Companies to hire more MBA graduates in 2017

Fresh management graduates need not worry. Despite uncertainty over immigration status and work visa, companies across the world are keen on hiring more people than last year.

According to a survey conducted recently by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), MBA job market continues to offer robust employment opportunities for management graduates and business master’s degree holders.

The results from the 2017 Corporate Recruiters Survey indicate that nearly 9 in 10 employers will be hiring MBAs in 2017. The companies are also keen on hiring graduates of other business master’s programme.

"Despite the political uncertainty about the status of immigration and work visas in the United States and other parts of the world, companies are keen to hire graduates from this year's MBA and business master's programs, including international candidates," said Sangeet Chowfla, GMAC president and CEO. "This signifies the value these programs create for students and the vital role their skillsets bring employers," he added.

About 86% of companies, globally, plan to hire fresh or recent MBA graduates and business master’s degree holders this year 17% up from last year. Demand for management graduates is highest in the United States and Asia Pacific where 9 out of 10 firms plan to hire them this year, the survey reported.

Globally, 59% of employers plan to hire MBAs in 2017, up from 50% in 2016. Nearly 70% of manufacturing industry is keen on hiring MBA graduates this year. A greater percentage of employers also plan to hire recent graduates of Masters of Accounting and Masters of Finance programmes this year, it said.

Employers in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the US say they will stay the course with hiring plans for international candidates, despite continued uncertainty in the US and other countries about immigration and visa policies. Most US companies either plan to or are open to hiring international candidate in 2017. Fifty percent of US tech firms plan to hire international business graduates this year, which is up by 23% from last year.

Demand for MBA graduates showed the steepest increase viz start-up companies with about 3 out of 4 such firms surveyed, plan to hire MBA graduates this year; a 22% point increase over actual hiring in 2016.

Among expertise, data analytics continues to be most sought after as 69% companies plan to hire candidates in data analytics roles. Apart from data analytics, marketing, business development and finance profiles continue to be in high demand.

The remuneration aspect also looks encouraging with more than half (52%) of employers globally, planning to increase starting salaries for new MBAs in 2017.

US-based employers plan to offer recent MBA graduates a median starting base salary of USD 110,000 in 2017, up from a median of USD 105,000 in 2016.

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