Spotlight for Recruiting Professionals
June 20, 2012 

A majority of schools participating in the M.B.A. Career Services Council's (MBA CSC) Spring 2012 Recruiting Trends Survey have seen increases in M.B.A. recruiting activity.

The findings among 70 colleges and universities worldwide that participated in the survey show that both on-campus recruiting opportunities and full-time job postings for M.B.A.s have increased. M.B.A. recruiting has slowed slightly compared with previous years, suggesting an overall market stabilization. Still, most schools are seeing growth, with only 11 percent noting a decline in on-campus M.B.A. recruiting activity.

Following are some of the survey’s findings:

• Fifty-one percent of participating schools reported an increase in on-campus M.B.A. recruiting activity for full-time positions. In 2011, 76 percent reported such an increase.
• Full-time job postings increased for most schools with 69 percent reporting more opportunities than last year. In the 2011 survey, 86 percent of respondents reported more full-time postings over 2010.
• Responding schools reported increases in recruiting activity in all industries; over 30 percent of schools reported increases in consulting, consumer products, manufacturing, pharma/biotech/healthcare products, and technology.
• Of schools reporting offer information, 50 percent indicated that 75 percent or more of the class of 2012 had received a full-time offer. In 2011, slightly less (47 percent) of schools reported that 75 percent or more students had offers.
• Eighty percent of reporting schools indicated that at least 75 percent of students had received an internship offer which is just slightly higher than in 2011 when 64 percent of schools reported that information.
• When asked about hiring methods, alumni-initiated hiring saw the largest increase (58 percent reported an increase). MBA CSC says this seems to be a direct result of efforts on the part of career services offices to increase alumni engagement through referrals and networking events.

With competition for top M.B.A. talent increasing, how can your organization stand out? Following are some tips for recruiting M.B.A.s in a competitive job market: 

• Start early to connect with your target students.
• Align your recruiting expectations with your brand image on campus and your status in the M.B.A. marketplace. M.B.A. students have a lot of choices for potential employers. Have realistic expectations that are congruent with your overall brand image, your recruiting strategy and budget, and the opportunities you are offering. 
• Find unique ways to build your on-campus brands and help students begin to build strong connections to your organization and industry. For example, create a mini-case study or competition that can be completed during an information session, or, if your organization is a food manufacturer, serve your products during information sessions and networking events.      
• Be proactive in your marketing and use a customized individual student outreach approach. Students prefer a personal e-mail from a recruiter to a blast e-mail sent to the entire student body. 

For more information, see “Recruiting M.B.A.s in a Rebounding Job Market.”