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Career Advice on How to Become a General and Operations Manager

General Career Information

The first step towards becoming a general and operations manager is to decide whether or not you want to cut the throat (business wise not literally), of every single human being you work with. More than likely, you can forget having any real relationships. You should be very, very comfortable with the idea of “sticking it to the little guy because he deserves it.” And don’t forget to subtract ten to twenty years off your lifespan, but hey the pay is great. Also people will really be afraid of you. So what if you never have a real friend and are under constant stress? 
 
Too harsh? Perhaps, but the world of the big time mover and shaker corporate executive does mean throwing good people under buses, and that is just the beginning. 
 
Being a top-level executive, such as a general or operations manager, means you’re an executive, and usually at a business or corporation. Your number one goal in your professional life is making money and lots of it. So weigh all the pros and cons of the general and operations manager career when you are starting your career planning and job search.
 

Career Facts:

General and operations managers are the people who plan and coordinate the operations of companies. Often they work in the public section as well. On a day-to-day basis, the general and operations manager can be responsible for handling a very wide range of tasks. However, the bottom line is that general and operations managers are the people who are needed to keep the business running smoothly. Their responsibilities could include formulating policies and working with human resources, to name but two.

 

Career Opportunities and Job Outlook-Poor:

We all want to be the boss, even if we don’t truly understand what it is we are getting ourselves in for. As a result, there can be a lot of competition for any top-level management position. There are about 1.7 million, yes million, general and operations managers in the United States alone, that number is expected to only increase by two-percent which is well below the average for all jobs.
 
Job Outlook is Poor
 

A Day in The Life:

A general and operations manager often starts out the day with a variety of prescription medications to treat a variety of medical conditions, ranging from the embarrassing to the mundane. Many of these conditions are a direct result of extraordinary levels of stress and self-loathing. Once at work, they are busy administrating to all the logistical needs of their given company or corporation, which usually includes dealing with personnel, purchasing necessary equipment and goods and so on. Often their workday is spent interacting with other top-level executives in various departments. Working long hours, including on the weekend, is all seen as being part of being a “team player.” Often, like most top-level executives, the general and operations manager begins to think of themselves as indispensable. This is normally just days, weeks or months before they are fired.
 

Average Salary:

The average salary for a general and operations manager is roughly $85,000, but some can earn much more, especially at larger corporations. 

$80k - $90k

 

Career Training and Qualifications:

Most top-level executives, such as the general and operations manager, have bachelor’s degrees or graduate degrees. Often their degrees are in business administration or related fields.
 
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