Last March, we wrote about how this was a great time to be an MBA student. According to new data released yesterday by the MBA Career Services and Employer Alliance that statement still holds true.
In their survey of Career Management Directors across MBA programs, over 70% reported an increase in on-campus recruiting postings and 60% reported an increase in full-time job postings. A similar trend holds true for internships, as 60% see an increase in on-campus recruiting for internships and 70% see an increase in job postings.
Growth comes in schools ranked 21-50
Employment numbers are strong amongst the Top 20 but the real growth has come from the second tier of schools ranked 21-50. Due to the increase in demand for MBA graduates, employers who typically targeted the Top 20/25 schools are now targeting additional schools to hit their hiring numbers. This, coupled with the increase in companies recruiting MBAs along with MBA’s choosing the path of entrepreneurship have led companies to cast a wider net.
Consulting and Tech win again
Consulting has always been a winner at MBA programs for full-time hiring and its growth continues to rise. 64% of respondents saw increases in consulting hiring which is higher than the 48% that was reported last year. The Technology Industry continues to target MBA graduates as 64% reported an increase in appetite from Tech firms. Furthermore, it was the biggest gainer when it came to internship hiring (68%.) And while Financial Services has been seen as the loser of many of these tech hires, had stable numbers with about 45% seeing increases.
Everyone thinks they are Top 20
A light-hearted observation, but the data shows that there were 26 respondents who responded to questions and marked that they were a “Top 20” school. Because there are a number of rankings that have slight differences its understandable as to why this could be but it’s a bit amusing nonetheless.
Energy & Petroleum are the losers
Energy & Petroleum sector hiring was one of the only areas to experience a significant decrease. Given the state of the oil prices over the past year its not hard to see why.
Outlook
Survey participants cited that the increase in help from alumni, more 1v1 career coaching, and a willingness of students to relocate have all helped with recruiting success. The MBA job market is on a roll, making it clear that it really is a great time to be an MBA student.