Managerial Skills

To help answer the question about pay differences between managers and other employees, read this section. Managers have to have many skills that put them at the top of the pay scale, including problem-solving skills the average worker doesn't need.

Exercises

  1. (AACSB) Communication

    If you were to ask a job recruiter what skills he or she looks for in a candidate, one of the first things you'll hear is "communication skills". Strong communication skills not only will help you get a good job but also will help you move up the ladder. How can you strengthen your written and oral communication skills while you're still a college student? Here are a few steps you can take:

    • Look for courses (or course components) designed to strengthen communication skills, such as writing (or composition) or speech classes.
    • Find out whether your college has a writing program.
    • Check into nonacademic programs designed to strengthen communication skills, such as courses on interview techniques offered by the career services office.
    • Find out how you can do some writing for the school newspaper or, if you're a little more outgoing, how you can appear in theatrical productions.

    By following these suggestions, you should get a very good idea of what your college can do to help you develop both written and oral communication skills. Write a brief report detailing your findings.

  2. (AACSB) Reflective Skills

    Do you ever reach the end of the day and wonder what you've accomplished? To succeed in management, you need to learn how to manage your time. The Internet is an interesting place to start. For many college students, surfing the Net takes up a lot of time that could be put to better use. How much time do you spend online, instant-messaging, shopping, playing games, blogging, or indulging in some other enjoyable but time-consuming activity? One approach to solving the problem of wasted online time is to apply the six-step, problem-solving procedure that we outlined in the chapter. Write a brief report detailing each of the steps that you take to solve the problem and implement a solution.