Students Expectations Of A Career In Sales: A Comparison Of Finance And Marketing Majors

Abstract

Many of the graduates majoring in Finance and Marketing will secure entry-level positions in sales, often beginning careers dedicated to the sale of financial products; yet, perceptions of this career vary significantly, dependent on a students area of study. The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast the perceptions of Finance majors versus Marketing majors regarding entry-level career expectations. Students were surveyed in upper-level Finance and Marketing courses during the 2008 fall semester at a north-central state university concerning 1) their perceptions of the importance of various employment characteristics that they would consider in accepting their entry-level job and 2) the perceived importance of particular academic learning outcomes to the success of their career.