KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A strong MBA network is a major career asset, often as valuable as the academic curriculum itself.
- Effective networking requires strategy, including targeted outreach, and leveraging alumni connections.
- Build allies, mentors, and collaborators throughout your MBA journey and beyond.
One question that should be asked of every business school is: How well will the MBA program help me build my professional network?
An MBA is a stepping stone into some of the biggest companies in the world. It’s also an opportunity to apply your skills in lucrative internships, and a way to experience different cultures. But postgraduate career opportunities don’t just appear out of nowhere. To get there, MBAs need to network—and network well.
Networking is one of the most powerful reasons people pursue an MBA degree. Considering that 22% of the world’s CEOs have an MBA degree, networking and therefore access to MBA alumni can be easily regarded as equally important as the business schools’ case study system, and any class of the MBA curriculum,” he adds.
You pick up lots of new skills on an MBA degree, ranging from practical skills in management and leadership to vital soft skills in teamwork and cultural differences. But the degree also offers you an opportunity to build your professional network, which is likely to give you an advantage in the job market compared to non-MBAs.
Steps to Better Networking
While networking is a crucial part of business school, there’s a difference between simply meeting new people and doing effective networking. These five tips will help you refine your networking skills and ensure that you’re making the right connections for your career.
1. Refine your network
Your networking will be more effective if you seek out people from the industries, sectors or companies that you’re actually interested in. You’ll find that a refined, targeted professional network will offer you better advice and quicker answers to the questions you might have.
2. Don’t hold back on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is an MBA student and graduate’s best friend. As well as a social network for professionals, it acts as a huge database of roles and opportunities. If you find someone who works at a company or in a role you’re interested in, don’t hesitate to reach out with a message.
3. Take advantage of alumni networks
It’s not just your peers and professors who will help you find your dream role. Business schools have huge alumni networks—often exceeding 50,000 people—and schools make it possible for current students to communicate with graduates. Even smaller alumni networks can be beneficial, as those close ties can lead to meaningful connections.
4. Do your research
You’ll build connections faster if you know who you’re talking to. Make sure to properly do your research on any LinkedIn connections or people in your alumni network that you want to speak to, you’re more likely to get good advice if they know that you’ve done your homework.
5. Keep in touch
Networking doesn’t stop when you graduate from your MBA. It’s great if you’ve formed strong connections with your classmates during your program, but the rest test is when your course is over. Try to keep in regular contact with your network, including professors. You’ll be kept in-the-know about potential roles, and with regular contact you’ll know exactly who to reach out to if you need help when seeking a new role.
Your ability to connect, collaborate, and communicate can set you apart more than a resume ever could. And that’s the real magic of an MBA at Pacific—you don’t go through it alone and you get the tools to.
