MBA graduate employment trends at Europe's leading b-schools

The 2012/13 QS Global 200 Business Schools Report, rates business schools based on their reputation among global MBA employers. Nicole Willson speaks to career service directors at leading European business schools to find out what they feel are the biggest employment trends, as well as how the economic situation in the eurozone is affecting their graduates.

Increased interest in CSR for both students and employers

Helga Kirchner, director of MBA Career Services at ESADE has observed an increased interest in CSR and the non-profit sector.  Kirchner states that this is the biggest student trend she has observed in terms of MBA hiring and recruiting.

Increased interest in CSR amongst European MBA students may be one of the factors behind the strong performance of European schools in the QS ranking for CSR, taking five of the top ten places.  Three of those schools make up the top five: IE Business School, INSEAD, and London Business School. IMD and SDA Bocconi are also in the top ten. The fact that these are also some of the best-performing European institutions in the overall rating suggests that it is a subject area that is being taken seriously at Elite Global institutions.

CSR also appeals to companies that recruit students from IE Business School. Lucía Andrés is the associate director of the career management center at IE Business School. She states that recruiters appreciate the fact that IE students have “a genuine interest in Corporate Social Responsibility.”

Social media is gaining popularity as a job search and recruiting method

Lucia Andrés states that one of the biggest trends she has observed is the use of social media and the Internet for recruiting. According to GMAC’s Global Management Education Study, 58% of MBA graduates use social media in their job search in 2012, compared to 34% of in during 2011.

93% of employers recruit using LinkedIn. Since so many employers are using LinkedIn as a recruiting tool, Andrés says that it’s important for job candidates “to make sure they have a very updated LinkedIn profile and use this portal in an effective way.”

Your LinkedIn profile is important, because, as Andrés states, it “is your brand, and thus the image the recruiter will perceive of you.”

Andrés states that isn’t enough to just have a LinkedIn account; she advises that MBAs also need to leverage their connections, join the right groups for their industry, participate in debates, and get recommendations.   Andrés also recommends that students include their LinkedIn URL on their resumes.

How the European economic situation is affecting European business schools

The economic situation in the eurozone has affected employer demand for MBAs. The 2012/13 QS TopMBA.com Jobs & Salary Trends Report observed a growth rate of just 5% in employer demand for MBAs in Western Europe during 2011/12, compared to 16% in North America.

Helga Kirchner has observed that “companies are more conservative with hiring numbers although they do still hire as it is important for them to maintain pipeline for management positions.” In addition, there has been an increase in rotational programs.

The economic situation in the eurozone also affects where MBAs work. Kirchner and her team at ESADE have noted that there is more demand for MBA talent in countries with more economic stability. ESADE students are asked to be more flexible about where they work, and are encouraged to have working permits.

At IESE, over 80% of the student body comes from overseas, and 80% of MBA graduates end up working in countries other than Spain. Javier Muñoz, director of career services at IESE Business School explains that, “It is true that some people will do whatever they can to stay in Spain to work, because they love the country or for personal reasons, but most of our opportunities are abroad.”

Muñoz goes on to state that the economic crisis does not affect career services that much. He says that this is largely due to the international nature of IESE’s career services department, which has locations in four different countries worldwide.  In addition, Muñoz says that the big Spanish corporations are still recruiting and in good shape.