Top 10 Career Options For Commerce Students

Being a commerce student opens you up to a plethora of different jobs in business. In America, students typically go for their four-year undergraduate degree in a related business field such as accounting or finance. Internationally however, this is not always the case. For those living in countries like Canada, India, and the EU, going for your Bachelors in Commerce or B.comm is a good idea if you want to work in a related field like international finance, accounting, or banking.

A B.comm is a three-year degree and makes one eligible to become a CA or Chartered Accountant, which is an internationally recognized professional title. Being a CA means that you’ll have the ability to work in fields like auditing, finance, taxation, and business management. In the U.S. it’s the equivalent to being a Certified Public Accountant or CPA. On average, those with this degree make $73,670 a year in the U.S. according the the Bureau of Labor. Depending on what country you are practicing in, this could vary significantly.

There are a number of other jobs available to a student in commerce. Commerce students have the ability to explore other non-finance related industries like property management, communications, or law. Here are a few other career options for commerce students in related industries.

10. Branch Manager (Banking) – A stepping stone for many business and commerce students, being a branch manager of a bank allows you to understand how to manage a team and work closely with customer assets.

9. Investment Banker– Banks make revenue off existing assets and good investments. As an investment banker you will study and assess the risk that is associated with investing in a company, with the goal to raise capital for the institution.

8. Financial Reporting – Many times a company will be required to report their finances to either the government, management, or investors. It will be your job to accurately report and display a company’s finances for these reports.

7. Auditor – You are tasked with doing internal risk assessments for an organization to give decision makers a full picture of the value of an investment. Additionally, you could also perform external assessments on commercial or public sector businesses to make sure they are accurately reporting their finances.

6. Insurance Agent – Insurance companies are exploding in emerging markets where new found assets need to be protected. The emergence of the middle class in countries like China, India, and Brazil mean that insurance companies will be looking for talent in this area for the foreseeable future.

5. Actuary – If you are good with projections based on current statistics and understand trends, this may be the job for you. Actuaries use statistical data to evaluate risk when it comes to future programs within the organization. This can include things like pension plans and insurance programs.

4. Bookkeeper – This is the person who keeps up with the day-to-day financial transactions for a company. This includes things like sales, expenses, and receipts. It’s important that a bookkeeper maintains accurate records for the institution.

3. Stock Broker – If you’ve seen the movie “Boiler Room” you have a partial idea of what a stock broker is, albeit a pretty made-for-Hollywood version. Brokers are the ones who buy and trade securities and are usually employed by a brokerage firm and who earn commission on trades. There is a ton of lucrative potential in this industry, but you must stay up on the local and global economy and markets to have a good sense of what to buy and sell.

2. E-Commerce Manager – I couldn’t write about commerce opportunities without talking about some opportunities that live online. As an e-commerce manager you oversee online sales and presence and work closely with the marketing, advertising, and communications team to produce a clear and compelling message to the consumer.

1. Digital Marketing Director – Unlike an e-commerce manager, a digital marketing director deals with the overall marketing  and advertising plan for an organization online. This can include things like emails, promotions, branding, and style. It’s the e-commerce manager’s job to enforce the brand that you want for your product or organization.

Commerce is business and is required for the global economy to stay active. There are many opportunities from a business perspective in emerging markets like India and South America that make being a commerce student a great idea. The doors are open to the global financial sector and their investors, making your ability to find a role more crucial than ever.