Studying an MBA takes you out of your comfort zone and at the end of it all you are equipped with a broad range of skills and a degree that demonstrates a desire for success and demonstrates ability. Finding the next step can sometimes then be a challenge.
The MBA program placed you in a challenging and rewarding environment, whether you did an online program or attended a university campus. You probably want to keep pushing the boundaries; to continue extending your business knowledge and capabilities. Employment that involves problem solving and unique takes is likely something that will interest you. But finding the ideal career path can be difficult.
You want to find a job or career path that is going to take advantage of these new skills and help you to build on them and develop to become the best business person possible. There are a number of jobs that are well suited to someone who has previously completed an MBA and it is also likely to give you an advantage over others during the interview process.
Account Executive
These jobs are available from graduate level to senior management. It is a sales role in which you may work to find new customers, manage existing accounts to ensure consistent business or seek to increase spending from the current customer base.
Progression in this role comes with dealing higher value products, managing larger or more valuable accounts and leadership positions. MBA graduates are valued in this position for their good communicative skills and sales drive.
Business Consultant
As a business consultant, appearance and presentation is extremely important and that is why MBA graduates are so highly valued. They demonstrate a high ability and level of expertise as well as being well spoken and presentable.
This helps to gain the trust of clients and also earn new clients who are likely to view you as successful and confident. Because MBA graduates are qualified in administration, development and management, they can take on various roles as a consultant. Additionally, any specialised areas studied at university can also be taken on.
Finance Manager
This role would require knowledge of finance and accounting but the need to be able to guide and provide insight is why an MBA graduate would be so valuable.
The inclined leadership and strategic ability of someone with a Masters of Business Administration will likely see them valued higher in this role than someone with a Master of Finance. A strong understanding on financial systems and accounting is still required, however the additional leadership and problem solving skills are highly valued.
Marketing Manager
Moving into marketing management is a typical career progression for anyone who specialises in marketing. Experience and knowledge in the marketing industry can often be better used in overseeing and guiding marketing campaigns as opposed to running them.
An MBA demonstrates a strong ability to plan, strategize, budget and lead a team in its marketing operations. Additionally, marketing is often a core topic of MBA programs.
Business Development Manager
The role of a business development manager is to find new business and growth opportunities so that a company can increase revenue in an economical manner. This means that they are a combination of marketers, strategists and networkers.
Because they are required to find new opportunities, be it through customers or products, they need to be listened to and heard to get their message across. Studying an MBA will provide these skills through leadership and strategy as well as improved communication skills.
Sales Manager
In order to be a good sales manager, you need to be able to sell yourself. This will then allow you to mentor your team into becoming better sales people and achieving, or exceeding, sales goals.
However, as you move up the ranks into more senior positions, having the skills of an MBA graduate is going to be highly valuable. Yes, you do need to be a good salesperson, but you will also need financial, strategy and leadership skills in order to get the best out of your team and ultimately the business.
General Manager
A general manager is most typically someone who holds a higher enough position to be managing managers. This means that they are elite leaders and highly strategic. They know how to manage people on both an individual and team basis.
Competition for these roles is high because the tasks, as the name suggests, are general; managing, supervising and leading. But this does not make it easy and is why it is ideal for an MBA graduate, pulling on their leadership and management skills. It can sometimes be a demanding job but the leadership and management challenge can also be enjoyable.
Ultimately, having a Masters of Business Administration makes you more sought after for leadership and management positions. It will give you a competitive advantage over others in all industries provided you have the basic knowledge of the job specifications.
Because of the marketing, financial and strategic skills gained through the course, the job opportunities are far more open and it is important to take advantage of these. An MBA gives you a world of opportunities, but if you do not take them, through networking and finding a passion, it is possible that they all go to waste.