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Tech #1 Growing Industry for MBA Recruiting 5th Consecutive Year

By Michael Maher, Associate Director, Career Development, Yale School of Management
 
Technology continues to be the fastest growing sector for MBA recruiting, according to MBA CSEA's 2017 Recruiting Trends Report, with 71% of MBA schools reporting an increase in Tech 2017 full-time campus recruiting activity compared to 2016. 

 
2017 marks the 5th consecutive year that Tech MBA recruiting increased more than all other industries.  It seems few Technology companies share the opinion of Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg who said in 2015, “…MBAs are not necessary at Facebook, and I don't believe they are important for working in the tech industry,"  
              
The chart below shows Technology consistently ranking as the fastest-growing MBA recruiting industry over the last 5 years.
 
Technology Industry Full-Time MBA Recruiting Growth 2013-2015
(MBA CSEA Annual Survey: % of Schools Reporting Increased Tech On-Campus Recruiting Activity)
 
Year Full-Time MBA Industry Rank for Recruiting Growth Full-Time Internship Industry Rank for Recruiting Growth Full-Time International
MBA Students
Industry Rank for Recruiting Growth
2017 71% #1 60% #1 43% #1
2016 53% #1 57% #1 35% #1
2015 55% #1 61% #1 41% #1
2014 65% #1 59% #1 55% #1
2013 62% #1 63% #1 N/A N/A
 
The 2017 Tech growth is a substantial jump from 2016's 53% of MBA programs indicating higher year-over-year Technology full-time recruiting, and far ahead of the #2 growing industry, Healthcare, where only 51% of MBA programs reported 2017 full-time recruiting increases.  Of the 84 MBA schools participating in MBA CSEA's annual survey, all segments experienced extremely high Technology recruiting growth, across school sizes and rankings, with the lowest being the 67% of MBA programs ranked 51-10, which was still very strong. 
 
Technology is also the #1 growing industry for MBA Internship recruiting, as 60% of programs reported a 2017 increase, compared to Healthcare's 46% ranking #2.  For International student MBA recruiting, Tech was the shining star, and by far the fastest-growing sector, as 43% of schools had higher Tech recruiting, compared to only 11% of schools reporting increases in overall International student recruiting activity, due to the ongoing uncertainty around U. S. immigration policies.   
 
What does this long-term growth trend in Technology industry MBA recruiting mean for students and employers?
 
  • Tech MBA Opportunities Will Continue Increasing: Technology firms' business growth, from large firms to start-ups, shows no signs of slowing, requiring many additional MBAs, and students rank Tech firms very highly as a preferred employer, so this mutual interest should continue driving Technology's  MBA recruiting growth.
  • Tech Firms Can Be Selective, Students Need Strong Credentials: Although Tech companies are creating more MBA job opportunities, they typically hire fewer MBAs per firm then traditional MBA employers, giving Tech firms their pick of the strongest candidates, which requires students interested in Tech to strengthen their qualifications.
  • Tech a Great Option for International MBAs: Technology companies are expanding employment opportunities for International MBA students more than any other industry, despite the overall slowdown in international recruiting, and many Tech firms still sponsor International students.
 
For more information about the 2017 Recruiting Trends Report, visit the MBA CSEA website here.

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