MBA Opportunities for Hispanics

TopMBA.com looks at how there are increasing MBA opportunities for those from the Hispanic community. 

With MBA graduate starting salaries almost doubling that of undergraduate salaries at just under US$90,000 per annum, there are few who question the value of an MBA program at a top business school.

However, the representation of minority groups on MBA programs has always been somewhat lacking.

“The number of Hispanic [students] pursuing an MBA is marginal at best, so much so companies have begun increased outreach to organizations like the National Society for Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) to secure and fill the MBA pipeline with Hispanic talent,” explains Anyel T Gornik, senior manager of marketing and communications at NSHMBA.

Minority representation at business school

In fact, US News reported in 2009 that black, Hispanic and American Indians make up fewer than 10% of students in the top 30 US business schools, while they comprise about 28% of the total US population.

Although these statistics are somewhat worrying in that certain minority groups are clearly deterred from applying to business school programs, for those that do apply, and eventually graduate there appears to be greater career opportunities as a result of the limited availability of graduates with their cultural skills and experience.

Humana, a company specializing in medical insurance, work closely with the NSHMBA in order to recruit Hispanic MBA alumni.

“As organizations continue to expand their global reach, there will be increased opportunities for Hispanic MBAs to offer a diverse perspective to all areas of business,” explains Humana’s director for diversity, A J Hubbard. “Students who are fluent in multiple languages, or hold dual citizenships, will stay in high demand in the global economy of tomorrow.”

Increased opportunities for Hispanic MBAs

This is a view echoed by many other MBA recruiters in the US.

Raslyn Wooten, senior specialist of communications at the retail company Target explains that the company “believes that it takes leaders with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to build a strong and innovative team. This helps us create an environment that produces diverse leaders, drives innovation and better serves our guests.”

Miguel A Saez is an MBA alumnus of Hispanic origin who has noticed a great deal of success since he graduated from his MBA program at St Peters College, a private school in New Jersey, USA. “An MBA is a differentiator, it sets you apart from the masses and gives you an advantage,” says Saez, who is employed as a senior analyst at Citigroup.

“MBAs are so much more attainable today than at any other time with so many schools offering MBAs with flexible schedules, accelerated programs, weekend courses, online programs, and so on.”

And his advice for Hispanic people considering pursuing an MBA?

“My advice is simply to go out and obtain an MBA. The last two years have completely changed the career landscape. There are many talented individuals competing with college graduates for the same opportunities and [an undergraduate degree] no longer holds the same value,” explains Saez, who has previously held the position of president of the New Jersey chapter of the NSHMBA.

For MBA hopefuls of Hispanic origin, a useful tool in selecting which MBA programs to apply to are MBA fairs, which bring together many business schools in one place, so that applicants can register and meet with the admissions representatives that will decide whether their applications are successful or not.

The QS World MBA Tour regularly hosts many of the top business schools for people of Hispanic origin. Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin, and the School of Business Administration at the University of Miami have all previously been listed in the top five of Hispanic Business Magazine’s ‘Top 10 Business Schools for Hispanics’, and are regular participants of the QS World MBA Tour.

An MBA, coupled with the vast cultural diversity of Hispanic people can really stand out for employers. Business schools actively seek out diversity amongst applicants to their MBA programs, and so taking the next step in attending an MBA fair could be the start of a substantial career, and salary upgrade.