Technology companies whose companies have grown during the pandemic, such as Amazon. com Inc. and Zoom Video Communications Inc. —They are attracting more MBA talent entering the workforce, helping to offset the setbacks of the industries most affected by the Covid-19 economy.
Openings for technology positions rose 57 percent from full-time master’s programs in business administration this fall, according to a survey of nearly 100 schools in the MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance industry group. Overall, however, it has been a sparse hiring season in business schools, according to the survey, as nearly half reported a general decline in opportunities for students.
According to the report, the sectors most affected by the pandemic, such as retail and energy, have withdrawn their MBA recruitment. This is especially the case for hospitality companies, which according to 61% of business schools have reduced job opportunities.
Nearly half of schools also reported a decline in hiring consulting firms, traditionally some of the largest contractors of MBA graduates each year. Several of those companies, including PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Bain & Co., said last year that they planned to make fewer hires among second-year MBA candidates, beyond those who did internships in the summer.
Some of the largest recruiters have been tech companies whose businesses have grown during the coronavirus crisis, including Amazon, Zoom and Netflix Inc., said Megan Hendricks, executive director of the MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance. Amazon plans to hire more than 1,000 MBA students for full-time jobs and internships this year, a company spokeswoman said, while Zoom said it intends to hire more MBA graduates as part of a new global emerging talent program. Netflix did not comment.