filling that gap.

Here are three ways business skills can help you chart your path and grow professionally.

Ways to Grow Professionally with Business Skills

1. Round Out a Liberal Arts Education

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 12 percent of college graduates majored in business. If you’re one of the other 88 percent, and you’re preparing to launch or advance your career, you may want to consider learning the language of business.

Understanding vital business concepts can make you feel more confident when applying and interviewing for jobs. It enables you to ask informed questions about the structure and performance of an organization.

Brett Jackson, an associate at the law firm WilmerHale in Boston, found himself working as an attorney straight out of school and felt unprepared to work with business clients.

“I was a liberal arts major in college with no business experience, so I needed to fill business gaps and learn the terminology of business quickly,” he says.

To round out his education and better understand his clients, Jackson chose to take Harvard Business School Online’s CORe program, which features courses in Financial Accounting, Economics for Managers, and Business Analytics.

“CORe was very helpful in understanding clients’ business decisions,” Jackson adds. “I think many new attorneys could benefit from this course.”

A variety of online courses are available to provide a bridge from a liberal arts education to a business-oriented field.

Access Your Free E-Book | Download Now

2. Transition from a Technical Role

According to the Congressional Research Service, there are 6.9 million scientists and engineers in the U.S. workforce. And, according to Pew Research, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) jobs grew 79 percent since 1990, far outpacing other fields.

Many people with technical roles start their career as individual contributors. As they advance, many seek management roles but often don’t know how to transition. The technical personnel who rise in the ranks often have a solid grasp of the business and how to help it succeed. By understanding the business model, organizational operations, and financial levers to pull, technologists will be better prepared to lead a team.

Kyle Rosenmeyer, an engineer who worked for the City of Boise before transitioning into a role at technical professional services firm Jacobs, took CORe to round out his skills and advance his career.

“Once I was working for a few years, I realized that many careers end up requiring a business skill set,” Rosenmeyer says. “If an engineer graduating from college ascends from an entry-level position to CEO, with each promotion, they use less engineering skills and more business skills.”

After completing CORe, Rosenmeyer felt more confident communicating with the City of Boise’s financial team and setting the budgets for his construction management projects. He says his ability to understand and problem-solve with his accounting colleagues improved, as well.

The best engineering leaders are those who can look at the big picture and understand how to turn good ideas into business wins. Since most engineering schools don’t teach business fundamentals, technical professionals who aspire to become leaders should seek out helpful primers in the fundamentals of business.

Related: 6 Ways to Develop Business Skills for Any Profession

3. Learn How to Lead

Unless you work for an organization that prioritizes professional development, you’re likely to feel unprepared to take on a leadership role. According to a study by learning platform Grovo, 87 percent of new managers feel ill-equipped to lead.

Observing good (and bad) leaders in your organization is a common way to learn. But there are more efficient ways to acquire leadership skills. Some formal leadership training programs can be expensive and time-consuming, which are important factors to consider. Many free or low-cost online courses may work better for your budget and schedule.

HBS Online offers Management Essentials, Leadership Principles, and Developing Yourself as a Leader, but a quick Google search will surface a multitude of other options.

Related: Why You Should Study Business

Advancing Your Career with Business Skills

There are many ways business skills can help you grow professionally. In addition to helping advance your career, acquiring business skills can help you figure out if you want to continue your education and pursue an MBA. Even if it’s to sharpen your Excel skills, business fundamentals are valuable no matter your profession.

Do you want to take your career to the next level? Download our free Guide to Advancing Your Career with Essential Business Skills to learn how enhancing your business knowledge can help you make an impact on your organization and be competitive in the job market.

About the Author

Michele Reynolds handles brand marketing and PR for Harvard Business School Online. Prior to HBS Online, she led communications for TripAdvisor and Gazelle and has been widely quoted in national media outlets, including CBS News, Reuters, and The New York Times. Michele earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University. Outside work, she spends time with her teenage daughter, plays tennis, and visits her enormous extended family.
 
All FAQs

Top FAQs

How are HBS Online courses delivered?

+–

We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

+–

No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

How do I enroll in a course?

+–

All programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly from program to program, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

After submitting your application, you should receive an email confirmation from HBS Online. If you do not receive this email, please check your junk email folders and double-check your account to make sure the application was successfully submitted.

Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your Dashboard. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

+–

No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

What are my payment options?

+–

We accept payments via credit card, wire transfer, Western Union, and (when available) bank loan. Some candidates may qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the Program Fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for further information.

We also allow you to split your payment across 2 separate credit card transactions or send a payment link email to another person on your behalf. If splitting your payment into 2 transactions, a minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

In all cases, net Program Fees must be paid in full (in US Dollars) to complete registration.

What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

+–

After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

 

Sign up for News & Announcements

Subject Areas

  • Business Essentials
  • Leadership & Management
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • Strategy
  • Finance & Accounting
  • Business & Society

Quick Links

  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Request Info
  • Apply Now

About

  • About Us
  • Media Coverage
  • Founding Donors
  • Leadership Team
  • Careers @ HBS Online

Legal

  • Legal
  • Policies
Harvard Business School
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College
  • Site Map
  • Trademark Notice
  • Digital Accessibility