Three career – advancing strategies any MBA needs to follow
There was a time when having an MBA almost guaranteed movement up the corporate ladder. Now, as a result of the downturn in the economy, even MBA’s are experiencing slower job mobility.
A recent management blog from BusinessWeek.com discussed ways MBA’s can avoid career traps and move forward. The article lists three suggestions every MBA should embrace.
- Make leading people a learning priority
Learning this one skill- how to be a leader- will differentiate you from the pack. You should continuously work on developing habits that reinforce this behavior such as organizing meetings that produce results because they prioritize team goals and tasks. Studies consistently show the skill most valued by CEO’s is leading people (73%) over other “soft skills” like resourcefulness, strategic planning, “doing whatever it takes”, and composure.
2. Work on projects tailored to existing employers.
MBA’s should apply their classroom experiences in consulting to existing projects at their current employer whenever possible. Using consulting skills to address finance, marketing, operations, and management challenges brings value and makes any MBA stronger candidates for promotion.
3. Think return on investment.
Any MBA needs to “strategize”. Think about where are the jobs, or at least the areas that offer the best chance of moving up quickly? Most any corporation is struggling to gather/interpret big data. MBAs should practice their analytic and data-proficiency skills. “It’s clear that employers are hungry for managers who have these talents. Since the U.S. is expected to face a shortage of up to 1.5 million managers with big data skills by 2018, it’s also an insurance policy on career longevity.”
At Key Corporate Services we have 9 divisions, each focused on different industries, that are hiring now. Many are looking for smart MBA’s. Give us a call and let’s see if we can match your skills to a great employer.
From The Key Corporate Services Blog Team
