By Marco De Novellis and Seb MurrayMBA job opportunities are on the rise and the gains are led by Fortune 500 firms, according to a new survey.
The strongest increases in recruiting were seen in the technology and consulting sectors. Financial services firms boosted hiring from specialized master’s programs. The energy industry, hit hard by the fall in oil prices, saw the most significant decrease in recruiting.
“A lot of schools are reporting approximately 20% of their students going into the tech sector, and we don’t see this trend reversing,” said Lara Berkowitz, executive director of London Business School’s Career Centre.
She added: “We’ve already seen MBA hiring in the energy sector slow due to oil prices.”
The MBA Career Service and Employer Alliance (MBA CSEA) polled 83 MBA and specialized master’s programs.
Some 65% of respondents experienced an increase in on-campus recruiting for full-time MBA students; 61% in off-campus recruiting.
“The positive trend we’ve observed extends from traditional full-time MBA programs through part-time MBA and specialized master’s degrees,” said Damian Zikakis, president of the MBA CSEA and director of career services at Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
For part-time MBA students, 64% of schools saw an increase in off-campus, full-time job openings. But most schools reported on-campus recruiting of their part-time MBAs was flat.
Approximately 55% of respondents saw an increase in both on and off-campus recruiting of specialized master’s students into full-time posts.
The business schools, most of which are in North America, saw a slight decrease in job opportunities for international students. This reflects issues arising from US visa restrictions. US businesses have said that there is a lack of H-1B visas, typically used by big companies and universities, causing them to lose out on top talent.
The findings come as schools step up their efforts to help students with job searches. Schools have increased virtual careers events and career-related webinars, alongside the more traditional mentoring schemes and company treks.
Students at CUHK Business School in Hong Kong have recently returned from a field trip to Singapore, where they visited big-name firms like Apple, Google and KPMG.
“Apple was the company we all enjoyed the most,” said Gerardo Salandra, a full-time MBA at CUHK. “They were extremely open.”
Job opportunities increased across all programs, regardless of a school’s place in the most prominent MBA rankings.
More than 60% of respondents from schools ranked 1-20 in the main ranking tables — including from the Economist, Bloomberg, Forbes and the Financial Times — said on-campus recruiting had increased. But 83% of respondents from schools ranked 21-50 did, too, as well as 70% of respondents from non-ranked schools.
Meanwhile, a considerable number of students are focusing their job search on smaller, less established firms.
In a year when Harvard Business School opened up its first off-campus start-up incubator in New York, 48% of respondents to the MBA CSEA survey reported an increase in recruitment among start-ups.
“Students seek a dynamic, fast-paced and cutting-edge business experience. Entrepreneurial ventures clearly fit the bill,” said Ted Zoller, director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Student Reviews
One of a kind
I studied Bioinformatics at CUHK last year. It was the only Master's degree in Hong Kong in this field. This program developed my analytical skills and equipped me to be a Bioinformatician in a very practical way.
I enjoyed my year here and met classmates from different parts of the world. If you are thinking to enhance your profile, this degree program would be a good option.
general education courses, unique college system, large campus
The university facilitates multi-dimension and interdisciplinary learning. In social science faculty, we need to choose courses as our faculty package from other departments (architecture, psychology, sociology, etc.) to learn more than our major required courses. We are also required to finish general education courses, which aid our critical thinking and humanistic sensibilities. I do recommend the social science broad-based program, and the professors I met so far are all responsible and erudite.
LLM
The faculty of law is relatively new. You do not need to have a LLB to pursue a LLM, which is special. The taught programme is great for mature students who want to obtain legal knowledge.
CUHK has good teaching staff too.
Amazing Campus and Great Educational Environment
Not only is CUHK's main campus breathtaking, it provides for a good educational environment for students. The university is well-equipped with modern and up-to-date facilities to help students with their study. We have 8 libraries in total around the campus; one for media, one for architectural studies, the medical library and the law library. The Professors are always helpful and are happy to talk to students when needed.
Moreover, the college system within the university brings forth the uniqueness of CUHK. Each student belongs to a different college, and in that students are able to meet different peoples from different countries and students from different faculties.
I think CUHK provides for a well-rounded university life for all students.
exthrillating
One of the most down to earth places in HK. A great opportunity to learn and embody the local culture. Also had one the most beautiful campus in Hong Kong up on the hillside. Glad to have graduated here.
Innovative and Supportive
My university provided me with all the support I needed, and encouraged me to be up to date with all the new developments in the world. They also provided me with the incentive to excel at what I do, and they take much pride in my achievements. I have had a very rewarding university experience.
Small, New But Friendly Law School
To being with, I think the campus of CUHK is the best and the biggest in Hong Kong, with fresh air and trees everywhere.
I am an undergraduate Law student at CUHK and I think the teaching here is great, with very friendly and nice professors and the new Lee Shau Kee Building.
In terms of the courses offered by CUHK, as one of the largest universities in Hong Kong, CUHK is an all-rounded university, offering a wide range of courses to students. Students may take the introductory courses of discipline other than their own major, or even declare a minor.
For law electives, due to the small amount of intake, the variety of law electives are not that huge. However, the Faculty is offering some international programmes, which can be treated as law electives, but at the same time, provide us with an opportunity to travel and know more about the legal system of another country.
The career support from the Faculty of Law is also amazing. The Faculty will organise CV Sessions and talks on how to get an internship from law firms or mini-pupillage from barrister's chambers. Each student will also have a Distinguished Professional Mentor, which is a current legal profession, providing us with practical advices and updates of the legal field.
Finally, from my personal experience, I think the students in CUHK are friendly and genuine. As Law students, competition is inevitable for grades, GPAs, vacation schemes and training contract. However, I think the competition in CUHK Law School is a positive one, in a sense that help us grow together, instead of fighting with each other no matter what. That is the biggest reason why I am having a very good time here in CUHK Law School.
A place to explore your interests
As a law graduate from CUHK (both undergrad and post-grad), I realise that I had many opportunities to explore my areas of interests (legal and non-legal both). The faculty/university requires us to take a certain number of non-law electives, and offers a plethora of courses to choose from. Personally, I took 3 modules in Korean --I can't say it's made me highly proficient, but it's definitely given me a good foundation (I can walk into a Korean restaurant and confidently order food, at the very least). The fact that language courses are offered also provides students who are more financially constrained an opportunity to learn a language without having to shell out a premium for a decent language course. On top of that, we have a range of law electives as well. I know of classmates who have developed lasting interest in different areas of law because of the electives they took in school. The two electives that I would say have changed me is (i) mooting and (ii) family law. I think my experience in an international commercial arbitration moot competition has helped tremendously in formulating legal arguments and legal writing. On the other hand, taking a family law elective has made me very interested in the family law practice, especially in terms of child rights. For these experiences which I have gained, I'm grateful for the opportunities provided by the school.
One main issue most students I know have is with the way our GPA is calculated and the lack of transparency in terms of how the honours system works. As our GPA is marked on a curve. it's highly unrepresentative of what we have achieved as individuals. Given that our GPA is the only criteria that is looked at when we apply for the compulsory post-graduate law course (mandatory should we want to practise law and/or be trainees in Hong Kong), it will put our own students at a distinct disadvantage when we compete for limited spaces with students from schools where GPA is not on a bell curve.
Valuable time in CUHK
I like the learning environment and people at CUHK. Surrounded by hills and Tolo Harbour, CUHK provides a balance between nature and hustle. You can always escape from the busy study life and meet your friend around the big campus for different activities.
