Articles

Three Industries That Are Looking For MBA Program Graduates

2010-12-10

In a time of economic recession, it is important for job seekers to have every competitive advantage possible. In the past, a bachelor's degree was more than enough to land a decent-paying job, but many of today's graduates are stuck working the same retail jobs they had in high school. However, students coming out of graduate school currently have an advantage in the work sector, especially if they graduate from an MBA program. However, not all companies are in a position to hire MBA program graduates. Traditionally, most graduates have landed jobs in the financial sector, but current job-seekers will find more success searching elsewhere. MBA program graduates have shown success in breaking into the following three industries:

Healthcare

MBA graduates rarely get excited about the possibility of working in healthcare, but they might want to reconsider their negative attitudes, because the health care industry is hiring MBAs for jobs in hospital administration and health care management. In the past, job seekers in the healthcare field needed clinical experience to land a job, but rising costs have forced many consulting firms and companies to go after those who have graduated with MBAs. These jobs often pay in the six figures, and tend to be more stable than traditional consulting gigs. Job outlook for the next few years is good, in part due to the passing of the new healthcare bill. Another reason for added hiring in the healthcare sector is the aging of the baby boomer generation.

IT and Computer Services

After a long downturn, the world of IT seems to be picking up again, which means that MBA program graduates can expect business recruiters to be on the search. Much of the recent upswing in demand stems from the international market, especially in the Asia Pacific region, where the large outsourcing industry is hiring MBAs to perform managerial duties. This being said, it is very helpful for those currently in MBA programs to look into obtaining some sort of background in IT.

Nonprofit Organizations

This is an area that has surprised MBA programs with its strong demand for business graduates. Many MBAs tend to limit their job hunts to big business, often mistakenly thinking that their education and background will not be suited to the needs of nonprofit organizations. However, parallels between big for-profit businesses and nonprofits exist. Both areas are looking for employees with passion for getting results-a definite strong point of MBA graduates. Also, nonprofits are recognizing the skill MBAs have in obtaining much-needed funding from grants. Nonprofits tend to pay lower salaries than traditional big business employers, but they are also much more likely to hire recent graduates.