Business school graduates and their skill sets favoured by employees

Employers have confidence in hiring graduates from business schools despite unfavourable macroeconomic conditions, citing communication, data analysis and strategy as some of the most important skills these graduates should have.

This was one of the key findings found in a global survey released by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a global association representing leading business schools. Conducted from January to March 2023 across 34 countries, the survey focused on the skills that will characterise the future workplace and how prepared they think candidates of MBA and business master’s degrees are to meet it.

Recruiters, while still turning to business schools for potential employees, also want graduates to develop important communication and intercultural skills, as well as a better understanding of technology to be equipped for the future.

Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC, said, “It is our belief that business schools and their graduates will rise to the challenge in upgrading the critical skills of the future – be it cross-cultural competence, Web3 and blockchain, or digital communication – to allow them to thrive in global, hybrid organisations and make meaningful impact in an ever-changing environment.” 

While employers were confident in the abilities of business schools to churn out aspiring talent with great potential to rise through the ranks at work, more organisations however were still more likely to recruit from pedigree business schools, and favoured graduates who attended in-person programmes over those with online degrees or micro-credentials only.

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Andrew Walker, Director of Research Analysis and Communications at GMAC and author of the report, suggested, “Graduates of online business degrees should talk about their credentials differently depending on the employer – employers in Asia are more likely to value the degree itself, while U.S. and consulting employers would rather hear about specific skills candidates attained.”