What Can You Do With An MBA After Graduation?

The Ultimate Guide to Career Options with an MBA

Earning an MBA can open doors to employment opportunities in nearly every sector, from finance to logistics. Yet, landing a job after graduation is not a foregone conclusion. Before completing their program, students should be sure to align their academic curriculum to their future career interests. The following guide discusses career paths for MBAs, includes an interview with a recent MBA graduate who secured employment, and offers resume tips to help maximize the chances of landing a job upon graduation.

Salary During MBA vs Life After MBA

We Surveyed 383 MBA Students about the cost of their degree and life after their MBA. Here's what we discovered about annual income before and after graduation.

Editor's Note: In conducting our 2021 survey, 169 students declined to respond to question twelve, "What was your household income while completing your MBA?." If a participant was uncomfortable with sharing personal information, or preferred not to answer, they were able to skip the question. We acknowledge that the lack of responses will skew our survey results.

MBA Concentrations to Career Map

Flexibility is one of the major benefits of the Master of Business Administration degree. The broad business curriculum, coupled with specializations in areas such as entrepreneurship, marketing, or finance, allow students to develop skill sets applicable across industries. Once the diploma is in hand, keep an eye out for the following potential career paths, salaries and job growth for related occupations.

Start Early: A Timeline for MBA Success

An MBA Resume Checklist: 10 Tips

The most successful resume, says Walker, are easy to read, concise and descriptive. “Recruiters,” he notes, “generally scan resumes for 30 seconds, look at positions, companies, and education—and then finally dig deeper into your most recent position.” The ten tips below can be used to craft a compelling case to recruiters and hiring managers that your MBA and professional experience make you a competitive candidate.

The Perfect Fit: Finding the Right Company

Although it may be tempting to jump at the first job opportunity presenting itself, it's also important to remember how much time will be spent at work. Before accepting any position – no matter how great it sounds – consider the questions below to ensure the role is matched to specific personal and professional needs.

Standing Out: Impressing MBA Recruiters

As the old adage goes, you've got one chance to make a first impression. Recruiters interview countless qualified candidates during the hiring season, making it imperative to stand out – in a good way. Use the following list to make a favorable and lasting impression in the interview chair.

• Understand the mission:
  Why would a company want to hire you if you can't clearly convey why they exist in the first place? Especially for roles with client interfacing, a candidate who can't verbalize the mission succinctly will be dropped to the bottom of the list.
• Complete the puzzle:
  How do you fit in with the company? Demonstrating your value to a recruiter shows that much thought has gone into self-analyzing and understanding the organization – both of which are impressive to recruiters.
• Present a win:
  How can you help them get a leg over on the competition? By showing that you've thought about both the company and their competitors, recruiters see your ability to take a holistic view of the field.
• Tailor yourself:
  While it's important to show up looking your best, this tip isn't referring to that kind of tailoring. As with individualized cover letters, make sure the answers you provide in interviews show thoughtfulness about a specific company. It's easy to start rattling off prepared answers to common questions after a few interviews, but these rehearsed responses can seem generic to recruiters, who are looking for answers tailored to their company.
• Demonstrate your work ethic:
  How can you prove you'll be a motivated and engaging employee while still in school? Extracurricular activities. Whether taking part in an MBA special-interest club or volunteering outside of school, these accomplishments show recruiters that you'll be an energetic employee.

• Stay on message:
  What's your story? Interviewees who present a clear and cohesive image of themselves weave a story, making them seem memorable and put together. Whether you want to be known as a go-getter, a thoughtful researcher, or someone who is passionate about startups, keep this identity in the forefront as you craft answers to interview questions.
• Ask questions:
  How can you make the interview more than a one-way interaction? Recruiters don't want to be the only one asking questions. Most importantly, remember not to ask any question whose answer could be found through researching the company. Asking a basic question shows you haven't done your homework, while a thoughtful query can show depth of interest.
• Learn from those who have gone before you:
  Who understands the interview process better than you? Aside from career counselors, one of the best assets an applicant can take advantage of is a gainfully employed recent graduate. Having recently gone through the process, these professionals have fresh insights on what it takes to get hired.
• Say what you want:
  How will a company know you'll fight for them if you don't fight for yourself? Although it may seem bold, one of the strongest things an applicant can do is convey that they want the job. While it's important to avoid a tone that says you're desperate, showing confidence in knowing what you want sends a clear signal.

Get Connected: Networking Resources

One of the most important components of success when it comes to landing a job is who you know. Networking is vitally important for students, but while still in school and after they graduate. The following associations provide opportunities to meet leaders in the field.

Alumni Associations

• Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business Alumni Association
  The MBA alumni network at GU provides an ambassador program, advisory council and career services center.
• Harvard Business School Alumni Association
  The HBS alumni organization provides a range of services to its 82,331 alumni, including an online community, reunions, class notes, events, and a career board.
• UCLA Anderson School of Management Alumni Association
  The MBA alumni association often invites alumni to campus to share their experiences and some even provide internships for current students.

Career Fairs

• National Association of Women MBAs
  As part of their annual conference, the NAWMBA hosts a career fair for talented female MBA students.
• National Black MBA Association Inc
  The NBMBAA hosts regular virtual career fairs for student members, allowing them to meet with recruiters across the country.
• University of Miami MBA campus career fairs
  UM provides an example of the type of on-campus career fairs available to students enrolled in MBA programs.

Location-Focused

• Rotary
  Although the rotary club has more than 1.2 million members, the goal of the organization is to build positive communities by developing leaders to create change.
• Young Nonprofit Professionals Association
  With chapters spanning across the nation, recent MBA graduates hoping to put their educations to work in the nonprofit sector often join YNPA.
• The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc.
  With a focus on civic leadership and community impact, Junior Leagues help women become strong leaders through volunteer opportunities.

Professional

Finance

• Commercial Finance Association
  CFA serves individuals working in asset-based lending and factoring, offering local chapters, publications and continuing education opportunities.
• European Finance Association
  Finance professionals working in the global economy benefit from membership with the EFA, which draws together both academics and practitioners.
• The American Finance Association
  As the publisher of The Journal of Finance, AFA is a venerable organization in the financial industry.

Marketing

• American Marketing Association
  The AMA is the preeminent membership organization for marketers today. More than 100 chapters give members access to a host of resources and special events.
• Business Marketing Association
  With chapters throughout the country, BMA members attend events and networking opportunities to learn about business marketing.
• Direct Marketing Association
  Members benefit from DMA's training programs, events, advocacy efforts, and networking opportunities.

International Business

• Business Network International
  As the world's largest referral organization, BNI has more than 185,000 members based in over 60 countries. The association has more than 3,700 chapters in the United States.
• International Business Innovation Association
  Whether hosting international conferences or offering certification programs, InBIA exists to promote innovation in business on a global scale.
• International Chamber of Commerce
  The ICC provides members with regular networking events, international advocacy, and global influence.

Operations Management

• American Production and Inventory Control Society
  With more than 43,000 members in over 100 countries, APICS is a leading membership association for MBAs working in operations management.
• European Operations Management Association
  For operations management professionals working in the global market, EOMA provides access to EU countries.
• Production and Operations Management Society
  POMS provides members access to the POM journal, regular conferences, educational opportunities, and numerous local chapters.

Leadership

• American Management Association
  AMA members can access a range of benefits, including podcasts, webinars, white papers, online training, local chapters, and regular events.
• International Leadership Association
  The ILA has a variety of affinity and community groups for members and also provides a leadership webinar for those looking to hone their skills.
• US Business Leadership Network
  This nonprofit organization currently counts more than 5,000 businesses as members, with nearly 50 affiliates across the country.

Strategy

• Association for Strategic Planning
  ASP is the leading professional organization for those working in strategy. The organization has 17 chapters in both the U.S. and further afield.
• Association of Strategic Alliance Professionals
  ASAP members take advantage of a strategic planning certification, regular events, publications, and a job board via 13 chapters representing four continents.
• Strategic Planning Society
  For strategic planners working internationally, this UK-based organization offers webinars, events and a magazine.

Entrepreneurship

• Entrepreneurs' Organization
  Comprised of more than 11,000 members and 153 chapters in 48 countries, EO is the only peer-to-peer network created specifically for entrepreneurs.
• Female Entrepreneur Association
  FEA exists to empower female entrepreneurs by providing training, mentorship, and regular events organized by local chapters.
• United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
  USASBE is the largest professional organization in the world devoted to furthering the field of entrepreneurship.

MBA Graduate Talks Jobs, Transferable Skills, Advice: Interview with Ryan Walker

What was your job search like after finishing your MBA program?

It's not a ticket to a career change, as it is presented to many who consider a full-time program. I found that employers still care more about your previous experience, the MBA alone won't get you into a new career. I had three offers and a fourth on the way before graduation, but have for the most part stayed in my previous industry.

How have you benefited from earning an MBA?

The biggest difference is that I jumped up a few levels and am responsible for growing a new practice—a responsibility that probably would have been much harder to justify without an MBA. It also made a difference in pay as it more than doubled my salary pre- vs. post-MBA.

What did you learn in your MBA program or what courses were transferable to real-life situations in the workplace?

Although courses weren't entirely transferrable, the business strategy is very useful. Babson's small business focus also successfully teaches you to think about problems in a different light.

What advice do you have for a current MBA student to help them prepare for their post-education transition into the workplace?

Place a lot of thought into what you want to get out of it and go in with a plan The people that benefited the most knew exactly why there were there and what they needed to get out of it. They took the classes and participated in the clubs that brought them to their end goal. The people that just wanted to do something different and take two years off are in many cases still looking for a job.

Survey Methodology

All data was collected between 6/14/21 and 7/3/21. Respondents were fielded by Lucid LLC. All 343 respondents in the study were screened by multiple quality checks, including systems like Relevant ID, and responses were manually reviewed to ensure consistency and accuracy. Survey participants include 169 currently enrolled MBA students and 174 graduates from MBA programs within the past 6 years. Respondents are between 21 and 78 years of age and identified as 45% Female, 54% Male, and 1% non-binary.

Student testimonials have generally been obtained with the offer of compensation for completion of a survey (e.g., entrance into a gift card drawing). Such testimonials are the opinions of such students and surveys are designed to avoid influencing such testimonials either positively or negatively. All student respondents were supplied by Lucid LLC.