Business, Finance, & Entrepreneurship Career Community
Business, Finance, & Entrepreneurship
Careers in business, finance, and entrepreneurship center on building, managing, and growing organizations across sectors. Professionals in this field work in areas such as financial services, marketing, consulting, and operations, using analytical and leadership skills to solve complex problems. These careers can be dynamic, fast-paced, and offer diverse opportunities for growth in nearly every industry.
Exploration Tools
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- Financial Services and Investment Banking
- Management Consulting
- Marketing and Brand Management
- Accounting and Financial Analysis
- Operations and Supply Chain Management
- Human Resources and Talent Development
- Sales and Business Development
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- Financial Analyst
- Management Consultant
- Marketing Associate
- Account Manager
- Investment Banking Analyst
- Sales and Business Development Representative
- Data Analytics Specialist
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Handshake is Macalester’s go-to platform for career and internship opportunities. There’s no need to create an account—just log in with your Macalester ID and password. Use Handshake to search and apply for jobs and internships, explore hiring organizations, schedule appointments with career advisors, and more.
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What Can I Do With This Major? is a website featuring 106 major profiles with information on common career paths, types of employers that hire in the field, and strategies to maximize opportunities. Links to professional associations, occupational outlook information, and job search resources are included.
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My Next Move is an interactive tool to match your interests with careers in business, finance, and entrepreneurship. Includes job profiles for consultants, financial analysts, marketing specialists, entrepreneurs, and more.
Job & Internship Search Resources
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Career Exploration hosts dozens of exploratory and skill-building events throughout the school year, including events highlighting careers in the arts. All of our events are posted on Handshake Events and on the college events calendar. We also send an email each Monday during the school year to all students as a reminder of the upcoming week’s events.
MacLaunch is a signature fall event connecting students with employers in business and technology. Open to all majors and class years, it features brief employer presentations followed by networking with alumni and recruiters. Students can explore career paths, discover open roles, and make valuable connections in a relaxed, low-pressure setting on campus. Find more details and register on Handshake.
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Twin Cities Field-Focused Organizations:
Use these lists to learn more about organizations in the Twin Cities. If you wish to contact an organization that does not have a specific internship listed on their website or in Handshake, focus your inquiry on projects you could do to help them instead of asking about an internship position. This indirect approach helps them envision how you could contribute.
Organizations with Popular Internship Programs:
- 3M
- Amazon
- Ameriprise
- Analysis Group
- Bain & Company
- Baird
- Deloitte
- Ernst & Young
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York
- Federal Reserve Board
- Girls Who Invest
- McKinsey
- Piper Jaffray
- Target
- Thrivent Financial
- Travelers Insurance
- UBS Financial Services
- UnitedHealth Group
- UpTurnships: Flagship Summer Program
- US Bank
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Employers in business and finance recruit year-round, with internship and full-time hiring often peaking in the fall for large corporations. Many investment banking firms hire interns a full year and a half before the internship begins, and consulting firms tend to hire late summer to early fall before positions begin. View our Industry Timelines page for more information.
Building connections can be very important as you learn more about the field and prepare for applications. We encourage you to incorporate informational interviews and networking into your job and internship search. The following resources can help you get started:
Application & Interview Prep
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Build your understanding of business fundamentals and strengthen your technical skills with free tools and learning resources.
Wall Street Prep offers a collection of free modules and guides to help you develop finance and Excel skills, prepare for technical interviews, and gain insight into financial modeling and valuation. These resources are a great way to boost your confidence and readiness for roles in finance, consulting, and related fields.
Curious to learn more? Talk with a career advisor or faculty in your department to learn about more options.
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- Case Interviewing: Case interviews (most common in management consulting) test your critical thinking and analytical skills. Interviewers pose a hypothetical problem and ask you to walk through your process toward a solution. Check out resources such as Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide (2024) and CaseInterview.com for free and fee-based resources. Additionally, find some tips here from Deloitte.
- Career Exploration Interviewing Resources
- Schedule a mock interview with Macalester’s Career Exploration team through Handshake
Get Involved
Getting involved in student organizations and college-led initiatives is a great way to build leadership skills, connect with peers, and explore your interests outside the classroom. These experiences can help you grow personally and professionally, strengthen your resume, and open doors to new opportunities on campus and beyond.
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MacExplore is a hands-on program that helps students explore career paths through local and national site visits. Led by faculty and staff, students meet with professionals, connect with alumni, and strengthen their career development skills.
Previous trips have included:
- Twin Cities: Law; Public Health; Arts, Media, & Media/Communications; Urban Planning; Private Sector
- National: Media and Communications: New York City; Social Science Research: Washington, D.C.; Technology (Data Analysis, Software, UX, Design): San Francisco; Banking and Finance: New York City
Through MacExplore, students gain insight into diverse industries, build their professional network, and grow their confidence in real-world settings. Follow Career Exploration on Instagram to stay in-the-know about upcoming trips.
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Professional and industry associations are great ways to build connections, gain career insights, and stay current in your field. They often offer job boards, mentorship, and events that can boost your professional growth. Some associations are listed below, so be sure to explore them!
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Getting involved in any student organization helps you build leadership, teamwork, and communication skills while expanding your network.
Gain knowledge specific to the Business, Finance, & Entrepreneurship career community through student organizations such as Macalester Consulting Group, Macalester Investment Group, Women in Economics, and more.
Check out Macalester’s list of student organizations to learn more.
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Macalester’s Community Engagement Center offers a wide array of opportunities to engage with the Twin Cities community. Visit their Opportunities page to learn more about involvement.
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The Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation empowers students to transform bold ideas into action through programs that blend liberal arts learning with real-world problem solving. Whether you’re interested in launching a startup, driving social impact, or exploring creative ventures, these opportunities offer hands-on experience in innovation and entrepreneurship. Check out the following options and more:
- Macathon: A 24-hour innovation challenge where student teams design a product or service to solve a real-world problem.
- MacStartups: A 10-week summer accelerator that helps student innovators develop and launch entrepreneurial ideas.
- MacNest: A 10-week summer internship program connecting students with early-stage Twin Cities startups for immersive, real-world experience.
Graduate & Professional School Info
For students interested in advancing in business, finance, or entrepreneurship, pursuing graduate or professional school can deepen expertise and open doors to leadership roles.
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- An Undergraduate’s Essential Guide to Graduate School (Associated Colleges of the Midwest)
- QuickStart Guide to Applying to Graduate School (gdoc)
- Personal Statement Guide
- Schedule an appointment with the Writing Center to plan and review your personal statement.
Alumni Spotlights
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Explore additional alumni stories and videos through MacConnect, Macalester’s alumni networking platform.
