Five Surprisingly Lucrative MBA Destinations
Even though the most common MBA careers are those in the areas of consulting, banking and finance, there are other options out there. In fact, you’d be surprised to learn which companies truly value hiring MBAs into high paying management positions, and the sectors those firms occupy. Whether its tech, media, or retail, here’s a breakout of five surprisingly lucrative MBA destinations. Continue reading…
H-1B Visa Challenges and Post-MBA Industry Employment Outlook
Immigration is in a precarious place in the United States. While media tend to focus on asylum and family separation, the Trump administration has taken aim at the H-1B Visa program. As Clear Admit previously outlined, the H-1B is necessary for any foreign-born individuals who want to work in the United States. Part of the Trump administration’s “America First” policy, the increased attention given to this visa program has created multiple issues for international students and the businesses that hire them.
The first issue that most international MBAs who want to work in the United States will face is the lack of companies who are interested in hiring them. According to the 2018 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, only 47 percent—down from 55 percent in 2017—of all companies surveyed in the United States intended to hiring international candidates. Students interested in working in finance, health care, manufacturing, and nonprofit sectors may want to change their plans as these are the sectors least likely to hire internationals. Only 11 percent of health care firms surveyed said they plan to hire international candidates in 2018, while 14 percent were willing, but had no plans. Seventy-five percent—the highest among the reporting industries—said they would not hire international personnel. Seventy-two percent of non-profit/government agencies and 60 percent of manufacturing companies also responded that they would not be hiring international candidates. The best sectors for international graduates are consulting and technology. Thirty-seven and 39 percent, relatively, reported that they plan to hire international candidates. Over a quarter of companies in both industries reported that they would be willing to hire internationally, but did not have concrete plans to do so.
The reason that it is so hard for international MBA graduates is the nature of the H-1B visa process. If an employer chooses an international graduate and is willing to sponsor their application, neither the firm nor the employee can be sure that the employee will be chosen for the visa lottery.
A current international first-year student at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business tells Clear Admit that they haven’t second-guessed their decision to attend a U.S. school:
“I do think about visas, but I am not worried. I look at my MBA from a top school as a long-term investment. I am confident it will deliver returns in many ways throughout my future. My advice to other international students is 1) know why you want the MBA and how precisely you want to utilize it before arriving to school and 2) complete the company research and practice to be extra prepared for recruiting.”
The number of international job-seekers in the United States has declined over the last two years from its peak of 236,000 in 2016. However, the number of applicants for H-1B visas remains high—190,000 people applied for 85,000 H1-B visas in 2018, filling the slots in five days, according to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services (USCIS) survey.
In addition to the small number of slots, applicants have to deal with the fact that USCIS has increased discretion over how visas are distributed. Although they are generally three years in length, H-1B visas under Trump’s USCIS have been of increasingly bizarre lengths. As noted in the lawsuit, ITServe Alliance v. USCIS, USCIS has issued visas that last one day and 12 days. One specific visa was expired for three weeks before it was received by the recipient. This has led to increased uncertainty around international MBA students getting the cover that they need to work in the United States.
If an international MBA student has received their three-year H-1B visa and has their desired position, he or she might run into difficulty being with their loved ones in the United States. H-1B holders can bring their partners over to stay with them on an H-4 visa while they wait for permanent residency; however, the Trump administration has spoken openly about eliminating this program. While legislation has been proffered to ensure that this program stays in place, the legislation’s chances of becoming law are slim to nil.
Although the current situation is grim, there are efforts being made to improve the situation. Tech firms, a primary beneficiary of the H-1B visa program, have been lobbying Congress to increase the 85,000-person cap for the visas. In addition, there is support among both parties in Congress to ensure that the H-4 program stays in place.
However, this might be too little, too late. These various difficulties have caused a decline in the number of international applicants at U.S.-based MBA programs. According to the GMAC 2018 Application Trends Survey Report, in the two years of the Trump administration, the number of international applicants to full-time MBA programs has decreased 13 percent.
With the system as it is oriented now, being an international MBA student will remain challenging. Tuck’s Emma He T’17 suggests that fellow (and hopeful) international students “target companies early, be willing to expand your search areas, and/or leverage your background for potential visa exceptions” in order to “mitigate visa concerns.”
Relief might come in the future, but it appears that putting America first will hurt U.S. MBA programs.
This article has been edited and republished with permissions from its original source, Clear Admit.
5 Questions With UC Davis MBA Admissions Senior Director Andrea Shaw
In our latest installment of the MetroMBA “5 Questions” series, we speak with Andrea Shaw, Senior Director of Admissions at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. Shaw discusses the tight-knit culture of the UC Davis MBA program, what students can expect, and what qualities define the program.
How does UC Davis help MBA applicants who don’t come from a traditional business or quantitative background?
“Students come to us from across industries, functions, and from around the world. We pride ourselves on being a tight-knit and collaborative community where conversations directly happen between faculty, staff, and students. Our curriculum also allows students to choose between many different career paths especially given the connections we have across other UC Davis schools.
For students coming from a non-business background or who are nervous about starting, we’re a school that really fits. Many schools have 600 students in a full-time program. We only have 50 students. That allows us to personalize the journey of each student.
Also, UC Davis doesn’t believe in just throwing our students into the program. We get to know our students and their needs—what they’re looking for, their strengths, weaknesses, etc. Part of that knowledge comes from our highly robust orientation where we spend almost a month before school starts to really engage with our students.
Andrea Shaw, Senior Director of UC Davis Graduate School of Management Admissions
During orientation, we spend a tremendous amount of time learning about our MBA class. There’s a significant career focus with discussion topics focused on networking, resume building, LinkedIn, etc. However, what the orientation is most known for is helping our students understand their emotional intelligence and develop their story through exercises and experiential learning.
Students have said in surveys that it’s the orientation that solidifies that they’ve made the right decision to come here. Those first few weeks are critical for setting them up for success.”
What type of culture defines UC Davis?
“The two words that continually come up from students, alumni, and faculty are “kind and compassionate.” We are driven toward success, but nice. It’s the idea of compassionate leadership, which research has shown to be necessary for true business growth. We even have an entire series that students can take to develop these skills, including awareness of themselves and others. Kindness and compassion are woven into every aspect of our culture, starting at the top with our dean.
Our culture is also defined by our location in a college town instead of a city. I love Davis as a city, community, and a place to go to college. It’s safe, comfortable, and all the energy revolves around the college.
We’re also really focused on what we do best as a university—biotechnology, sustainability, agriculture. Those sorts of segments and industries are very tied to our culture, university, and research. So, someone interested in Wall Street finance might not fit as well as someone interested in biotech.
Finally, because we’re a small community, you can really stand out. There are not a lot of politics to hold you back. You can get very involved, and there are fewer people vying for the same positions, so you can do as much as you want. This is highly beneficial for students who have a particular passion that they want to explore. For example, I know an MBA student who started a Women in Leadership organization because that was something she was passionate about, and it happened in a few conversations.”
Can you describe the qualities that UC Davis students possess?
“Other than the typical GMAT scores, GPA, and years of work experience, we look for applicants who know what they want to do with their MBA. Candidates should have a focus for the post-MBA career while also remaining open-minded about new opportunities. After all, an MBA is meant to be a transformative experience.
We also look for highly competent individuals who are professional in their verbal and written communications with us. We pride ourselves on being able to find jobs for all our students, so there’s a benchmark we look for—well-rounded students that have many different qualities. Going back to this idea of collaborative and kind, we look for candidates who are good team players and who see the value of working in groups because we have a lot of group work.
Finally, we look holistically at the class and how everyone will learn from each other. We look for a diverse class with students from a wide variety of backgrounds and industries. Everyone should be unique while still representing the essential qualities we love: kindness, compassion, and collaboration.”
If you could give one piece of advice to an MBA applicant interested in UC Davis, what would it be?
“Confidence! So much of what MBAs lack is confidence. The problem is that if you don’t think you can succeed, you won’t.
When you fill out your application and come in for your interview, we want confidence. Confidence is doing your research (knowing UC Davis), knowing who you are, and knowing your story. It’s also about being authentic. All of that leads to being confident in who you are and what you want. That will come across with us; it will come across anywhere.
“Confidence! So much of what MBAs lack is confidence. The problem is that if you don’t think you can succeed, you won’t,” Shaw says.
Remember, first impressions matter. That’s where that confidence helps too. If you come into a situation confidently, those first impressions are strong.”
What is your favorite San Francisco-focused business blog/website?
“I would say for applicants who are looking at schools in the Davis area, Metro-Edge.org is an excellent website. This is a website for young professionals in the Sacramento area. You’ll find events, gatherings, news, and more. It’s really focused on change and responsibility, and that’s great.
I also have to give a little plug to all of our social media accounts. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook for the latest news and insights. We also have MBA Showcase days coming up on January 26, February 9, and Feb 23.”
MBA Recruiters: What Does General Mills Want From Business School Students?
You have probably eaten a General Mills product at some point. The maker of Cheerios, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Annie’s Homegrown, and Old El Paso products operates in more than 100 countries, producing and marketing more than 100 consumer brands. But it may surprise you knowing that an MBA can directly link you to a General Mills career. Continue reading…
Top New Consulting MBA Jobs at Non-Big Four Firms
While it’s great to aim for the stars, not every MBA can and will land a job at one of the Big Four firms of KPMG, Ernst & Young, Deloitte, and PricewaterCoopers. However, there are plenty of other new MBA jobs available at other big-name firms. Here’s a look at some of the best new MBA jobs open at companies like Accenture, Wolters Kluwer, BCG, and more. Continue reading…
What Do You Do If You Can’t Afford an MBA?
An MBA is expensive. There’s no doubt about it. So, how do you afford one?
According to U.S. News & World Report, the average cost of an two year, full-time MBA from one of the top business schools in the U.S. is over $130,000. That number doesn’t include the cost of boarding and books ($40,000), peripheral expenditures ($20,000), and the cost of lost income ($120,000). Altogether, your total opportunity cost could come to around $300,000 for a two-year MBA.
If that number sounds astronomical, you’re not alone. While earning an MBA can advance your career path and greatly enhance your future earnings, few people feel blasé about the upfront cost. However, with a little bit of research, insight, and know-how, paying for your MBA doesn’t have to be out of your reach.
If you’re a prospective MBA student worried that you can’t afford an MBA, here are a few ideas to help you pay.
