Management major vs industrial relations and human resource management major? (1 Viewer)

[SGSII]

Hi Guys!
Whats the difference between the two?
And which is more interesting?
Thanks!

 

[enoilgam]

A pure management major focuses on leading people and the organisation as a whole (i.e. strategic and change management). HR and IR focuses more on people within the organisations and the issues they face. A bit of a simplistic explanation, is there something more specific you wanted to know?

Which one is more enjoyable is subjective. Management tends to be more abstract, but it can be more creative. HR is more focused and narrow in scope.

 

[SGSII]

Ohh I see
Going off that, I'm leaning more towards the management major atm
Would you happen to know what management consultancy involves as a career?

 

[enoilgam]

Would you happen to know what management consultancy involves as a career?

From what I know, management consulting is very difficult to get into. It's very ideas driven and you do a lot of interesting stuff like strategic planning and change management (change management from a HR perspective is a nightmare though). However, actual management involves a high degree of administrative type work. HR is very similar as well - I've been working as a HR assistant at QANTAS for a year and the vast majority of what we do is just run-of-the-mill admin work, as opposed to planning and coming up with new initiatives. Uni makes it seem like HR is more about the latter - I was honestly oblivious to the administrative side.

 

[SGSII]

Sounds really interesting as a career! Very appealing to me
But heaps competitive then
What would I have to do to have a chance in getting into management consultancy (e.g. Good grades, ECs?) Are there any programs that will help boost my competitiveness?

 

[RishBonjour99]

Sounds really interesting as a career! Very appealing to me
But heaps competitive then
What would I have to do to have a chance in getting into management consultancy (e.g. Good grades, ECs?) Are there any programs that will help boost my competitiveness?

Hi SGSII,

Management consultancy, specifically Mckinsey, Bains and BCG (MBB) attract some of the brightest people across all fields. Engineers, Lawyers, Doctors, PhD in Physics/Maths etc etc. They want a wide range of people with different backgrounds because they work across so many fields (and varied thinking etc). I think good grades is a massive understatement (around 10 kids from usyd on commerce dean's list, 50 ish from UNSW and + the 'other go8s' + many top kids from other fields - will probably apply for the very limited spaces available at MBB). You have to be exceptional in almost all components to have any chance (Unless you have connections).

A management major is almost useless from what I've gathered - especially if you're after management consultancy. I have a friend who did management and finance (unsw) and is now at a top cosmetic firm, but I doubt it was because of his management major.

If you want consulting, you should probably aim for at least honours in economics (+ crazy WAM).
(A guy who got into Mckinsey, suggested I maintain a HD ave if I stay in straight comm, or do Comm/law - with D). It's pretty crazy.

For now, I would highly recommend you research more into the field and other job opportunities for you degree. (My number 1 would be RBA internship after Honours)

 

[SGSII]

Hi SGSII,

Management consultancy, specifically Mckinsey, Bains and BCG (MBB) attract some of the brightest people across all fields. Engineers, Lawyers, Doctors, PhD in Physics/Maths etc etc. They want a wide range of people with different backgrounds because they work across so many fields (and varied thinking etc). I think good grades is a massive understatement (around 10 kids from usyd on commerce dean's list, 50 ish from UNSW and + the 'other go8s' + many top kids from other fields - will probably apply for the very limited spaces available at MBB). You have to be exceptional in almost all components to have any chance (Unless you have connections).

A management major is almost useless from what I've gathered - especially if you're after management consultancy. I have a friend who did management and finance (unsw) and is now at a top cosmetic firm, but I doubt it was because of his management major.

If you want consulting, you should probably aim for at least honours in economics (+ crazy WAM).
(A guy who got into Mckinsey, suggested I maintain a HD ave if I stay in straight comm, or do Comm/law - with D). It's pretty crazy.

For now, I would highly recommend you research more into the field and other job opportunities for you degree. (My number 1 would be RBA internship after Honours)

Thank you for your in depth response!
Really got me thinking

 

[forum]

If you are good with math then choose Industrial relations. Management will be good if you are looking more into operation field. HR is good if you like to meet people and manage them.

 

[enoilgam]

If you are good with math then choose Industrial relations. Management will be good if you are looking more into operation field. HR is good if you like to meet people and manage them.

How does Maths relate to IR more than HR?

 

[forum]

There is syllabus about "Wage and Salary administration" "Industrial Disputes" "Employee Grievances" where you will find few numerical questions that is based on time and work, time and salary, debentures and many more...if you study at deeper level.

 

[enoilgam]

There is syllabus about "Wage and Salary administration" "Industrial Disputes" "Employee Grievances" where you will find few numerical questions that is based on time and work, time and salary, debentures and many more...if you study at deeper level.

Well, wage and salary is more HR/Payroll than IR and most of the mathematical stuff in a business is done by accounting and finance. Also, where is the maths in Industrial Disputes and Employee Grievances beyond basic stuff you would encounter in any job?

 

[d3vilz]

Here's my 2c on the Management major:

Overall, MGMT is a major that's fairly easy to get credits and distinctions (if you put in some effort). From memory, my marks in this major ranged from 65-72. Some of the units are interesting, others are just plain dry. These were the units that I did:

WORK2201 Foundations of Management - did the equivalent unit at UWS, so I can't comment
WORK2210 Strategic Management - my favourite unit out of the lot, probably the most useful as well.
WORK2218 People and Organisation - this one was alright, some interesting content but was fairly dry
WORK2219 Management and Organisational Ethics - this was the most challenging for me, the essays and assignments were quite tricky.
WORK2221 Organisational Communication - was ok, but a dry unit.
WORK2222 Leadership in Organisations - the driest unit that I've done. lots of readings in this one, and the lecture content is batshit boring, I fell asleep in several of lectures; the tutorial weren't bad too bad however