Whether you want a job change or a promotion, a Haas MBA breathes new life into careers.
Change isn’t always easy, especially when it comes to your career or your job. Some people love what they do and where they’re at, but want to take a rewarding career a step further. Others are looking for a new employer, a new path, or a new industry.
People search job boards and send out resumes, hoping to land an interview. When hundreds of qualified workers apply for a job but companies only interview a handful, the odds are not in your favor. Maybe you are hoping to slide into an executive position in your current company, but keep getting passed over for a promotion. One way to get an edge in either of these situations is by getting an MBA. It’s a degree that gives job searchers the tools, the skills, and the network to be able to do a career reboot.
You can get an MBA from just about anywhere, but having one from one of the top MBA programs in the world can get you to the top of the list. Graduates of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, are consistently on the radar of recruiters.
Jocelyn Baety, MBA 24, says that her degree gets her noticed, “Now that my name has Berkeley in it, I’ve gotten emails, probably once every two weeks, that say ‘Hi, we’re looking for someone with your experience and your calibur to come work for us.’”
She continues, “The manager who hired me specifically told me it was because of the Berkeley name. Berkeley’s name opened the doors to get me the job that I wanted with an increase of thirty to forty percent on my pay.”
Because finding a good fit like Jocelyn did is a major reason to pursue an MBA, prospective students want to have some sort of reassurance that they’ll see a return on their investment. One way that Berkeley Haas helps with this is through the Career Management Group (CMG).
Career resources for MBA students
From the day a new student arrives on campus at Berkeley, the importance of preparing for their next job or career is established. New students attend a career intake meeting with a coach in their study group. They are encouraged to attend regular career workshops and start to develop target company lists. Internships are a big part of the full-time MBA experience. Peer Advisors are second year students who have completed an internship and can provide first hand knowledge of the process.
I would not be where I am without the help of the CMG. I really mean it. Even from day one, when I was prepping, they were there to help me."
The CMG goes above and beyond standard career service offerings. They have over 40 professionals between their full-time and part-time staff available to help you find your next opportunity while offering personalized service. They look at hiring trends, follow up and coming companies, and serve as industry experts to help you further tailor your efforts.
The CMG works closely with Berkeley alumni to identify opportunities for current students and job-seeking alumni. With over 45,000 Haas graduates around the world, alumni can be helpful in a job search in countless industries and locations.
Most people get an MBA because they are looking to enhance or advance their career in some way. It may mean finding employment at a new company, getting a promotion, learning what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur or even making a complete industry change.
Changing industries
It’s not uncommon to feel like your career isn’t the right fit. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding a different job somewhere else. There are cases where someone is called to do something completely different. Getting an MBA is one way to gain the skills to make a transition, especially when moving into a business related field.
Yi Lin Pei, MBA 17, came to Haas as a civil engineer. She started her degree as someone who knew that she wasn’t on the right path and wanted to explore her options. It didn’t take her long to figure out that marketing was a great fit for her. It combined data and statistical evidence with creativity and storytelling. But her engineering background didn’t make it an easy transition. She was rejected a lot in the beginning.
Yi Lin decided that she needed to utilize her strengths to break into the field. She embraced her tech background and targeted companies where she could combine that expertise with the creativity of marketing. Her experience with AutoCAD made Autodesk a natural fit. The CMG played a big role in connecting her with the people who could help get her a foot in the door.
“I found out that a referral is about 100 times more powerful than an online application,” she said.
The hiring process was long, but she had support along the way, “When I was prepping for my interview at Autodesk, there was an alumni who practiced with me for every stage of the interview.”
After three interviews and a sample video, Yi Lin was offered a job in the marketing department at Autodesk, "I would not be where I am without the help of the CMG. I really mean it. Even from day one, when I was prepping, they were there to help me," she says.
Establishing an advantage
Yi Lin was able to use her tech skills to her advantage to move into a new field. The career paths that the Haas MBA offers can give students another avenue to get a leg up on the competition. These specialized career paths are taught by top researchers and industry leaders to provide hands-on learning.
Nony Onyeador, MBA 18, came to Haas as someone who wanted to break into the very competitive field of entertainment. She said that relationships in the business are key, “My professors were industry executives in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and they took the time to advise me on my recruiting strategy and connect me with executives at my target companies.”
Who you know can make the difference in any field, but leveraging those connections in the right way is important. Nony got valuable help doing that, “CMG coached me on reaching out effectively to the entertainment alumni. The alumni I talked with were responsive and supportive, connecting me to additional resources so I felt confident pursuing relationships in the industry.”
The CMG prides itself on relationship based recruiting and they provide a personalized focus while helping students figure out where they want to go and how they will get there. “I help you gain clarity on your priorities and strengths so that you can pursue what’s important to you with confidence and courage,” says Julia Rosof, MBA Career Coach.
She continues, “I do this by listening with empathy, creating space for self-reflection, asking tough questions to uncover blind spots, and equipping you with new skills and competencies.”
While students explore those things with a career coach like Julia, they also have opportunities to get face to face with executives and hiring managers. The CMG regularly offers on-campus networking and recruiting events connecting students and alumni.
Once someone has their diploma, the relationship building and connections continue. A Haas MBA provides someone with access to career services throughout the life of their career. One way to plug into those opportunities is through CMG Bears, an active online job bank.
CMG’s relationship managers are deeply connected to both established employers and the newer companies in the industries they follow. Because they track industry trends, they can help you generate leads and understand how various firms in your target field recruit and hire, as well as help connect you with a specific company or recruiter.
Proof is in the numbers
Haas provides all students access to the CMG whether they are enrolled in the Full Time, Evening & Weekend MBA, or the MBA for Executives. Their paths may differ, but the goals for the outcomes are all the same.
As of 2023, the median starting salary for a full-time Haas MBA graduate was $166,650. 89% of graduates in the full time program were offered new positions within 3 months of graduation. They ended up in diverse fields such as technology, real estate, health, management consulting, and many more. Graduates hold jobs in finance, marketing, consulting, operations, as well as a variety of other roles.
Full time students aren’t the only ones who benefit from career reboots. Students in the Evening & Weekend MBA have reported a 38% average compensation increase. Part time students regularly make job changes or promotions while they are still in school. Kyle McKenzie, MBA 23, was one of them, “I started out in one role and now have drastically changed to another role at the same company. That’s primarily because I learned so much and created different passions at UC Berkeley that I found a new route in my work and in my life.”
If you’re ready for a career reboot, whether that means getting better at what you currently do or going in another direction, a Haas MBA will give you the tools to succeed.
