MBA Job Stats [MBA Friday Facts]

 According to recent news reports, the number of MBA jobs is on the rise. Read on to find out what types of MBA jobs are becoming more popular, what parts of the world have the biggest increase in MBA jobs, and the best ways to find post-MBA employment. The data in this article comes from the QS Jobs & Salary Trends Report 2011/2012 (PDF), unless otherwise noted.

• There was a 24% increase in US MBA job opportunities in 2011. The regions with the biggest increases in job opportunities for MBAs in 2011/2012 are Asia (19%) and Eastern Europe (14%).

• The industries with the biggest increases in MBA hires in 2011 include manufacturing (36%), IT/computer services (34%), electronics/high tech (28%), and consulting (also at 28%).

• 78.8% of 2011 full-time MBA graduates were employed within three months of graduation, according to job placement data U.S. News & World Report collected from 135 business schools.

• The same U.S. News & World Report survey found that technology-focused business schools were among those with the highest recruitment rates including the Georgia Tech College of Management (95.1%) and MIT's Sloan School of Management (93.1%)

• 70% of business schools surveyed by the MBA Career Services Council reported an increase in on-campus recruiting in 2011. 46% of schools reported increased internship job postings.

• Employee referrals are the most popular MBA recruitment method. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council's 2012 Corporate Recruiters Survey (PDF), seven out of ten recruiters use referrals to find job candidates. 62% of companies surveyed hire past interns.

• The 2012 Corporate Recruiters survey also found that 65% of MBA employers planned to conduct on-campus recruitment events in 2012. That figure is down 3% from 2011.

• Most MBA graduates surveyed by the Graduate Management Admissions Council apply for jobs directly (63%) or use social media (58%) as part of their job search strategy, according to the Global Management Education Graduate Survey (PDF). The job search methods with the highest success rates, however, are internships/projects (70%) and career services (53%).

For a more in-depth analysis of the MBA job market and future projections