Top Skills for Today’s MBAs
In a Dec. 5, 2011 article for Huffington Post, career expert and author Stacie Nevadomski Berdan offers a list of essential skills for today's business school students, compiled from successful professionals and leaders in a range of fields.
The benefits of an MBA degree – including diverse career options and job skills – remain the same, Berdan says, but the job market that today's MBA students face upon graduation has changed dramatically. MBA grads will face stiffer competition for jobs, and can expect fewer perks like signing bonuses and six-figure salaries. As the business world evolves, so do the skills needed to compete in this environment.
Communication tops the list of abilities MBA grads need to get ahead in the new business climate, Berdan reports – everyone she interviewed listed it as a vital skill. Reading and writing effectively are an essential foundation, but the ability to present powerfully and navigate social media well can be highly effective for today's business professionals, the article says.
"At work or at home, leading a team or participating as a team member, promoting yourself or recognizing others, effective communications skills can truly set you apart," Aniko Delaney, marketing director at BNY Mellon, told Berdan.
Foreign language skills and a global mindset are highlighted, as well as personal traits like resilience, innovation, and creativity. Berdan's article puts forth inspirational guideposts for today's MBA students, encouraging them to make the most of their business school education.
"With the right skills, MBAs can make a demonstrable difference in business as we know it over the next two decades," the author said.
