Largest Number of MBA Jobs in Consulting, Finance and HR

TopMBA.com looks at new research which shows that the largest number of MBA jobs are in consulting, finance and HR. 

New research released this week shows the proportionate share of MBA jobs between major industry sectors.

Unsurprisingly, two of the largest sectors are financial services/banking with a 26% share of global MBA job opportunities, and consulting/professional services with a 12% share.

However, recruitment/HR services also appears in the top three industry sectors for recruiting MBA graduates in 2012, with a 13% share of MBA jobs, possibly due to an increasing need for organizations to improve their employee productivity during tough economic climes.

The QS TopMBA.com Jobs and Salary Trends Report further highlights the previous year’s growth of MBA job opportunities within industry sectors, as well as employer predicted growth for the coming year

During the last 12 months, the greatest growth industries for MBA employment were metals/mining (40% growth in MBA jobs), law (37%), recruitment/HR services (33%), and energy (28%). Hotly tipped sectors for the coming 12 months include law once again (expected to grow by a further 51%), IT/computer services (37%), and retail (29%).

But while these figures may seem impressive, the percentage share of the MBA job market each industry currently holds also needs to be taken into account – after all, a 51% increase in MBA jobs for law professionals when the industry only holds a 1% share of the overall MBA job market in 2012 is not a huge increase in the real number of jobs.

On the other hand, a 25% increase in the number of recruitment/HR professional jobs for MBAs on the current 13% share of the MBA job market represents a far more significant upturn, which should be particularly pleasing for MBA graduates with a strong set of soft-skills.