Career Advice for MBA Grads
Discussion
I am due to complete my MBA soon, but with the current job market a lot of the opportunities I was looking at have dried up.
I am now wondering what other opportunities there are out there.
I am currently stuck in a middle management job on a reasonable salary. But I have no job career progression prospects, as the management above me have at least 15 years of service left. So I either have a choice stick at the job I currently do and wait for an opportunity in another office or to see if others move on.
Or I can jump ship and try a career change out.
All of the job sites offering Positions for Managemetn consultancy positions usually have "industry specific experience is required" clause put into there adverts.
Any advice appriciated.
I am now wondering what other opportunities there are out there.
I am currently stuck in a middle management job on a reasonable salary. But I have no job career progression prospects, as the management above me have at least 15 years of service left. So I either have a choice stick at the job I currently do and wait for an opportunity in another office or to see if others move on.
Or I can jump ship and try a career change out.
All of the job sites offering Positions for Managemetn consultancy positions usually have "industry specific experience is required" clause put into there adverts.
Any advice appriciated.
I'm in a similar position. I'm about to turn 30 and reached a senior position within a SME just under a year ago. My MBA exams are all done and I'm just embarking (late!) on my dissertation.
You can forget anything calling itself Management Consultancy through a job site. You will need to be very focussed and approach the businesses that you are interested in directly - through their normal route. For the big-boys this will be the recruitment process as outlined on their website. For the smaller consultancies this may just mean a letter.
I actually took a module in Management Consulting - the recruitment process is pretty unique; case study interviews form the major part. And you need to practice and be at the top of your game to be successful, unless you are extraordinarily talented anyway. I'm actually taking a career break next year and then attempting to make the leap from General Management to Consultancy.
You seem a bit uncertain as to what you want to do. Has nothing within the MBA (or outside) lit your passion to do something in particular?
You can forget anything calling itself Management Consultancy through a job site. You will need to be very focussed and approach the businesses that you are interested in directly - through their normal route. For the big-boys this will be the recruitment process as outlined on their website. For the smaller consultancies this may just mean a letter.
I actually took a module in Management Consulting - the recruitment process is pretty unique; case study interviews form the major part. And you need to practice and be at the top of your game to be successful, unless you are extraordinarily talented anyway. I'm actually taking a career break next year and then attempting to make the leap from General Management to Consultancy.
You seem a bit uncertain as to what you want to do. Has nothing within the MBA (or outside) lit your passion to do something in particular?
I have a 2 areas for which i have an interest.. Firstly Change Management, and the 2nd is Sustainability/Innovation.
But i am currently more of a generalist, I still have my final year project to complete, plus one other module.. But i guess that the i am unsure at the moment as there are not many job at the moment. Still looking around for a change but i guess that some of the jobs at the moment are just not for me!
But i am currently more of a generalist, I still have my final year project to complete, plus one other module.. But i guess that the i am unsure at the moment as there are not many job at the moment. Still looking around for a change but i guess that some of the jobs at the moment are just not for me!
Slight O/T - are you doing the MBA part time? If so how do you find balancing the two? I'm about to start one as well as working full time. I travel a lot so have lots of "spare" time sat in airports, on the train, waiting for jobs to start etc but just wondered how you found it.
Good luck with the job hunting. Any chance of changing roles in your current employer BTW?
Good luck with the job hunting. Any chance of changing roles in your current employer BTW?
stevieb said:
I am due to complete my MBA soon..
Good luck with your job hunting post-MBA. I hope everything works out for you.Can I ask you, which Uni is your MBA from? Is it accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA)?
As I understand it, this could make a big difference in your job prospects (and bank balance!!)
Edited by FreeLitres on Wednesday 7th October 16:41
stevieb said:
I have a 2 areas for which i have an interest.. Firstly Change Management, and the 2nd is Sustainability/Innovation.
But i am currently more of a generalist, I still have my final year project to complete, plus one other module.. But i guess that the i am unsure at the moment as there are not many job at the moment. Still looking around for a change but i guess that some of the jobs at the moment are just not for me!
Making some assumptions with you being an engineer then is there no opportunity to marry up your process/improvement engineering background with change management in an organisational or even production environment? I am involved in lots of change related projects from an HR perspective but my academic background is legal with an HR Masters.But i am currently more of a generalist, I still have my final year project to complete, plus one other module.. But i guess that the i am unsure at the moment as there are not many job at the moment. Still looking around for a change but i guess that some of the jobs at the moment are just not for me!
With regards MBA recruiting with the likes of CapGemini, PWC et al then they tend to have dedicated recruiters/portals for this and have links with specific MBA universities.
Edited by edc on Wednesday 7th October 16:58
Rob P said:
Slight O/T - are you doing the MBA part time? If so how do you find balancing the two? I'm about to start one as well as working full time. I travel a lot so have lots of "spare" time sat in airports, on the train, waiting for jobs to start etc but just wondered how you found it.
Good luck with the job hunting. Any chance of changing roles in your current employer BTW?
Juggling time has been a problem at times! But all in all it has worked out ok.. Good luck with the job hunting. Any chance of changing roles in your current employer BTW?
My wife had twins 12 months ago, so working studying around family life is a challenge but it comes down to a weekly routine, of time allocations for Study/Family and also time for yourself.
FreeLitres said:
stevieb said:
I am due to complete my MBA soon..
Good luck with your job hunting post-MBA. I hope everything works out for you.Can I ask you, which Uni is your MBA from? Is it accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA)?
As I understand it, this could make a big difference in your job prospects (and bank balance!!)
Edited by FreeLitres on Wednesday 7th October 16:41
edc said:
stevieb said:
I have a 2 areas for which i have an interest.. Firstly Change Management, and the 2nd is Sustainability/Innovation.
But i am currently more of a generalist, I still have my final year project to complete, plus one other module.. But i guess that the i am unsure at the moment as there are not many job at the moment. Still looking around for a change but i guess that some of the jobs at the moment are just not for me!
Making some assumptions with you being an engineer then is there no opportunity to marry up your process/improvement engineering background with change management in an organisational or even production environment? I am involved in lots of change related projects from an HR perspective but my academic background is legal with an HR Masters.But i am currently more of a generalist, I still have my final year project to complete, plus one other module.. But i guess that the i am unsure at the moment as there are not many job at the moment. Still looking around for a change but i guess that some of the jobs at the moment are just not for me!
With regards MBA recruiting with the likes of CapGemini, PWC et al then they tend to have dedicated recruiters/portals for this and have links with specific MBA universities.
Edited by edc on Wednesday 7th October 16:58
stevieb said:
I am Study at Edinburgh Uni, and flying up regularly to attend the workshops..
Ahh, good uni and I believe the MBA fits with AMBA.I almost did a part-funded MBA this year through an ex-poly but decided I would wait for an AMBA course to make it worthwhile.
Best of luck to you
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