Notre Dame’s degree in Management offers a solid foundation for any business, including business startups. One avenue for Notre Dame students interested in entrepreneurship is the business plan competition. The McCloskey Business Plan Competition is designed for traditional entrepreneurial ventures, while the Social Venture Plan Competition is an opportunity to combine entrepreneurship with a social mission or purpose.

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, the competition offers an ideal way to see your ideas have traction in the market, to develop business skills, to receive mentoring from successful entrepreneurs, and to compete for a $15,000 grand prize.

Our students also have the opportunity to develop a network of graduates that includes investors, venture capitalists, bankers, accountants and entrepreneurs who are part of the Notre Dame family and know the difference between a good idea and getting the deal done. Their input is invaluable, often the “secret sauce” in a successful business startup.

If you’re thinking about majoring in Information Technology Management, visit Monster.com and conduct a search on IT jobs. It likely will yield so many results that you couldn’t possibly list them all. Chances are, you aren’t even aware that some of the career options existed. When I began my undergraduate training at Notre Dame, I had no idea that I’d spend five years in consulting and another five years in software sales.

IT is a career that touches every industry and every company, and presents limitless possibilities. In training students for a career path with so many variables, Notre Dame’s Management Information Systems (MIS) program is not preparation for not just a job, but for any job. In learning how to think critically, how to work collaboratively with students who were also the top students in their high school classes, and how to problem solve, you’ll learn valuable skills that a host of companies place a priority on today..

I started at Notre Dame knowing that I would never be a business major. Then, while taking my prerequisites, I discovered that I liked the business classes, and found Management Information Systems (MIS) to be a good fit. Now, after 10 years in the IT business, it has become increasingly apparent that two skills stand out in IT candidates: communication and a desire to learn.

In business, communication skills will often set a job applicant apart from the pack. It’s important that job seekers learn to verbalize their strengths. At the end of the day, many people have technology skills, but I’ve received offers because I brought a level of confidence to the table and could communicate my skills to prospective employers.

Secondly, enthusiasm is important. It’s not the ability to learn technology that’s key, but the desire to learn. Whether it’s asking questions during an interview or seeking additional skills in database logic, the candidate who seeks more knowledge and increased levels of responsibility will make inroads in his or her career.