Careers after an MBA degree

As per a recent media report, freshers with an MBA degree continue to be some of the most employable individuals in the current job market. A post-graduate degree in finance, operations, HR, etc. is not just valuable but also necessary if you want a career with a future focus. Here’s a list of some of the most sought-after MBA careers.

Business analyst

Business analysts seek answers to an organisation’s problems based on historical data, upcoming industry trends and the technology available at the time. The key objective is to improve products or services offered by a business or optimise internal processes to enable sustained business growth. The ideal analyst should be a storyteller and have the ability to give the management an idea of future trends based on existing data and trends. This position is suited for those who have an MBA degree with a specialisation in business analytics.

Investment banker

Investment bankers handle large-scale financial transactions, along with raising capital for private and government institutions. Mostly working for investment banks, these individuals consult corporations with regards to their financial security and growth. This could mean tasks such as issuing shares, managing initial public offerings (IPOs), working on mergers and acquisitions, ensuring all law-mandated compliances are met, etc. Those who have an MBA degree with a specialisation in finance meet the requirements of this role.

Human resource manager

An HR manager’s job entails overseeing and developing policies for company personnel to follow, building systems which ensure talent acquisition, management and development. Nowadays this function is also called ‘Human Capital Management’. Managing work culture, designing organisation development interventions, keeping employee satisfaction and engagement high, projecting future requirement of talent in terms of quantity and quality, some of the tasks that HR managers perform. A specialisation in human resources is expected from candidates.

Operations manager

Operations managers oversee the entire production process of a company’s goods and services and focus on removing redundant processes and increasing efficiency of internal teams. Their to-dos comprise of collaborating with the HR department, inspiring the internal team with excellent leadership, optimising supply chains, streamline internal work-flow management, etc. They are also involved in policy and budgetary decisions of an organisation. A specialisation in operations along with an MBA degree is required.

Infrastructure project manager

Project managers are the single point of contact of large-scale infrastructure projects in terms of roadways, waterways, bridges etc. They need to ensure that the project is delivered within predetermined timelines and budgets. Day-to-day tasks of these individuals include generating reports on the current status of the project, engaging with contractors to ensure work gets done and negotiating deals at optimal costs. Besides an MBA degree, a specialisation in infrastructure development and management is desirable.

Management consultant

Mostly working for consulting firms, management consultants work with the leadership of various companies to improve profits, increase efficiency and solve key strategic issues.

Management consultants start a project by comprehensively understanding the problems being faced by a business, besides analysing the reasons behind those problems, and the possible solutions. The scope of work includes research based on secondary data and primary data, identifying key areas of impact and devising strategies for competitive differentiation. The average day of a management consultant will include reviewing documents, collaborating with clientele and creating blueprints for possible solutions.

Fund manager

Fund managers manage a large pool of stocks, debentures and other securities for many clients. It’s their job to identify the best investment opportunities as per the goals of their clients and to direct money accordingly. This kind of work often comes with high risks and equally high rewards. Those with a specialisation in finance meet the requirements of this role.

Corporate trainer

Having additional certifications and qualifications greatly enhance the profile of a corporate trainer.

Corporate trainers focus on employee training and development. They ensure the smooth transition of new technology or new employees into a company. They train existing employees on new processes.

The job also comprises maintaining previous training records, employee performance data and policy-related modules. They often have to collaborate with HR to plan the employee development strategy of an organisation. MBA with specialisation in human resources management is required.

Corporate strategy head

Strategy heads rack their brains to identify opportunities for business growth and process optimisation.

They mostly work on long-term goals in collaboration with company leadership. Day-to-day tasks include competitor research, acquiring fresh industry insights, consumer knowledge, etc. After opportunities are identified, strategy heads set milestones for themselves and commence work on the same.

Marketing manager

A marketing manager is responsible for the marketing strategy of a company’s goods and services. They identify prospective buyers and create a plan to attract the same, often in collaboration with a creative team. The job also includes teaming up with media and advertising organisations for buying ad-inventory such as TV and newspaper ads, Facebook ads, Google ads etc. Market research and consumer insights are equally important. Specialisation in marketing may be helpful.

(The writer is director, Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development, Pune)