Why You Should Get Your MBA in 2015

In every economic downturn students have stayed in school longer, and that trend continues to today, leading to the most educated workforce in our country’s history. And it makes sense: why graduate into the real world, taking a less-than-desirable job, when you could continue to pursue your education from the relative shelter of a college campus?

If you’re one of the 1.4 million students who’ve decided to pursue higher-education in an attempt to avoid a bad job market, this year, consider moving on to earn your MBA.

What an MBA Can Do for You

As we’ve discussed in previous articles, the more education you have, the less chance you’ll be unemployed. This trend continues into 2015 amid a bustling job market. While all signs point toward a quick recovery, those on the ground floor, having just graduated, are still finding it difficult to secure a position that corresponds to their relative level of education and expectations. A recent study by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development shows that over 40% of recent graduates haven’t been able to find employment in a career-related job.

MBA graduates are among the most sought-after employees by Fortune 500 companies, and have the lowest unemployment rates of Master’s degree-holding graduates. An article by Quartz puts it even more plainly:

“[In 2014] some 85.9% of Top Ten graduates had job offers at graduation, while an impressive 95.4% had offers three months later. The numbers for the Top 25 schools were nearly as good: 83.9% had offers at commencement, while 94.2% received offers three months after graduation. And even the next group of schools, ranked 26th through 50th, did very well: 75.4% reported offers at graduation, while 91.5% had job opportunities three months later.”

An MBA degree has the unique ability to send you straight into a high-paying and prestigious career-related position, and this year is the best year to pursue one.

Why 2015 is Different for MBAs

Because students graduating this year will enter into the best-educated workforce, it pays to have a competitive resume. Graduating with your MBA not only will propel you into the top of the application slush pile, but will get your resume a second look.

Bob Vita of LiveCareer.com says, “When hiring managers are looking to fill a position, especially in this job market, they get tons and tons of applications. They don’t have a lot of time to really read through them, so at most your resume will probably get a 4-5 second look. Having your MBA under education right at the top of the resume will earn you more time.”

In addition, as the economic upswing creates companies, which creates jobs, there is a growing need for MBA graduates, especially at start-up businesses and Fortune 500 companies looking to expand in a more favorable climate.

MBAs also allow you to work in a surprising number of fields. From renewable energies to major finance companies to fast food chains, every vertical you can imagine is in need of the skillset students gain from attending an MBA program.

What to Expect Upon Graduating

While not every MBA student can go on to work at Berkshire Hathaway, you can improve your chances of working at a major company by attending a great school. According to Quartz:

“At Washington University’s Olin School, with a 97% job offer rate three months after commencement, the top employers were Citigroup, Emerson, ExxonMobil, Sigma-Aldrich, and IBM. Those employer lists differ substantially from Top Ten schools, where MBA recruiting tends to be dominated by the likes of McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, Amazon, Apple, and Google.”

An MBA not only increases your chances of getting hired, but also shortens the timeframe in which you can expect to get a great job. This year, look into MBA programs at your University, or consider attending an online program. Take a look at our Online Schools and start your degree program today.