| |9 May 2018HIGHERReviewWhat makes companies hire MBAs in good numbers de-spite the constraints of economy?Companies believe, and it is a validated belief, that MBAs are capable of spearheading and driving innovation along with optimising the businesses & business processes to generate new opportunities in challenging business envi-ronments. An MBA programme trains students to make use of their skills efficiently and effectively. It exposes students to strict deadline based project-deliverables, giving them a taste of the high-pressure environment that they may very-likely face at work. As a part of the many courses that they do on campus, students learn organisa-tion behaviour and strategy along with the basics of busi-ness management. These play a key role in the success of MBAs in their roles going forward as they are able to make and apply business strategies that suit the require-ments and constraints of the businesses that they oper-ate in. Over the course of the MBA program, a regular graduate in transformed into a person who is not only an able leader but also an expert problem-solver. It should, therefore, hold no surprises that companies continue to make 'people investments' in MBAs despite the problems posed by economic downturns. What do companies see in MBAs that they don't see in others?According to GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey Re-port 2017, communication skills rank highest among the skills employers consider to be most important for MBAs. Four of the top five skills employers seek in new hires include oral and written communication, listening skills, and presentation skills ­ all part of the communications domain. The rigorous selection process that B-schools have - Entrance test (CAT/GMAT/XAT) followed by Group Discussion/Written Ability Test/SOP submis-sions/Personal Interview ­ ensures that the candidates selected for the MBA programs usually have what it takes when it comes to communication skills. It has, therefore, almost become a truism to say that MBA possess good communication skills. This is a significant aspect because not many other programs, undergraduate or postgradu-ate, have such a rigorous selection process that focuses on this skill. Adaptability and cross-cultural sensitivity are some of the other top skills that employers look for, as per the GMAC survey. According to an analysis conducted by The Financial Times, a CEO with an MBA leads a third of Fortune-500 companies, and about half of these graduated from some of the world's 10 best-known business schools. Most of the others are from top b-schools too. This indicates that the brand value of the institute from which one does MBA is a very important factor that drives opportuni-ties not only for the students but also for the school it-self - a virtuous cycle. Overall, it is certain that an MBA from a good b-school is a definite differentiator and a huge career booster these days, largely shielding candi-dates from the vicissitudes of the economy. However, the individual's attitude and work ethic also play an enor-mous role in ensuring that the initial boost provided by his/her MBA degree is sustained and improved upon in the career ahead. Globally, 86 percent of companies planned to hire recent MBA graduates in 2017, up from 79 percent that hired them in 2016 as per a report by GMAC
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