MBA market looking up, states GMAC survey

Confirming the value of the MBA degree in today’s dynamic job market, the 2013 Corporate Recruiters Survey finds that the job market continues to improve for graduate business school degree holders, as more employers plan to hire MBAs and specialized business master’s talent than did so last year.

The survey of more than 900 employers across the world, finds that 75 per cent of them plan to hire MBAs, up from 71 per cent in 2012. The proportion of employers planning to hire other types of business school graduates is up from last year for master in management, master of accounting, master of finance, as well as other specialized business master’s. Companies recruiting expect to hire 14.6 MBA graduates on average, up from 11.4 that were hired last year.

Sectors in which more employers worldwide plan to hire MBAs this year than in 2012 include: energy/utilities (86 percent, up from 69 percent in 2012); healthcare (89 percent, up from 77 percent in 2012); and consulting (79 percent, up from 69 percent in 2012).

"Companies are looking to attract the best and the brightest, and the business school experience provides an exceptional opportunity to gain new knowledge, learn and share with a diverse group of students and faculty and most importantly develop at a personal level in many different ways," said Eric Cornuel, director general and CEO of the European Foundation for Management Development.

The 2013 Global Management Education Graduate Survey of 5,331 graduating students attending 159 universities in 33 countries found that 60 percent of those seeking jobs had at least one offer in February or March, comparable to the 62 percent of class of 2012.

Interestingly, fewer full-time two-year MBAs had early job offers this year than last (61 percent, compared with 64 percent last year).

The survey was issued by the Graduate Management Admission Council and its survey partners, the European Foundation for Management Development and the MBA Career Services Council. Both surveys reflect on a healthy job market for business school graduates from five years ago.