Editorial
mba
8) Use the information sessions talked to its representative; trust your instincts as much as your research.
At the QS World MBA Tour you can learn a lot through information sessions Ensure you assess the people you meet – are they interested in you? Can
on topics such as GMAT and the applications process. Many events also they answer your questions easily and authoritatively? Are they professional?
feature master classes in which you can see business school academics in Meeting people face-to-face like this is as much about you making a
action and sample what studying for an MBA might be like. judgment as it is about obtaining relevant and comprehensive
information.
9) Evaluate
Many MBA students say that they knew the right school as soon as they 10) And, finally - relax and enjoy yourself!
Soft skills –
time to toughen up
By Ross Geraghty
I
n business schools across the globe, core features of the course, before the recent takeover by Nomura, “and place emphasis more on
which provide skills highly valued by employers, will invariably communication, interpersonal skills and leadership traits.”
include strategy, marketing, finance and leadership. While nobody According to many recruiters, too many business school graduates
disputes that those core elements will remain central pillars of the hit the job market lacking essential skills that go beyond a mere
business school education system, a 2008 QS report shows that ‘soft qualification. Mitch O’Brien of Emissary Pharmaceuticals in Australia
skills’ rank increasingly highly in importance with recruiters. And yet says, “MBAs represent an interesting pool of potential business leaders
this is a key area in which MBAs are falling short. with broad business skills, however they often come with an arrogant
The teaching of soft skills at business school is contentious. There expectation of career progression. I would like to see more emotional
are those who believe that it is a waste of time. A significant percentage intelligence taught and realistic career counselling provided.”
of MBAs say that they can’t see the value in spending time on
communication or man-management skills when they already have What are ‘soft’ skills?
too little time to get to grips with complicated finance, accounting or Sean Hewitt, a careers advisor, notes the following nine soft skills:
marketing models. “Keep a winning attitude; be a team player; communicate effectively;
Recruiters disagree and, particularly at the turn of 2009 as the exude confidence; hone your creative skills; accept and learn from
world enters what is now being described liberally as a recession, soft criticism; motivate yourself & lead others; multitask and prioritise your
skills are becoming more and more essential. In the QS Recruiter to-do list; see the big picture.”
Survey 2008, 489 of the world’s major international MBA recruiters Easier said than done? Perhaps. Wendy Lyons, Managing
(including Goldman Sachs, Boeing and Motorola) ranked Consultant at London’s Human Assets, and an expert in the field, says
communication and people skills higher in importance than the a mere list is not that simple. “For employers, getting the right people
traditional skill sets. “We tend to focus less on academic or technical means identifying people with the right skills and qualities to fulfil the
skills,” says Phillip Cho of Lehman Brothers Singapore, speaking role and contribute to the organisation’s success and it’s really
48 TopMBA CAreer Guide
www.topmba.com
TopMBA CAreer Guide
www.topmba.com 49
MBA_SPR09_pp_001-051.indd 48 17/2/09 15:38:14
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