Congratulations! You are about to complete your master of business administration! But, your work is not over yet; you have to find a career. MBA graduates are in luck. Many companies want to hire you.
Large corporations want to hire MBA graduates for their leadership rotational programs. These programs are offered in various areas (human resources, finance, technology, etc.) and are designed to expose you to the company's culture, business, people, and needs. Typically the programs are one to two years in length and fast-track you for leadership within the corporation. The programs are highly competitive, so if you have an interest in a company or a specific area, you should contact your career center to learn more about these programs.
Other MBA graduates pursue career opportunities in consulting. Consultants provide advice to firms who need access to a scope of expertise outside of their own firm. Consulting is a broad profession and can meet the professional goals and expertise of a variety of business graduates because consulting is done in a variety of areas. This profession can be high stress and require extensive travel, but many graduates find it to be a rewarding and challenging career.
Graduate business education is expanding and many students are earning business degrees in specialty areas. In many cases, these students already have a specific career path that interests them. For instance, a master of accountancy graduate probably plans to sit for the certified public accounting (CPA) exam to become a public account. Typically, these degrees are ideal for career changers.
If you are still undecided about your career plans as an MBA graduate, your university's career center may be able to help you. Many centers are equipped to help students channel their goals, strengths, and interests into a career path.
After graduating from the University of Dayton in 2000, Ann Bezbatchenko worked as an editor for SRA/McGraw-Hill Companies. She returned to school to obtain a master's degree from The Catholic University of America, where she worked as the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions for CUA. Ann currently works at Loyola University Chicago's Graduate School of Business as the Director of Admissions.
