Business postgrads remain in demand for their versatility and strategic thinking
Most recruiters across the world are planning to hire Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduates with their skills being viewed as more valuable because of challenges from new technology, according to a new report.
The latest Corporate Recruiters Survey polled 1,108 recruiters from 46 countries to look at the current state of hiring for people from graduate business schools.
It found that 90% of them are predicted to hire people with MBAs this year, similar to last year's findings.
However, 37% of these employers are planning to recruit more MBAs this year, up from the previous 17%, while fewer employers are planning to hire fewer in 2025 (14%).
Additionally, there is also significant growth recorded in the share of employers who are planning to recruit more talent with the following degrees:
The findings come in the wake of hiring sentiment declining in the latest ManpowerGroup employment outlook poll, with trade uncertainty cited as a major factor shaping hiring decisions.
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) underscored that its findings are predictions, noting that actual hiring patterns last year came up a few points short of employers' estimates.
"The predictions are not wildly outside of actual talents, and it should be heartening that employers are optimistic about hiring despite global economic and geopolitical headwinds," the report read.
The strong employability of business postgraduates comes amid employers' confidence that business school graduates have strong communication skills (66%) and have a versatile skill set (61%).
More than three in five (63%) of employers also agreed that skills gained through a graduate business degree are more important than before because of new technology adoption.
"As AI becomes more integral in a company's decision-making and strategy development, employers continue to turn to business school graduates for their versatility and strategic thinking, along with growing appreciation for their ability to innovate and navigate the challenges and opportunities of technological disruption," said Joy Jones, CEO at GMAC, in a statement.
"I give kudos to business schools' intentional cultivation of these relevant skills in their students, who stand out even more as valuable contributors and future leaders in the ever-evolving business world."
