Career Guide

Business Advisor

Ben Maples  · Sep 11th 2020

Do you enjoy coaching and mentoring people and love seeing businesses thrive?

Three people pouring over an unseen document.

Well, if you answered correctly, then you’ve stumbled onto our comprehensive carer guide for business advisors. If you have an interest in companies, how they work, and their potential to grow - keep on reading!

Business Advisor Career Guide

What is a business advisor?

Now, what is business management? Business and management go together like a perfect Hollywood love story. It’s an ideal job for anyone who would like to see companies grow and diversify. The business management career is perfect for someone who has experience within starting up a business and can offer guidance and advice to other independents or talented individuals with great potential. Organisations would seek the expertise of a small business advisor if they wanted to scale-up, expand or leap into a new market.

This role involves supporting start-ups as they move from an idea to reality, offering funding and finance advice, and guidance on agreements and technology innovation. Most advisors specialise in helping small and medium businesses thrive and can mentor them through their significant changes and processes.

They will aid them through improvement, training, funding options and how to grow their target audience or client base. Business advisors will also advise them through government policy, international trade, networking and staff management.

Those in this position advising businesses can expect to earn between £18,000 and £25,000 in their first roles.

What are the typical responsibilities for business management careers?

A career in business is suited to someone who has a strong work ethic, problem-solving skills and excellent pastoral care. This role is also the perfect solution to those searching for jobs with a business management degree. Now, what is the part exactly? Well, a business advisor will analyse and diagnose a needs assessment, use their knowledge and expertise and experience to determine how a business can develop.

They will use their professional network of colleagues to support clients, build and maintain positive relationships with partners, customers and associates. They’ll need excellent coaching, communication and mentoring skills. The day-to-day runnings will mimic meetings, keeping up to date with business news, researching companies and communicating with clients. Also, advising companies just starting up on management and trading is part of the position. The position can involve offering guidance on training, workshops and growth.

Business Advisor Career

What qualifications do you need to be a business advisor?

Are you wondering, ‘why study business management?’ or ‘what can I do with a business management degree?’. Well, this career guide is telling you this role is perfect for graduates of a business management degree! But if you haven’t yet begun studying at university, you can either undertake a course of this nature or in a related subject to enter this career.

Most jobs in business management have either studied finance, recruitment, HR, business management, accountancy, banking, marketing, or general business. Furthermore, they also tend to have their own experience of setting up a business or advising others throughout the process.

How to become a special advisor after university? You should gain experience working within the field, either managing a company, a team or be able to show you led the business to expand. But, if you don’t have your own company, you can instead work within the government or in economic development roles to gain insight.

Careers with a business management degree may work alongside individuals who haven’t got a professional qualification and instead have extensive experience. Sometimes actions and knowledge speak louder than words. Your skills and talent are ranked higher than a degree.

Now, what is business management? Business and management go together like a perfect Hollywood love story.

What skills are essential for the business advisor career?

There are particular skills that jobs with a business management degree are seeking. From marketing, sales, leadership and management experience to communication, problem-solving and organisation skills. They are all critical. A commercial advisor will need to show they can produce reports, evaluate plans, adapt to each business and have exceptional analytical skills.

To define enterprise skills, we can see that having close attention to detail, the ability to listen to their clients’ needs and be able to put plans into action are essential. Also, the enterprise skills definition extends to numeracy, English and interpersonal communication. A business advisor will be able to work alone, within a team, across multiple projects and under pressure. They will need to build relationships, maintain their network of contacts, and meet deadlines. Using IT, social media and understanding the ever-changing business landscape is also vital.

Business Advisor

What is the average business advisor salary?

Those in this position advising businesses can expect to earn between £18,000 and £25,000 in their first roles. After gaining experience, or when entering a specialist role, they can earn up to £40,000. A senior business consultant, management consultant or economic development advisor, can take home significant higher wages.

What kind of jobs can you get with a business management degree?

You can work in government, charities, local businesses and social enterprise. After several years of experience, you can either open a firm and work freelance. When you are employed, you will need to travel, be smartly dressed and be flexible with your job - as you may have to work at home or attend urgent meetings.

Organisations would seek the expertise of a small business advisor if they wanted to scale-up, expand or leap into a new market.

What are business management prospects?

Now, you’ve got a job, what next? Many advisors gain valuable experience, a professional reputation and a strong network of clients. After this, promotion can be in the form of managing a large team, working with bigger or higher profile clients, or you can transfer to another organisation. Many business advisors choose to become self-employment and only give guidance on a consultancy level. Others may move to management consultants, development officers or business analyst roles.

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