Harvard Business School - Career Management

The MBA Career Services Staff is involved in each student’s development from the time they first enter the program. Before beginning their first classes, students complete CareerLeader®, an online self-assessment tool developed by an HBS faculty member and widely used by many organizations, and then interpret their results early on in the program. During the first year, a program called Career Teams helps students further explore and define their aspirations in a supportive, small-group environment.

The staff of Career Coaches works with students one-on-one to write résumés and cover letters, create and execute search strategies, prepare for interviews and improve networking techniques. In a new program launched in 2007, called “2 + 2”, college juniors who are accepted for deferred enrollment will have access to Harvard career planning resources during the 2-year work phase before they begin the MBA program.

In addition to the Immersion Experiences described previously, students can also participate in Career Treks to economic "hot spots" throughout the world. They are a chance to meet with established and emerging business leaders, attend networking events, learn more about internship and career opportunities, and experience a new city in just a few days. Recent destinations for annual treks have included Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, New York, San Francisco/Bay Area, and Austin, as well as London and cities in Asia.

Upon admission, students also gain access to the resources of the HBS Intranet and Job Bank, as well as the alumni network. More than 40,000 of the school’s alumni have made themselves available to help current students explore their career options.

Prospective students should know both the positive and negative perceptions that recruiters have of HBS graduates. On the plus side, grads are recognized as high-caliber people with leadership potential, coming from a school with a strong reputation. And on the downside, recruiters note a sense of entitlement, a lacking technical curriculum and analytic skills development as shortcomings.

Among the class of 2006, median base salary reported was $105,000, with a median signing bonus of $20,000. By the time of graduation, 90% of students actively seeking employment had accepted offers. Three months after graduation, the figure was 95%.

The majority of 2006 graduates report working in Finance/Accounting (41%) and Consulting (22%). Another 13% work in Marketing/Sales and 12% in General Management. Recently, a number of grads have pursued careers in private equity, bringing some attention to HBS in this area.