The increasing number of management graduates entering the job market every year contrasts sharply with the average monthly active MBA job openings. According to data from LinkedIn and other job boards, the numbers have dropped to 55 per cent in 2023. This has led to a fierce competition, intensified by market uncertainties and technological evolution. The ongoing debate arising due to the emergence of AI prompted Goldman Sachs to issue a report claiming that AI could replace 300 million jobs. However, a few experts claim that AI-driven software might create more jobs by changing and eliminating a few job tasks and enhancing productivity.

This calls for a broader view of the job market, exploring opportunities in emerging sectors or in roles previously not considered. Such jobs focus more on skill-based training, learning and development, leadership qualities and industry orientation. Today’s recruiters seek to acquire management graduates with these skills to drive their organisations. They comb through thousands of applications to find suitable candidates. To get through this selection process and thrive in the modern professional world, job seekers must understand what management skills and attributes can make them stand out.

Key Skills that Recruiters Look for

• Interdisciplinary Approach: In a constantly evolving world, recruiters seek graduates who can draw knowledge from various disciplines and apply it to solve complex issues. This entails the MBA graduates to look at the problem holistically, derive different perspectives, and give suitable solutions. Such interdisciplinary approach prepares well-rounded graduates who are aware of world issues and have a sense of responsibility.
• Problem-solving Ability: Problem-solving is an essential skill. Today's recruiters don't seek firefighters but graduates who can think out of the box. They look for graduates who can think creatively and employ what they have learned to develop solutions to real-world challenges.
• Critical and Strategic Thinking: Strategic thinkers can analyse data, trends, and emerging opportunities, solve complex problems, understand market dynamics and competitive forces, and optimise resources. Strategic thinking involves a cognitive ability to envision and formulate objectives, missions, and long-term plans of an organisation and ensure that their choices align with the company's goals. This alignment is crucial for maintaining organisational focus and driving success; thus, recruiters watch out for this skill.
• Industry Skills: Recruiters prefer graduates with industry experience. MBA programmes, rooted in experiential learning, deliver the needed industry experience through unique learning approaches. These programmes integrate real business issues that need solving into the curriculum as part of projects. The organisation and the university together develop the project objectives, expected outcomes, and deliverables. Students then tackle real business challenges by developing interdisciplinary, impactful solutions.
• Leadership: These skills are integral to an organisation’s success. Leaders inspire, guide, and empower teams to perform their best, navigate challenges, and contribute to achieving strategic objectives. These skills are not only valuable in formal leadership roles but also in various positions where collaboration, problem-solving, and effective communication are essential.
• Communication: Effective communication is fundamental to teamwork. Recruiters seek candidates who collaborate seamlessly with colleagues, clients, and partners. As a management professional, having strong communication skills can facilitate the exchange of ideas, conflict resolution, the creation of a positive work environment, decision-making, and building relationships in the workplace.

Pathway to Build Skills

The best way to build skills is through an interdisciplinary MBA programme that combines liberal education and analytical rigour. Such programme makes graduates academically sound with an industry-oriented approach while harbouring an appreciation of the social, cultural, and ethical contexts within which a business operates. It prepares future graduates to be better managers, leaders, and citizens.

Ahmedabad University’s Amrut Mody School of Management offers a unique MBA programme to prepare outstanding leaders who build cutting-edge organisations and strive to create a better world.

Why Ahmedabad University?

• Interdisciplinary learning is the MBA programme’s key pillar at the University. It blends traditional management subjects with diverse topics such as climate change, environment, ethics, psychology, philosophy, heritage, and computer science, creating well-rounded, empathetic and responsible leaders.
• Experiential learning is central to the University’s MBA curriculum. Students collaborate with companies, applying their knowledge in real-life settings. Through various industry-oriented projects, they address real business challenges alongside organisations.
• The University trains students to develop a moral compass and become aware of the world’s issues for doing business ethically that benefits the organisation, community, and the world.
• The University organises several masterclasses, seminar and webinar series, guest lectures and industry interactions giving students ample opportunities to connect with industry stalwarts directly. This allows students with strong business acumen to exchange ideas with experts that assists them in career.