CURRENT CAREERS
People Not Candidates:
The Global MBA Recruitment Landscape
is Changing
was lucky enough to represent AGSM at
the recent MBA Career Services & Employer
Association (MBA CSEA) European conference
held in Dublin, the focus being Disruption,
Resilience, Change: Sharing Value in a Dynamic
World. I was overwhelmed with how open my peers
were in sharing their best practices and gratified
that even the top ranked Business Schools face the
same challenges that we do.
One of the main themes to arise was the global push
towards strengths-based recruitment practices,
with companies moving away from antiquated
behavioural based interview processes of the past.
An employer panel, featuring the EMEA Heads
of Recruitment for Johnson & Johnson, Uber and
IBM, discussed how their respective businesses
are changing their assessment criteria to attract
and hire MBA’s. Potential candidates are now being
targeted for their high levels of EQ, and superior
corporate presentation and relationship building
skills as companies look build their future leaders
pipeline rather than ‘just ticking boxes and filling
roles.’
This is exciting news for those currently undertaking
an MBA as a way of transitioning into a totally
different career path. More than ever before,
the new business landscape is focused on hiring
‘people, not candidates.’ The less tangible skills of
influence and persuasiveness, initiative and drive,
passion and mindset are now the main factors
in determining who receives an offer and who
doesn’t. With employers now looking to hire people
not resumes, it is important to take the time to be
curious and find out what genuinely interests you
when pursuing your post-MBA role.
Photo Credit: Provided by author
I
Photo Credit: Provided by author
By
Rachel Guest
Career Relationship Manager
AGSM @ UNSW Business School
STAR
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