Most business management and top executive positions are filled by experienced lower level managers and executives who display valuable managerial traits, such as leadership, self-confidence, creativity, motivation, decisiveness, and flexibility. In small firms advancement to a higher management position may come slowly, while promotions may occur more quickly in larger firms.
Participating in different kinds of educational programs available for managers may accelerate advancement. These are often paid for by the organization. Company training programs broaden knowledge of company policy and operations. Training programs sponsored by industry and trade associations and continuing education courses in colleges and universities can familiarize managers with the latest developments in management techniques. In recent years large numbers of middle managers were laid off as companies streamlined operations. Competition for jobs is keen, and business managers committed to improving their knowledge of the field and of related disciplines—especially computer information systems—will have the best opportunities for advancement.
Business managers may advance to executive or administrative vice president. Vice presidents may advance to peak corporate positions—president or chief executive officer. Presidents and chief executive officers, upon retirement, may become members of the board of directors of one or more firms. Sometimes business managers establish their own firms.
- 3-D Printing Specialists
- Accountants
- Adult Day Care Coordinators
- Advanced Manufacturing Engineers
- Advanced Manufacturing Technicians
- Advertising Account Executives
- Advertising Managers
- Advertising Workers
- Air Quality Engineers
- Airport Service Workers
- Antiques and Art Dealers
- App Services Workers
- Apparel Industry Workers
- Appliance Service Technicians
- Arbitrators
- Armored Truck Drivers
- Art Directors
- Auctioneers
- Audit and Assurance Accountants
- Auditors
- Automatic Teller Machine Servicers
- Automobile Sales Workers
- Automotive Dealership Owners
- Automotive Dealership Sales Managers
- Bank Branch Managers
- Bank Examiners
- Beverage Industry Workers
- Billing Clerks
- Bindery Workers
- Biomedical Engineers
- Biomedical Equipment Technicians
- Biotechnology Patent Lawyers
- Biotechnology Production Workers
- Biotechnology Research Assistants
- Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
- Budget Analysts
- Building Automation Systems Engineers
- Building Automation Systems Technicians
- Building Performance Diagnosticians
- Business Continuity Planners
- Business Development Managers and Directors
- Business Intelligence Analysts
- Buyers
- Cancer Registrars
- Canning and Preserving Industry Workers
- Cardiologists
- Cashiers
- Chemical Engineers
- Chemical Technicians
- Chemists
- Chief Customer Officers
- Chief Executive Officers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Information Security Officers
- Chief Restructuring Officers
- Chief Revenue Officers
- Chief Robotics Officer
- Chief Sustainability Officers
- Chief Trust Officers
- Chimney Sweeps
- Civil Engineers
- Client Services Managers
- Clinic Managers
- Clinical Applications Specialists
- Clinical Data Managers
- Clinical Research Coordinators
- Collection Workers
- Community Health Program Coordinators
- Compliance Managers
- Computer-Aided Design Drafters and Technicians
- Contact Tracers
- Continuous Improvement Managers
- Copywriters
- Corporate Climate Strategists
- Corporate Community Relations Directors
- Corporate Lawyers
- Corporate Librarians
- Cosmetics Sales Representatives
- Cosmetics Shop Owners and Managers
- Cost Estimators
- Counter and Retail Clerks
- Credit Analysts
- Cultural Advisers
- Customer Service Directors
- Customer Service Representatives
- Customer Success Managers
- Customs Brokers
- Customs Officials
- Dairy Products Manufacturing Workers
- Data Entry Clerks
- Data Scientists
- Database Specialists
- Decision Scientists
- Demographers
- Desktop Publishing Specialists
- Diesel Mechanics
- Digital Advertising Workers
- Digital Designers
- Digital Marketing Workers
- Digital Workplace Experience Engineers
- Directors of Corporate Sponsorship
- Directors of Security
- Directors of Telehealth
- Document Management Specialists
- Drafters
- Economists
- Electrical Engineering Technologists
- Electrical Engineers
- Electronics Engineering Technicians
- Electronics Engineers
- Engineering Technicians
- Engineers
- Entrepreneurs
- Environmental Consultants
- Environmental Engineers
- Environmental Scientists
- Environmental Technicians
- EPA Special Agents
- Ergonomists
- Ethical Sourcing Officer
- Event Planners
- Executive Recruiters
- Export-Import Specialists
- Farmers
- Fashion Designers
- Fashion Models' Agents
- Fashion Photographers
- Financial Analysts
- Financial Consultants
- Financial Institution Officers and Managers
- Financial Institution Tellers, Clerks, and Related Workers
- Financial Planners
- Financial Quantitative Analysts
- Financial Services Brokers
- Fleet Maintenance Technicians
- Florists
- Food Photographers
- Forensic Accountants and Auditors
- Foresters
- Forestry Technicians
- Franchise Owners
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Furniture Designers
- Furniture Manufacturing Workers
- Futurists
- General Maintenance Mechanics
- Geriatric Care Managers
- Geriatric Social Workers
- Graphic Designers
- Green Marketers
- Green Products Manufacturers
- Greeting Card Designers and Writers
- Ground Services Workers
- Grounds Managers
- Growth Hackers
- Hardware Engineers
- Hazardous Waste Management Specialists
- Hazardous Waste Management Technicians
- Health Advocates
- Health Care Consultants
- Health Care Insurance Navigators
- Health Care Managers
- Health Club Owners and Managers
- Health Data Analysts
- Heating and Cooling Technicians
- HIV/AIDS Counselors and Case Managers
- Hospitalists
- Household Movers
- Human Resources Consultants
- Human Resources Managers
- Illustrators
- Indoor Environmental Health Specialists
- Industrial Chemicals Workers
- Industrial Designers
- Industrial Engineering Technicians
- Industrial Engineers
- Industrial Safety and Health Technicians
- Industrial Traffic Managers
- Informatics Nurse Specialists
- Information Assurance Analysts
- Information Security Analysts
- Information Technology Consultants
- Information Technology Infrastructure Engineers
- Information Technology Security Consultants
- Insurance Claims Representatives
- Insurance Fraud Investigators
- Insurance Policy Processing Workers
- Insurance Underwriters
- Internet Consultants
- Internet Executives
- Internet Marketing and Advertising Consultants
- Internet Security Specialists
- Internet Store Managers and Entrepreneurs
- Internet Transaction Specialists
- Investment Fund Managers
- Investment Professionals
- Investment Underwriters
- Janitors and Cleaners
- Jewelers and Jewelry Repairers
- Labor Union Business Agents
- Laboratory Testing Technicians
- Landscapers
- Laser Technicians
- Legal Operations Specialists
- Life Insurance Agents and Brokers
- Loan Processors
- Loan Underwriters
- Logging Industry Workers
- Logistics Analysts
- Logistics Engineers
- Loss Prevention Managers
- Mail Carriers
- Management Analysts and Consultants
- Manufacturing Production Technicians
- Manufacturing Supervisors
- Market Research Analysts
- Marketing Consultants
- Marketing Managers
- Mechanical Engineering Technicians
- Mechanical Engineers
- Media Planners and Buyers
- Media Relations Specialists
- Medical Ethicists
- Medical Record Technicians
- Medical Secretaries
- Medical Transcriptionists
- Merchandise Displayers
- Methane/Landfill Gas Collection System Operators
- Methane/Landfill Gas Generation System Technicians
- Microbiologists
- Millwrights
- Mobile Software Developers
- Mortgage Bankers
- Music Agents and Scouts
- Music Venue Owners and Managers
- National Park Service Employees
- Numerical Control Tool Programmers
- Nurse Managers
- Nursing Home Administrators
- Office Administrators
- Optical Engineers
- Paper Processing Workers
- Parking Attendants
- Payroll Directors
- Personal Shoppers
- Personnel and Labor Relations Specialists
- Pet Shop Workers
- Photographic Equipment Technicians
- Photographic Laboratory Workers
- Pilots
- Plastics Products Manufacturing Workers
- Plumbers and Pipefitters
- Postal Clerks
- Prepress Workers
- Printing Press Operators and Assistants
- Private Bankers
- Product Designers
- Product Development Directors
- Product Management Directors
- Product Managers
- Professional Organizers
- Project Managers
- Property and Casualty Insurance Agents and Brokers
- Property and Real Estate Managers
- Proposal Managers
- Public Opinion Researchers
- Public Relations Specialists
- Purchasing Agents
- Quality Control Engineers
- Quality Control Technicians
- Radio Frequency Engineers
- Real Estate Developers
- Receptionists
- Recycling and Reclamation Workers
- Recycling Coordinators
- Refuse Collectors
- Regulatory Affairs Managers
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Resort Workers
- Restaurant and Food Service Managers
- Retail Business Owners
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialists
- Retail Managers
- Retail Sales Workers
- Risk Managers
- Robotics Engineers
- Robotics Integrators
- Robotics Technicians
- Rubber Goods Production Workers
- Sales Managers
- Sales Representatives
- Search Engine Optimization Specialists
- Secretaries
- Security Consultants
- Security Guards
- Silverware Artisans and Workers
- Social Media Influencers
- Social Workers
- Software Application Developers
- Software Engineers
- Songwriters
- Space Tourism Managers
- Sporting Goods Production Workers
- Sports Facility Managers
- Stationary Engineers
- Statisticians
- Stenographers
- Stock Clerks
- Strategy Managers
- Supermarket Workers
- Supply Chain Managers
- Tailors and Dressmakers
- Tax Managers
- Telemarketers
- Temporary Workers
- Tire Technicians
- Tobacco Products Industry Workers
- Toy Industry Workers
- Traffic Managers
- Transplant Coordinators
- Truck Dispatchers
- Truck Drivers
- Typists and Word Processors
- User Experience Designers
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Technicians
- Watch and Clock Repairers
- Water/Wastewater Engineers
- Wood Science and Technology Workers
- Workplace Diversity Experts