| According to CIO, two of the top job requests on its | | | | • Middle-market M&A investment bank |
| employment Web site desire candidates with a | | | | Harris Williams & Co. has seen a 30 to 35 percent |
| master's degree in business administration (MBA) | | | | increase in applications from MBA students |
| combined with credentials in either computer science | | | | • Consulting firm Bain & Co. reports |
| or information technology. And the demand for hybrid | | | | applications at the MBA level have increased 10 to 15 |
| professionals certainly doesn't end there. The traditional | | | | percent |
| route to big business, finance, and banking usually ran | | | | • Less than 50 percent of graduates at New |
| through MBA programs. Today, MBAs are beginning to | | | | York University's Stern School of Business and |
| rethink their career paths. | | | | University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School enter the |
| The Intrinsic Interdisciplinary Nature of Business | | | | finance industry |
| MBA graduates have long been accustomed to | | | | While MBAs may willingly enter alternative career |
| leaving graduate school for traditional roles in | | | | paths, many are now veering of the common path out |
| finance--such as banking or financial planning. In light of | | | | of necessity. Smart candidates can get themselves |
| today's ever-changing economic and financial | | | | through a bear market by earning as much |
| landscape, many MBAs are not following tradition. | | | | wide-ranging experience as possible and then make |
| Because business principles apply across industries, | | | | that experience work for them in a new position. |
| many MBAs are eschewing customary career tracks | | | | Mixing Business and Passion |
| for new challenges in technology, consulting, | | | | If you are considering enrolling in an MBA program, you |
| entrepreneurship, and nonprofit organizations. | | | | may want to consider the following: |
| MBA programs typically expose graduates to all | | | | • Spend some time priming for your MBA in a |
| aspects of business, so graduates can master the | | | | job that has some similarities to career tracks of |
| "soft skills" that are critical for success across | | | | interest |
| industries, such as client orientation, presentation skills, | | | | • Focus primarily on the MBA and internship |
| and communication talents. This diverse training in | | | | • After your schooling, enter your industry of |
| leadership and resource management is generally | | | | choice: learn about successful start-ups and build |
| needed in all industries, not just finance--which has | | | | relationships with other professionals |
| become paramount in light of the economic slowdown. | | | | • After you're established, start a company, |
| For example, information technology workers in | | | | capitalizing on prior networks, resources and |
| particular are considering grad school in order to earn | | | | relationships |
| the management acumen that can translate into better | | | | The bottom line is that as MBAs continue to branch |
| career opportunities. In today's economy, specializing in | | | | off into uncharted territories, new doors of opportunity |
| one more than one particular niche may be the best | | | | and advancement should continue to open. While you |
| educational path to take. | | | | may not be able to rush into positions at venture |
| Some Real Life Examples | | | | capital firms or Wall Street, positions in consulting, |
| The Wall Street Journal cites a Robert W. Baird & | | | | corporate finance, and private equity firms should |
| Co. investment bank recruiting survey that reveals a | | | | continue to be available. |
| 50 percent increase in interest at the M.B.A. level over | | | | Keep in mind that the MBA program is typically |
| 2007. Finance and risk management are a couple of | | | | demanding in and of itself, and is not the type of |
| the primary industries that benefits from MBAs looking | | | | curriculum to enter into lightly. But if you have prior |
| to enter other fields, particularly at the mid- and | | | | experience in an industry, adding an MBA can be a |
| small-scale organizational level. Other statistics of note | | | | way to maximize your potential. |
| include: | | | | |