Substantial travel often is required of upper-level managers who may travel between national, regional, and local offices, or overseas, to monitor operations and meet with customers, staff, and other executives. Many managers attend meetings and conferences. The conferences provide an opportunity to meet with prospective customers, government officials and contractors, and allow managers to keep abreast of technological and managerial innovations. Long hours, including evenings and weekends, is the rule for most top executives and general managers, though their schedules may be flexible. Skills Needed The educational background necessary varies widely as the job responsibilities.
Many general mangers have a bachelor s degree or higher in liberal arts or business administration.
Their major often is related to the departments that they direct. Graduate and professional degrees are common. Many managers in administrative, marketing, financial, and manufacturing activities have a master s degree in business administration. Managers in highly specialized fields often have a master s degree in engineering or a doctoral degree in a scientific discipline. Many managers have liberal arts degrees in public administration or one of the social sciences.