Atypical careers

So maybe you’ve got your MBA or you’re still trying to decide if an MBA program is a good educational and career move. You’ve heard about all the accounting, consulting, and marketing jobs MBAs undertake, and the high salaries that come with many ‘MBA jobs’, but you’re not sure if such conventional careers are really your thing. You have a passion for business but tend to stray a bit from the centre of the road, generally. So what kinds of careers other than those within the ‘top 4’ are available to an MBA?

Denis Krupnov, a recent graduate from the MBA program at the University of Chicago, is a Business Development Manager and Film Producer. Denis always knew he didn’t want to hold a traditional ‘MBA profession’ like consulting: ‘Since I’m involved not only in film stuff but also in traditional acquisitions for the Group, the value of the MBA studies is hard to neglect. However, in the film realm of work having all these MBA skills helps a lot. It’s like having a super knowledge that few people in the creative industries have, which gives you a real advantage. It’s extremely beneficial to have something others don’t have if you know how to use it.’

If the creative industries aren’t your thing, the Human Resources (HR) field might be. Not only does working in HR demand the excellent management skills attained in business school, but it also requires highly developed soft skills. If you’re a ‘people person’, this sector may interest you. Miri Shelkovits, a current HR Coordinator at Professional Services Europe, always knew she’d earn her MBA yet not go into a typical MBA field: ‘I knew I appreciated the “people skills” in me, so I wanted to join an HR team and get really involved in how the human resource aspect of a business works,’ she says. ‘MBA training presented me with a general understanding of the business needs, the way the market works, generic management skills including presentation skills , and knowledge of reporting procedures necessary to prosper in the HR world.’

Many business schools are recognizing the need to reach out to a more diverse group of potential candidates, including those who may not particularly intend to work in typical MBA positions. For example, The University of Liverpool’s MBA (Football Industries) has been going strong for a decade. Many of its graduates have become executives within the football industry on the marketing side of the goal posts. According to the University, those with a background in finance, law, media, marketing, retail or IT will be best suited for a career in the football industries after graduating.

If football isn’t your thing, governmental and non-governmental organizations might be. The University of Geneva, HEC School of Management, for instance, offers the International Organizations MBA – an MBA for those who wish to ‘pursue a career in the increasingly interconnected fields of international governmental and nongovernmental organizations and companies that work with these institutions.’ Socially-oriented students who wish to found their own philanthropic or environmental organization or would be great candidates for a program like this.

The bottom line is practically every broad career field is in need of strategic thinkers with analytical minds and the management skills to conquer the toughest of competition. Business-minded people who think beyond the typical MBA jobs are just what many sectors need – and the foreseeable future only predicts a further increase in demand for such ‘types’.

Researching careers and the wide range of MBA programs available has been made easier by the internet, particularly by databases like QS Scorecard that rank about 150 specialised MBA programs. But meeting with Admissions Directors of the programs themselves is probably your best bet at gaining the necessary details abo ut admission requirements and program content. The QS World MBA Tour, which visits 72 cities worldwide in 2007, is a good event to attend, as it’s the largest business school information fair in the world.

Source: QS TopMBA.com