International Option: Pros and Cons of Earning a Master’s in Finance in the UK Instead of the U.S.
A Master’s in Finance is fast becoming one of the most popular degrees in the world. According to The Financial Times, “global demand for masters in finance (MiF) degree courses increased slightly in 2018,” due to a number of factors including ROI, career paths for graduates, and costs.
Continue reading…New MBA Accounting Jobs at AT Kearney, Accenture, and More
Not every MBA will will land a job at one of the “Big Four” accounting firms of KPMG, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, and PricewaterCoopers. Thankfully, there are plenty of other new MBA jobs available at other reputable consulting firms across the country. Here’s a look at some of the best new MBA jobs open at companies like Accenture, LEK Consulting, BCG, and AT Kearney. Continue reading…
Beyond the ‘Big Four’: What are the Other Major Consulting Firms You Should Know?
Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, and E&Y: Together these firms make up the “Big Four”—the four biggest professional services firms in the world. The companies offer auditing, assurance services, management consulting, corporate finance, legal services and more. It’s no surprise, that many of these companies are also ideal destinations for many MBAs. Continue reading…
Lehigh MBA Success, and More – New York City News
Let’s explore some of the most interesting stories that have emerged from New York business schools this week.
Extraordinary Outcomes for Lehigh’s 1-MBA and M2 Programs – Lehigh College of Business and Economics
This past spring saw Lehigh graduates from the College of Business and Economics’ inaugural 1-MBA (1-year full-time MBA) cohort, as well as the third cohort of its M2 (MS in Management) complete the transition from the classroom to the boardroom.
Employers like Tesla, QVC, and Hubspot snatched up 1-MBA graduates while Amazon, Bloomberg, IBM, KPMG, and more extended offers to nearly 80 percent of M2 graduates. This statistic is very much in line with figures from the 2017 graduates of the M2 program—96 percent of which were employed within three months of graduation by the likes of Deloitte, Vanguard, IBM, and Amazon.
You can read more about the recently Lehigh MBA success here.
School of Management Students Provide Support to Businesses Looking to Export – Binghamton SOM Blog
This semester, Binghamton SOM students took part in the six-month ExportNY “Launch into the Global Marketplace” program, a unique offering that adjunct assistant professor founding director of the Center for International Business Advancement (CIBA) Elena Iankova developed to help give “regional businesses [the] knowledge and resources needed to export their products.”
The basic idea that underlies the “Launch into the Global Marketplace” program is that students research, consult, and support the export plans of participating businesses. Iankova explains: “It’s a two-way street. The students provide the companies research assistance and consultation, and the companies provide the students real-life experiential learning opportunities, helping them develop their management research and consulting skills.”
The program is a partnership between the CIBA and the Alliance for Manufacturing & Technology (AM&T), the Global New York Program of Empire State Development, and the U.S. Commercial Service and the Small Business Administration.
One of the participating companies, Awestruck Ciders, “produces hard ciders from NY state apples” and hopes to export its product to the South African market. Co-founder Patti Wilcox writes: “We think it’s important to the local economy to expand our view of the market on a global scale. We’re fascinated by this idea of an international cultural exchange, and we think doing so commercially is very valuable.”
You can read more about the program here.
The Endless Scroll: How to Tell if You’re a Tech Addict – PC Mag
Just recently, PC Mag dropped its lengthy article “The Endless Scroll: How to Tell if You’re a Tech Addict,” written by Rob Marvin.
In the piece, Marvin highlights Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked from NYU Stern School of Business professor Adam Alter, who doesn’t mince his words when it comes to tech addiction.
“There’s a myth that there’s something different about people with addictions from people without addictions,” Alter explained in his interview with Marvin. “Right now, if you are a person who doesn’t have an addiction, does that make you in some qualitative or categorical way different from people who do? The more I’ve studied this, the more I realized that just isn’t true.”
“Right now, if you are a person who doesn’t have an addiction, does that make you in some qualitative or categorical way different from people who do? The more I’ve studied this, the more I realized that just isn’t true.” – NYU Stern professor Adam Alter, interviewed by PC Mag / Photo via PC Mag
You can read more from Marvin’s excellent piece, out now, over at PC Mag.
Philly’s Fastest MBA Programs
You’re education is important—but so is your time. And for those looking to earn an MBA to accelerate their job growth or fast track their careers, the faster you can earn that degree the faster you can get back to earning money and making an impact in your field.
Most business schools offer a variety of MBA programs for students to choose from, allowing everyone from recent graduates to experienced executives the flexibility to choose a program that best fits into their life and schedule. For driven students who just can’t wait to reap the benefits of their MBA, many schools offer accelerated or One Year MBA programs that shortens the traditional length of time it would take to earn an MBA. While the curriculum can be rigorous, the programs give students the chance to quickly earn their degree, both minimizing the amount of money spent on classes and the income lost from not working full time.
In Philadelphia, there are a number of programs that allow you to go from applicant to degree holder in as little as twelve months. And since a 2017 study ranked Philadelphia as one of the five most-improved economic cities in the U.S., you won’t want to miss your chance to reap the benefits of this economic boom with your degree in hand.
The Fastest Philadelphia MBA Programs
Fox School of Business – Temple University
The Temple University Fox School of Business Executive MBA is one of Philadelphia’s quickest and most flexible MBA degrees. The program takes place over the course of 16 months, with classes delivered on one three-day weekend per month. The program is designed for experienced professionals who want to pursue their degree without giving up their career, and is constructed to accommodate a full-time work schedule.
For those looking for a quick MBA without the ten or more years of work experience an EMBA requires, Temple Fox’s Online MBA can be earned in just 20 months. Outside of one week-long residency at the start of the program, the digital aspect of this degree gives students not just time flexibility but also location. After the residency, this program can be pursued from pretty much anywhere!
LaSalle University School of Business
The School of Business at LaSalle University offers a One-Year MBA program for students with undergraduate experience in business. Knowing that important business pre-requisites for the degree are already out of the way, students can jump right in and earn their MBA in as little as 12 months.
The AACSB accredited One-Year program is an intensive degree program that requires students to take a full course load for the fall and spring semester as well as working through a winter intersession and summer semester. Students in this program also have the opportunity to specialize their degrees in the fields of accounting or finance, and will help prepare graduates to take the CPA and CFA exams by the end of the year. Students will also be paired with an academic adviser throughout the year who will help plan for their future careers. And the success of past graduates of the One-Year MBA program seems pretty clear, joining major companies like Deloitte LP, KPMG, PwC, and JP Morgan Chase, among others.
The La Salle One-Year MBA is among the fastest MBAs you can earn in any major East Coast city.
Haub School of Business – Saint Joseph’s University
The MBA at Saint Joseph University’s Haub School of Business can be completed in as little as one year for students who meet certain undergraduate requirements. Students can pursue this degree in a variety of ways, whether on campus or online, and whether full or part-time. Regardless of format, the MBA at Haub gives students the option to choose major for their degree, among high-demand disciplines like marketing, data intelligence, finance, international business and more.
The overall data which shows that those with an MBA earn more and have more career opportunities most certainly rings true for graduates of Haub’s MBA program. Nearly 76 percent of graduates said their SJU MBA helped their career advance, and 73 percent reported a salary increase as a result of their graduation. With the chance to limit the time of an SJU MBA to just 12 months, students can work their way to these benefits even faster.
Lehigh University College of Business and Economics
The 1-MBA at the Lehigh University College of Business and Economics is a full-time, one year MBA program designed for professionals looking to either accelerate their career or looking to change careers and move towards a business-related field. The rigorous program, which is located all on campus, cuts the time it takes to pursue a traditional Lehigh MBA in half.
Unique benefits of the 1-MBA at Lehigh include a team of mentors and coaches assigned to students even before they arrive on campus, including a faculty adviser, industry mentor and career coach who will help guide students through their year-long program. The program is also centered around a consulting practicum, which both trains students in practical skills for consulting and provides hands-on experience in the field. The 1-MBA program also focuses intensely on the professional development of every student in the program, offering personalized coaching and global immersion study opportunities that can help shape and prepare students for future business success.
How Can You Earn a Career at Deloitte?
In 2017, Deloitte placed 11th out of “Fortune’s 100 Best Companies” to work for. It achieved its top slot thanks to the company’s focus on work/life balance where “you decide how fast paced/slow paced you want to take it.” In fact, 91 percent of Deloitte employees say their workplace is great with:
- Great challenges (96 percent)
- Great atmosphere (95 percent)
- Great rewards (94 percent)
- Great pride (97 percent)
- Great communication (95 percent)
- Great bosses (94 percent)
So, it’s no wonder that Deloitte is a top career choice for many MBA students. The company fits the 33 percent of 2016 post-graduate MBAs who want to work in consulting according to the 2017 Prospective Student Survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC). And Deloitte also falls into the Big Four—KPMG, EY, PwC, and Deloitte—a prestigious place to be.
In addition, Deloitte is a major MBA recruiter with a depth of different career opportunities including Strategy & Operations, not just consulting. According to Transparent Career—a GlassDoor for MBA students—Deloitte ranks as the seventh best consulting company to work for with a composite score of 81/100.
Why You Should Consider Deloitte
So, why should you consider Deloitte as your next career move?
- Culture: For 18 years, Deloitte has been on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. That indicates consistency.
- Giving Back: Deloitte supports more than 5,000 nonprofits each year through its workplace giving program. Plus, workers gave more than 440,000 volunteer hours in 2016.
- Inclusion: Approximately 2/3 of Deloitte’s new hires were women and minorities, and DiversityInc ranks it as one of the “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” and has done so for 13 years.
Deloitte also pays very well. In fact, according to a recent Business Insider article, Deloitte is ranked as the fifth best paying consulting firm for MBAs. Deloitte Consultants can expect a total compensation package of $221,250. The break down is as follows:
- $25,000 signing bonus
- $149,000 base salary
- $2,500 relocation local or $10,000 relocation out-of-state
- Up to $37,250 in performance bonuses
As for what working at Deloitte is like, according to efinancialcareers, “People say they love working for Deloitte because of its ‘dedicated workforce, dynamic and exciting work environment [with] opportunities for professional growth and advancement,’ as well as its ‘flexibility and mobility’ and ‘interesting assignments.’”
And one current employee described Deloitte as “invested in learning and development” saying that “partners and directors are very approachable” while coworkers are “well-educated and professional.”
Life at Deloitte
What’s a day in the life of a Deloitte new hire look like? It depends on where you work. Deloitte isn’t just a consulting company. MBAs can work in a variety of industries including banking, energy, national defense, real estate, and entertainment and in a variety of functions from mergers and acquisitions to audit and assurance, tax, and financial advisory.
Your career path at Deloitte will depend on where you’re hired. If you’re thinking of a career in management consulting, then joining the Strategy & Operations program as a Business Analyst is a smart move. As an MBA, you’ll start at the senior consultant level for two to three years. From there, you’ll move to manager for three to six years, senior manager for 406 years, and then finally reach principal/director. Within this career path, you’ll help market-leading client organizations tackle their complex business programs to drive results. You’ll be exposed to a variety of industries, clients, and projects.
There are quite a few other options as well. You can join Deloitte as a:
- Senior Consulting in Technology, where you’ll make strategic decisions where technology intersects with business strategy. In this position, you’ll use technology to help companies grow and evolve.
- Human Capital Consultant, where you’ll help clients develop solutions across their enterprise looking beyond human resources.
- Audit Staff Assistant, where you’ll work with a team to navigate the difficult landscape of auditing first-hand.
Depending on your previous experience, MBAs at Deloitte can work in one of eight divisions:
- Audit
- Consulting
- Financial Advisory
- Internal Client Services
- Real Estate
- Risk
- Tax Consulting
- Technology
Landing a Deloitte Career
Landing a job at Deloitte starts with their Deloitte Consulting Immersion Program, Client Service Internship, and various competitions. In each of these programs, MBA students will have the opportunity to interact with higher-ups at Deloitte who are responsible for hiring.
During the internship, MBA students will spend eight to ten weeks working in one of four business functions: risk and financial advisory, audit and assurance, consulting, and tax. On the other hand, the Immersion Program is just three days in length but provides MBAs with the opportunity to evaluate the depth, breadth, and quality of the job opportunities at Deloitte. As for the competitions, the National Case Competition and the National Consulting Case Competition are held at Deloitte University each year—inviting top students from MBA programs around the world.
Still, landing a job at Deloitte isn’t easy. Heidi Soltis-Berner, the Managing Director for talent at Deloitte, told efinancialcareers:
“We’re always looking for the best talent, and we’re pretty selective in who we hire. Overall, our applications were very similar to last year—we got around 500,000, and in the fiscal year 2016 we hired approximately 18,000 individuals, about 50 percent to 60 percent were from a campus setting, which equates to about a 4 percent hiring rate, pretty close to what it was last year.”
Specifically, at the graduate level, Deloitte added 6,400 new hires in 2016—most of those post-internship. According to the Deloitte website, qualified MBA candidates looking to earn a Senior Consultant position should have:
- 3-5 years work experience (preferably in a large company)
- A high level of personal and professional experience and history
- Superior analytical skills
- Willingness to travel
- Leadership capabilities and solid teamwork skills
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills
