Menu 
Sep 7, 2017

What Employers Do and Don’t Look for In An MBA Graduate

what employers look for mba

Earning an MBA can often be a huge boost for graduates entering the job market, from opportunities for upper-level management roles to increased salaries.

But securing that job post-graduation can still be an uphill climb. Even with an MBA, students often find themselves struggling to understand how they fit within a changing job market. As the market continues to shift, understanding exactly what employers are looking for in their MBA applicants—and what they aren’t looking for—can be crucial for graduates as they search for and apply for their perfect job.

Thankfully, a recent survey from the Financial Times looked at the job market from the perspective of employers: what they are in need of in terms of MBA job seekers, and how MBA applicants can be more realistic regarding for the roles for which their new degree will qualify them. Unfortunately for many MBAs, the survey results may come as a surprise when they reflect on what skills they hoped their degree would offer in the first place. Yet, a critical understanding of what employers are and aren’t looking for can help job seekers re-frame the way they understand themselves and their prospective careers.

What Employers Want

The survey looked into the most important skills that employers look for in new MBA talent. Perhaps surprisingly, the five most important skills determined by the survey were actually not core MBA subjects. “Soft skills,” such as the ability to prioritize (desired by 72 percent of employers), the ability to work with a variety of people (76 percent of employers), and the ability for employees to effectively manage their time were the most desired and difficult to find, according to the survey.

The most difficult skills to recruit—the skills companies are sorely in need of—were most commonly named as the ability to use social media for the business’ needs, financial forecasting, big data analysis, brand storytelling skills, and the ability to train others.

The five most important skills, according to the Financial Times survey.

What Employers Don’t Want

The least important skills for an MBA, according to the survey, were those most often thought of as “hard skills,” such as specialized skills in marketing, finance, programming, or complex statistical skills. Similar skills were mentioned as the least difficult skills to recruit—the ability to solve complex problems and specialized marketing skills are often seen as common fare among MBA graduates and therefore a candidate with such skills won’t necessarily stick out.

Many surveyed employers said that past experience with MBA-holding employees had left them disappointed, with the degree-holder having difficulty turning concepts into practice. Many employers said that, while an MBA degree may be a nice bonus for a job candidate, the overall hiring decision is more based on the individual’s industry qualifications, rather than their degree.

These skills may be less necessary than MBA grads anticipate.

What Do You Need To Do?

So far, the results of the Financial Times survey may be disappointing for MBAs who have worked hard for their business education. No need to get concerned just yet, however. The employer response may have less to do with the idea that the skills of an MBA grad aren’t necessary in a company and more to do with a perception gap; the belief that business schools will not teach students the skills they need, and therefore that they do not need MBAs at their company.

Most of the work in convincing a skeptical employer your degree is worthwhile is simply convincing them that the skills learned as part of your degree are the same ones they desire. Many business schools are attempting to change the way MBAs are perceived and the type of skills that are associated with graduates. Julie Morton, Associate Dean of Careers Services and Corporate Relations at Chicago’s Booth School of Business, has already set half of her team to the work of promoting the value of MBA-holders in the workforce. Overall, much of the work will fall on business schools to market their graduates as holding the skills most desired by recruiters.

On a more individual level, however, the survey results also indicate that MBA grads can be more judicious in the roles that they apply to and the way they market themselves to potential employers. By focusing on the skills desired most—and the hardest to recruit—and ensuring that employers know these are the exact skills an MBA education offers, both employer and employee can benefit.

You can read the rest of the Financial Times survey here.

Posted in: Advice, Career, Featured Home, News | Comments Off on What Employers Do and Don’t Look for In An MBA Graduate

Aug 28, 2017

The MBA Application: Know Your Audience

mba application know audience

As Round 1 deadlines approach, applicants are coming to understand that applying to business school is an incredibly demanding process. In addition to taking the GMAT, assembling academic transcripts and providing recommendation letters, candidates are required to draft multiple essays, job descriptions, lists of activities and more.

With the obvious incentive to save time wherever possible, it’s understandable that many applicants simply cut and paste content from an existing résumé and write about their work in the manner that comes most naturally. However, in doing so, countless candidates each year assemble their materials without ever asking a fundamental question.

Who will read my MBA application?

While the answer to this question may vary from school to school, one thing is certain: It is unlikely that the person reading your MBA application will have an intimate level of familiarity with your specific industry or job function. This being the case, if you use industry-specific jargon or assume prior knowledge of your field on the part of the admissions officer, you will undoubtedly lose your reader.

It’s also important to keep the big picture in mind; many applicants become so mired in the details of their own work and role that they fail to provide sufficient context for an outsider to understand the impact of one’s efforts to the department or organization as a whole. Write about your experiences in a way that the average person will understand. While this is easier said than done, it underlines the importance of sharing your materials with an unbiased adviser (ideally not a work colleague or family member) to make sure that you aren’t off-base with some of your assumptions.

For some extra resources on how to perfect your application, read up on the Clear Admit Essay Topic Analyses for each school, read interviews with members admissions committees, and visit the Clear Admit shop for the informative Clear Admit School Guides. The School Guides offer in-depth, side-by-side comparisons of your target schools and their peer programs. The Clear Admit Strategy Guides and Interview Guides provide added insight into all aspects of the admissions process.

This article has been edited and republished with permissions from Clear Admit.

Posted in: Admissions Tips, Advice, Featured Home, News, Resume Tips | Comments Off on The MBA Application: Know Your Audience

Aug 10, 2017

Top MBA Recruiters: Finding A Role With PepsiCo

PepsiCo Career

PepsiCo is one of the most well-known companies in the world. Known as a top manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of soft drinks and snack foods, the company also serves as a top recruiter of MBA talent in the United States. Continue reading…

Posted in: Advice, Career, Featured Home, Featured Region, MBA Employers, News, Top Employers, Top MBA Recruiters | Comments Off on Top MBA Recruiters: Finding A Role With PepsiCo

Jul 19, 2017

Metro Jobs Report: Career Advice, Goldman Troubles and More

Metro Jobs Career Advice

Let’s dig into the latest job news …

Continue reading…

Posted in: Featured Home, MBA Jobs, Metro Jobs Report, News | Comments Off on Metro Jobs Report: Career Advice, Goldman Troubles and More

Jul 18, 2017

Getting Paid: Highest MBA Salaries in Boston

Highest MBA Salaries in Boston

“Step up to get your rep up,” goes the old saying. Reputation is important in the business world and that extends to where you matriculate. Perhaps the most pressing question on the minds of the b-school-bound is: “What does the paycheck look like after graduation?” Got another plan in mind for paying off those loans?

Continue reading…

Posted in: Featured Home, Featured Region, News | Comments Off on Getting Paid: Highest MBA Salaries in Boston

Jul 11, 2017

Admissions Tip: Addressing Unemployment or Gaps in Employment

Addressing Unemployment Gaps

Given the emphasis that schools place on a candidate’s work experience, it is important to be proactive in addressing unemployment or gaps in employment. When applying to business school, many candidates worry about how the adcom might perceive gaps in employment. We would like to take some time to discuss strategies for addressing this issue.

Continue reading…

Posted in: Admissions Tips, Advice, Career, Featured Home, Resume Tips | Comments Off on Admissions Tip: Addressing Unemployment or Gaps in Employment


Let us find your Program match!!

Your compare list

Compare
REMOVE ALL
COMPARE
0