MBA Jobs Search Tips

So here's the bad news: you need to be almost perfect to find MBA jobs in the current market. Now for the good news: with some time and effort, it can be done! Take a deep breath and go for it, because any job worth having is worth the work to get it.

Create a powerful resume. In the current highly competitive market, your resume will open or close doors faster than changes on Wall Street. Take the time and effort to make sure your resume opens more doors than it closes. The language needs to be results-oriented and action-packed. Your reference section should be flawless. When potential recruiters glance at your resume, they don't care much about special paper (high-quality white paper works just fine) or fancy fonts (simpler is better) - they want to see a person of action, someone who will get things done. Consider using a resume-writing service. At the very least, you need to have a reliable proofreader.

Work on your references. If you don't have much experience, do whatever you possibly can to build up your MBA reference section. Find a short-term internship, a senior-level manager to be your mentor, and take extra management classes.

Think global. International business is taking off like never before. Don't rule out jobs that require overseas travel, and make an effort to understand the foreign countries relevant to your industry. Senior managers in telecommunications and technology companies, for example, often travel to China and other Asian countries.

Be industry-specific. If you recently earned an MBA in the hopes of changing careers, be very specific about your goals.

Industries that value background knowledge, like pharmaceuticals or communications, often used to hire MBAs rather than candidates from within the field. Now, however, it's about 50/50, with some employers wanting to train MBAs in the industry, and others wanting to train industry-educated employees in business. One of the best ways to break into an industry with your MBA is to have some experience in other fields. To bring your MBA into a telecommunications company, for example, you should take some technology classes at a local community college. It never hurts to broaden your horizons.