MBA Career

Recruitment markets remain subdued, but new MBAs are still finding work. Then again, where and with which companies? It’s not that jobs aren’t out there, according to career departments at the world’s top schools, it’s just that they are harder to find than before.

How to walk the leading edge without falling off the cliff

Modern day complexities require people to walk in many different worlds. But leaders who sense the leading edge and have the courage to take action on their vision. However, it’s important not to get too far ahead of the pack; walking on the edge only succeeds when others are motivated to follow. Often, walking on the leading edge is the only way to succeed. And just as often, innovation, risk, and an ability to push beyond comfort zones can be decisive.

Today the complexities of the business world is astounding. For one thing, nothing is predictable. For another, the rules of the game are forever changing. And just when you thought you’d figured out how to have a competitive advantage, a competitor develops a new technology. Just when you thought you found the right motivation tool, the values in your workforce get ready to shift. Just when you thought you’d found the correct geographical area for the expansion of your internationalization efforts, political turmoil erupts.

Even so, some people seem to have an uncanny knack for knowing what’s going to happen before it unfolds. They are able to develop new rules for the game instead of following the rules everyone else follows. They can plan a strategy that looks absurd to most people at first, and is later called brilliant when it’s successful. They are a part of an unusual breed of leaders called edge-walkers.

MBA qualification:

With MBA alumni, working overseas is a popular choice. Of the 780 students in the class of 2001 at Harvard, over 100 went to work in London. Of the 250 overseas students in the same class, over half stayed in the US. At London Business School, almost the entire class choose to work outside their home country, and with 80% non-UK students, London remains the number one destination. Many MBA recruiting companies are willing to pay for the cost of obtaining a work permit for bright young MBAs to work in overseas offices. Companies somehow always seem to obtain work permits. They have not had anybody turned down, but then they are very stringent in their own selection criteria, too.

Career switching through MBA:

Career switchers benefit from strong MBA demand. Traditional recruitment is based on employers looking for prior relevant work experience and identifying competencies that match a given role. Often an MBA is the only way to bring about a mid-career switch, but it is never easy.

Research, however, shows that roughly 50% of MBA applicants are considering switching from one function or industry to another, through their MBA. Approximately 23% wish to start their own business (typically 5-10% actually do so straight after their MBA) and 65% seek career progression. Most industry experts believe that many of the career progressors opt for part-time MBAs and executive MBAs. As a result, a higher proportion of candidates taking full-time MBAs are contemplating switching careers.

Edge-walkers and career switchers are the leaders of the future. They are the corporate shamans who bring wisdom and guidance for their organizations. It’s a far from easy role to play however it is essential to the success of your organization and one that can make you feel fully alive.