The Benefits of an Executive MBA #8: Internal Career Advancement

An Executive MBA allows for career advancement – both within and outside organizations. QS TopExecutive takes a look at how an Executive MBA can help candidates step up the internal company ladder.

For many EMBA graduates, the most significant result they expect upon completing this prestigious business school qualification is a change to their career - whether that be a new job at a different company, a promotion within their current organization or the plunge into starting a business of their own.
While graduates of full-time MBA programs by and large seek new employment upon graduation, EMBA graduates often stay within their current company reaping significant long-term rewards.

Professional opportunities

In its 2012 Graduate Survey, The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) reported employment offers for EMBA graduates seeking a job is at an all time high – latest statistics showed an impressive 76% of those looking for new employment received a job offer.

However, a job change is not the only, nor even the most popular, type of career change EMBA graduates are looking for. According to the GMAC report, only 16% of EMBA executives were seeking employment at the time of graduation in 2012, slightly up from 10% in the previous year.

These figures come as no surprise as the nature of the Executive MBA means students work while studying. Therefore, they are more likely to stay within their current employment after graduation for a number of reasons such as loyalty, commitment and job satisfaction.

Typically, EMBA graduates who remain within their company can expect to be trusted with a range of new responsibilities, different roles, and higher salaries as an immediate benefit of their ardent academic efforts.

Promotional rewards

Meanwhile, the Executive MBA Council reports 37% of EMBA students receive a promotion while studying and EMBA students are more likely to be promoted within their company than graduates from other MBA and management programs. In addition, the Council also indicates, 68% of EMBA graduates are trusted and endowed with new levels and remits of responsibility during their studies.

Such new and greater levels of responsibility can include managing larger teams, overseeing more complex projects, being assigned to an international post or simply being given greater leadership roles overall in managing both tasks and people. For many EMBA graduates it also makes sense to apply and hone the newly acquired skills within an environment that they are familiar with and in which they are likely to be given greater flexibility to apply the new knowledge in innovative ways.

Value recognition

Employers also recognize the added value an EMBA offers their company and employees alike and facilitate upward mobility within the company accordingly. Promoting from within not only limits the steep learning curve every new appointment brings with it, but it also improves and strengthens the morale among employees when they recognize the possibilities for advances within the company. EMBA graduates are known to bring in new perspectives and the valuable ability to combine organizational knowledge with innovative approaches and fresh ideas.

By staying within their current employment EMBA graduates thus have the chance not merely to become entrepreneurs, but also intrapreneurs, innovating and revitalizing their roles and their company from within - an invaluable asset for any employer and a rewarding role for the EMBA graduate.