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

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.

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.