What MBAs Really Want From Employers

VMWARE SURPRISES IN RANKING OF TECH COMPANIES

In high tech, no other firm was ranked consistently better than VMware. The less-sexy Silicon Valley tech giant topped out in four out of seven categories, including the opportunity for advancement, salary (separate category from total compensation), training opportunities, and quality of coworkers. Similar to consulting, no other company placed at the top in more than one category.

“VMware surprised me personally,” Marvinac concedes. “It’s near the top in every category and probably isn’t the tech giant most top of mind when MBAs are recruiting. Just goes to show — as does a lot of our crowdsourced data — that the biggest firms aren’t necessarily the best for everyone.”

Rudnick says that both IBM and VMware are not as popular among McCombs MBAs compared to Amazon and Microsoft.

UBER FINISHES IN LAST IN OVER HALF OF THE VALUE CATEGORIES

At the bottom in tech was Uber. The San Francisco-based startup, which has been taking beatings in the media of late, placed last in four out of seven categories. It also placed second to last in two other categories. The best Uber placed in any category was eighth out of 10 tech firms.

“I’m not sure if this is as much a signal of Uber’s culture as it is the fact that they are a really fast-growing, young company with problems a lot of fast growing, younger companies make,” Marvinac says. “Opportunities for advancement are always murkier at growth-stage firms, and you see that in the rankings. Compensation tends to be lower and weighted more towards options, which is also reflected.”

Uber placed its highest in total compensation and essentially bottomed out in nearly every cultural-related category. Samsung was the other company that placed last more than once, finishing at the bottom for brand prestige and advancement.

‘THE LANDSCAPE OF OPTIONS OPEN TO MBA STUDENTS IS TRULY A MOSAIC’

Regardless, Marvinac says the biggest takeaway is that MBAs have myriad options.

“To me, this analysis is more about the variation among firms than the broad stroke, overarching themes,” Marvinac believes. “The landscape of options open to MBA students is truly a mosaic. Not every firm — even McKinsey or Google — is right for everyone.”

Which means companies will increasingly have to compete for top talent. “Companies need to connect one-on-one with students,” Rudnick says. “Our students want to understand both the culture of the firm and the career trajectory they can have.”

Rudnick says “the need is swinging back” for students switching firms rapidly. “But they are going to want to change positions within firms,” Rudnick continues. “If a company can offer frequent and progressive new opportunities for movement, growth, and continued professional development and re-education during their time with a firm, that can be very attractive to students who anticipate that their career goals and interests may shift over time.”

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