Building a career in Business Administration

Business administration is one of the most popular avenues for a career today and with good reason. There are many benefits to being a business administrator and the perks as well as the pay are both attractive. It also is something that you can easily learn and master if you are keen on it. On this week’s blog, we hope to give you some insight on what business administration is, how you can get qualified and what career paths would be open to you, while also explaining the roles and responsibilities of a business administrator.

What is business administration?

Business administration is a wide field that incorporates many types of management positions. From major corporations to independent businesses, every operation needs skilled administrators in order to succeed.

Motivated, organised personalities will thrive in business, where environments are often high-powered. Knowing how to deal with stress will help you keep your cool, and keep your business in the black.

It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising business operations. From the point of view of management and leadership, it also covers fields that include accounting, finance, project management and marketing.

What is the difference between business administration and finance?

A business administration degree, such as a bachelor of business administration (BBA) or a bachelor of science in business administration (BSBA), generally offers a broad grounding in the world of commerce. In addition to analytical skills, a business administration program may focus on interpersonal or “soft” skills to a greater extent than a finance programme.

A Bachelor of Science degree in finance tends to be more specialized, with a greater emphasis on investments and the workings of financial institutions. In addition, finance students may drill deeper into topics such as corporate and global finance, and a finance degree program may address “hard” skills such as financial analysis and accounting.

What is the difference between business management and administration?

There is a difference between administration and general management, but it happens to be very subtle. A business management degree will focus more on planning and organising, whereas a degree in business administration will provide learners with a broad background and then allow the student to focus on a specialised area of business.

Why study business administration?

1. Why study business administration?
2. Increases your confidence: Business administration courses are all about developing your interpersonal skills so that you feel more confident dealing with people in the workplace. This will be done through giving you real life challenging situations to overcome during the course.
3.  Prepares you for the modern office: You will learn how to use the most up-to-date ICT Microsoft packages. If you have great ICT skills you will be immediately effective in the workplace. You will also immediately have more employability at your interviews and stand out from your competition
4. Improves your communication: Business people need to be able to write reports, letters, and e-mails, deliver presentations or negotiate deals with customers. These programmes will also help you sharpen body language and active listening skills.
5. Become a great team player: it is important that in any workplace, you learn how to be a team player. With a business administration qualification under your belt, you would already have gained the methods of becoming one successfully.
6. Learn to deliver exceptional customer service: it is truly important for any business that their employees, have the best possible customer service skills. Business administration training lends you these.
7. You can exploit your creativity: Have you got good ideas? Are you innovative? Are you a detail orientated person? A business administration career gives you opportunities to make a real impact by tapping into your creative side.
8.  It gives you a broad range of careers: If you are somebody who wants to stay versatile and see what the business administration industry has to offer you, this qualification can help you explore a wide range of careers from healthcare, education, business, international careers and more.
9. You can earn well: business administrators are paid really well. The scale of your pay will depend on the location as well as the role that you are handling, but in general you can enjoy a lucrative career. We have discussed more about pay scales further in our blog so keep reading.
10. You can enjoy an international career: if you study international business administration you can not only work in business administration in the UK but also wherever you want, which means that you career can go global!

Who is a business administrator?

Business Administrators direct the day-to-day management of an organization and oversee its finances. They work to improve products and services, implement new technologies to increase workplace productivity and analyze financial and sales reports. They collaborate on business projects with staff, executives and company board members and can work in a variety of industries and organizations. Business Administrators are needed in a variety of corporate, government, educational and nonprofit settings.

What is the job description of a business administrator?

Business Administrators complete organizational and management tasks that support the productivity and growth of an entire organization and its individual departments or teams. They often have the following responsibilities:

• Plan strategies for streamlining and improving business operations
• Reorganize or hire staff to expand operations in collaboration with human resources teams
• Handle business finances and plan the budget with the help of finance and accounting leaders and team members
• Oversee marketing and promotions for a company’s products and services, collaborating with marketing, advertising and public relations teams
• Negotiate vendor contracts to identify cost-saving opportunities

What are the skills needed to be a business administrator?

• Excellent communication skills, including writing, public speaking and interpersonal communication
• Great analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities
• Strong time management and organizational skills
• Good goal-setting, strategic planning and motivation skills
• Ability to work in fast-paced environments
• Experience with a variety of personalities and backgrounds in the workplace
• Superior presentation and negotiation skills
• Knowledge of best finance and operations practices for their industry

What is a business administrator salary?

The salary scales that you will be able to receive will change based on your location as well as the seniority and the nature of the role that you are playing. The below is a general overview only.

What accredited programmes can help you become a successful Business Administrator?

Advanced Diploma in Business Administration – Level 3

The Advanced Diploma in Business Administration – Level 3 has been developed just to do that. This accredited certification will explore every areas of business administration inside out and is all the certificate you need to excel within the business administration industry.

This course will give you a brief idea of the roles, duties and responsibilities of a business administrator, after which you will be sufficiently trained on all the skills needed to work in business administration. You will be enlightened on the business environment and the administrative procedures to apply them effectively in increasing growth and success of an organisation.

The other modules of this course will touch on topics such as planning and organising meetings, supervising a team and motivating employees to reach their maximum potential. As a business administrator, it is also your responsibility to coordinate between departments to ensure excellent customer service. How this can be achieved will be extensively presented through this course, all the while providing you with valuable tips, trick and best practices that are used by administrative professionals worldwide.

Progression and Career Path

On the successful completion of this course, you will be eligible to work for a number of jobs in administration. This certificate will also pave way for your career progression, by putting you in line to demand for salary increments or job promotions from your employer. Below mentioned are some of the jobs this certificate will qualify you for, along with the average UK salary per annum according to Indeed,

• Business Administrator – £16,478 + per annum
• Office Manager – £24,417 + per annum
• Administration Manager – £24,183 + per annum
• Office Administrator – £17,456 + per annum
• Administrative Assistant – £16,910 + per annum
• Administrative Coordinator – £19,967 + per annum
• Executive Assistant –  £30,573 + per annum

NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Business (RQF) Administration

The NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Business (RQF) Administration is a comprehensive course designed to provide you with a sound knowledge of how to carry out administrative tasks within an organisation. The course will explore how to plan meetings, manage information and maintain administrative services. You will acquire the relevant knowledge in communication systems and how to contribute to departmental and organisational change. It is an excellent choice of course for anyone who wants to have a career in business administration. You can enhance your knowledge and expertise in business communication and administration through this course.

The NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Business (RQF) Administration will give you a sound understanding of administrative best practices within a business organisation. Business administrative practices are crucial to the overall success of a company and has to be carried out properly.

The course will also delve deep into business practices and principles and how to apply these elements successfully in your job role.  You will gain specific skills required to work in business administration.

Progression and Career Path Once you successfully completed the NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Business (RQF) Administration, you will gain an accredited qualification that will prove your skills in business administration and make you a marketable candidate. You can progress to the NCFE Level 3 Diploma in Skills for Business: Human Resources and NCFE Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Business Administration. The qualification provides an introduction to the skills, qualities and knowledge that may be required for employment across multiple industries. The average UK salary per annum according to Indeed for a few job roles is given below.

• Operations Manager – £35,029 + per annum
• Administrative Manager – £24,474 + per annum
• Business Manager – £35,165 + per annum
• Administrative Officer – £19,868 + per annum
• Team Leader – £25,239 + per annum

Pearson BTEC Level 4 Diploma in Business Administration

The Pearson BTEC Level 4 Diploma in Business Administration is an extensive course for anyone who wants to pursue their vocational training in a similar area, or related vocational area. It is also the perfect opportunity to seek employment in multiple industries. The course will equip you with the relevant skills and knowledge to take on management positions within an enterprise. Getting certified will enhance your career choices, and let you climb up the career ladder. The qualification is a business skill that was developed to meet industry-based standards that are often required by leading enterprises and organisations in their new employees.

Progression and Career Path

Once learners successfully complete the Pearson BTEC Level 4 Diploma in Business Administration they can go onto study the Pearson BTEC Level 4 HNC Diploma in Business or Pearson Edexcel Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Business Administration, or gain employment opportunities. The qualification will assist learners to seek progression in senior manager’s roles, and to develop their knowledge of management and leadership.

These are just a handful of the courses that we are able to offer you at South London College. For those of you, who are keen on the subject we also have office administration and reception, bookkeeping and many other related programmes available that will help supplement your career. If you want to know more about our programmes contact our team on info@southlondoncollege.org.