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Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Employers keen on hiring B-School graduates as AI integration accelerates: Report
As companies across the globe accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations, business school graduates are emerging as top contenders for leadership and strategic roles, according to the 2025 Corporate Recruiters Survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). The annual report underscores a rising demand for professionals equipped not only with business acumen but also with AI proficiency, problem-solving, and strategic thinking capabilities. Despite ongoing global economic uncertainties — including inflation, recession fears, and political volatility — employers maintain a strong hiring outlook for recent graduates from business schools. The survey, which gathered insights from 1,108 corporate recruiters and hiring managers across 46 countries, shows that AI literacy is now among the most highly valued skills, expected to be even more critical in the next five years. 'As AI becomes more integral in a company's decision-making and strategy development, employers continue to turn to business school graduates for their versatility and strategic thinking, along with growing appreciation for their ability to innovate and navigate the challenges and opportunities of technological disruption,' said Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC. A staggering 99 per cent of global employers express confidence in business schools' ability to prepare graduates for success. Nearly two-thirds say the skills acquired through a graduate business degree are more vital than ever in the tech-driven economy. While AI proficiency is climbing in importance, human-centric skills remain foundational. Over half of employers prioritise communication skills, emotional intelligence, and adaptability in hiring decisions. As remote and hybrid work become entrenched in corporate culture, 56 per cent of employers say business school graduates are better prepared for these environments. Online and hybrid degree programmes are gaining legitimacy, with 55 per cent of employers valuing them equally to traditional in-person formats. 61 per cent of recruiters believe Gen Z business graduates display the same level of professionalism as prior cohorts. However, skepticism lingers in client-facing industries like consulting and healthcare, where around 25 per cent express concerns. Generalist business degrees, especially MBAs, continue to dominate hiring forecasts. About 76 per cent of employers expect to hire the same or more MBA graduates in 2025 compared to this year, with 90 per cent planning to onboard MBA talent — outpacing hires with only bachelor's degrees or prior work experience. Christine Murray, associate dean and managing director of McDonough Career Center at Georgetown University, notes, 'As flexibility in work and learning becomes a norm, business school graduates — with degrees or credentials earned in-person or remotely — should feel empowered that their employability continues to outperform those without an advanced management degree.' With more than two decades of data, GMAC's Corporate Recruiters Survey remains a benchmark for tracking trends in business graduate employability, compensation, and skill demand. This year's findings reaffirm the growing synergy between AI fluency and human-centric capabilities, making business school graduates uniquely positioned to lead in a rapidly evolving corporate world.
Independent Singapore
03-07-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
MBA graduates are in high demand as employers prioritise tech-ready talent
In a progressively tech-driven business setting, MBA graduates are coming out as the top choice for recruiters all over the world. A recent global study featured in the latest HRD Asia article discloses that business owners and company managers are prioritising them based on flexibility, strategic thinking, and communication competencies as organisations contend with the swift integration of newfangled technologies. According to the 2025 Corporate Recruiters Survey , directed by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), 90% of employers in 46 nations plan to engage MBA talent this year. While this figure reflects last year's outlooks, there's a noteworthy outpouring of interest — 37% of headhunters say they'll hire more MBAs than they did in 2024, more than double last year's rate of 17%. The proportion of employers who think of reducing MBA hiring has plummeted to 14%, an evident indicator of increasing confidence in business school graduates, notwithstanding continuing worldwide economic and geopolitical fears. Beyond the MBA: Other graduate degrees on the rise The hiring impetus goes beyond MBAs. Employers are also levelling up the employment of candidates with other business-focused degrees. Year-over-year growth includes: Master of Management: 30% (up from 12%) Master of Data Analytics: 29% (up from 15%) Master of Business Analytics: 28% (up from 16%) Master of Marketing: 26% (up from 15%) Master of Finance: 25% (up from 13%) Master of Accounting: 25% (up from 21%) Tech skills meet human intelligence The report stresses that business graduates' exceptional skill sets are gaining value even with AI and the technological revolution. Approximately two-thirds (63%) of polled employers said that the capabilities gained from a graduate business education are more vital today than years before. Good communication (66%) and useful capabilities (61%) were among the top attributes recruiters ascribed to business school alumni. 'As AI becomes more integral in a company's decision-making and strategy development, employers continue to turn to business school graduates for their versatility and strategic thinking,' said Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC. 'I give kudos to business schools' intentional cultivation of these relevant skills in their students, who stand out even more as valuable contributors and future leaders in the ever-evolving business world.' See also Recruiter explains why it's so hard to get a job right now Optimism with a note of caution However, GMAC noted that although these statistics were based on employer forecasts, and earlier evaluations have somewhat exceeded actual hiring, they still provide a reassuring view for present and forthcoming graduate business undergraduates. 'Employers remain optimistic about the value of business graduates,' the report states. 'Even in the face of headwinds, these candidates are being recognized for their ability to navigate uncertainty and drive innovation.' Briefly, whether it's becoming proficient at AI, navigating strategic choices, or dealing with market distractions, business school graduates seem to be more indispensable in shaping the future of work.
Forbes
02-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How Higher Education Can Evolve To Prepare Employable AI-Ready Leaders
Cambridge, MA, USA - October 10, 2017: View of the iconic architecture of the Harvard University in ... More Cambridge, MA, USA with some locals, tourists, and students passing by. getty Artificial intelligence is a present reality transforming the nature of work, leadership, and learning. As the pace of AI adoption accelerates, a pressing question confronts colleges and universities: How can we equip students to lead in the AI era? The 2025 Corporate Recruiters Survey from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) offers a compelling answer. Drawing on insights from over 1,100 global recruiters and hiring managers, including many from Fortune 500 firms, the survey highlights a decisive shift: AI fluency now ranks as the top skill employers expect to need within the next five years. This is a sharp rise from previous years, where AI competencies were viewed as a technical bonus rather than a professional necessity. Employers are no longer seeking specialists alone. They are prioritizing graduates who can integrate AI tools into broader strategic thinking, solve complex problems, and communicate effectively across disciplines and cultures. 'As AI becomes more integral to decision-making and strategy,' notes GMAC CEO Joy Jones in their press release, 'employers increasingly turn to business school graduates for their versatility, critical thinking, and ability to lead through technological transformation.' The GMAC findings align with broader trends. The World Economic Forum's 2023 Future of Jobs Report found that over 75% of companies anticipate adopting AI in some form by 2027. Six of the ten most in-demand skills identified were non-technical, including analytical thinking, creativity, resilience, and leadership. According to Pearson's Lost in Transition report, inefficiencies in career transitions and skills mismatches cost the U.S. economy an estimated $1.1 trillion annually, underscoring the urgent need for institutions to align education with evolving workforce demands—especially as AI reshapes the labor landscape. To remain relevant and responsive, colleges should implement five strategies that directly align with labor market expectations: Integrate AI Across All Disciplines AI must not be siloed within computer science departments. History students should analyze how AI is reshaping public memory; psychology majors must understand AI's role in mental health interventions; business students should model AI's impact on organizational strategy. AI fluency should become a baseline competency, akin to writing or quantitative reasoning. Institutions should prioritize experiential learning that brings students together across disciplines to prototype AI applications, tackle ethical dilemmas, or design public-interest technology. These experiences cultivate both skill and confidence in navigating ambiguity—a trait highly prized by employers. Expose Students To Diverse Models And Modalities Understanding generative AI requires more than proficiency with ChatGPT. Students should engage with a range of tools and models, from open-source frameworks like LLaMA and Mistral to domain-specific tools in design, health, finance, and media. This breadth fosters comparative literacy and prepares students to make informed choices about tool use and integration. Prioritize Critical Thinking And Ethical Reasoning As AI increasingly mediates knowledge and decision-making, the ability to interrogate its outputs, detect bias, and assess implications becomes essential. Courses should challenge students to critique AI-generated content, simulate high-stakes decisions, and develop frameworks for responsible innovation. Reinforce Professionalism In A Hybrid World While the GMAC survey confirms that most employers view Gen Z hires as adequately professional, one-quarter of recruiters in client-facing industries—particularly healthcare and consulting—express concern. Colleges should address this directly, offering targeted instruction in digital presence, interpersonal communication, and executive functioning for hybrid environments. Reimagining Higher Education For The Age Of AI AI does not diminish the value of higher education, but it changes some of the roles that it plays. Colleges are not simply preparing students for jobs, but for civic, ethical, and intellectual leadership in an era of exponential change. This requires a curriculum that integrates technological fluency with critical inquiry, interdisciplinary perspective, and moral imagination. The GMAC survey sends a clear signal: Employers continue to place their trust in higher education, particularly in institutions that produce agile, thoughtful, and technologically adept graduates. To honor that trust, institutions must be willing to evolve—boldly, intentionally, and without delay.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
B-school graduates a preferred choice for employers for strategic thinking despite AI boom, claims survey
Artificial Intelligence (AI) might be becoming more integral in a company's decision-making and strategy development but employers still continue to turn to business school graduates for their versatility and strategic thinking, according to a new survey by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Employers continue to turn to business school graduates for their versatility and strategic thinking, despite AI being integral in a company's decision-making and strategy development. (Unsplash) Employers might be reporting ongoing influence of inflation and recession fears on their hiring decisions but recent business school graduates can remain optimistic about their career prospects, buoyed by the accelerating integration of AI across the landscape, the survey has found. Also read: UPSC CAPF ACs 2025 exam timetable released at check schedule here The annual survey of global corporate recruiters by GMAC has found that problem-solving and strategic thinking remain the top skills employers desire today. In addition, new hires' knowledge of using AI tools has risen measurably in its current importance in the average employer's mind since last year, and it tops the list of the skills employers will value the most five years from now. "As AI becomes more integral in a company's decision-making and strategy development, employers continue to turn to business school graduates for their versatility and strategic thinking, along with growing appreciation for their ability to innovate and navigate the challenges and opportunities of technological disruption," says Joy Jones, CEO at GMAC. Also read: JNU to conduct entrance exam for two PhD courses not covered under UGC-NET, check details "I give kudos to business schools' intentional cultivation of these relevant skills in their students, who stand out even more as valuable contributors and future leaders in the ever-evolving business world," Jones added. This year's survey was conducted with a total of 1,108 corporate recruiters and hiring managers — nearly two-thirds of them with Global Fortune 500 companies participating from organisations and staffing firms in 46 countries. According to the survey, an overwhelming 99 per cent of global employers express confidence in business schools' ability to prepare graduates for success within their organisations. Moreover, nearly two-thirds affirmed that the skills gained through a graduate business degree are more critical than ever, as companies increasingly adopt emerging tech. "As flexibility in work and learning becomes a norm, business school graduates with degrees or credentials earned in-person or remotely should feel empowered that their employability continues to outperform those without an advanced management degree, especially when they understand and underscore how they are skilled in strategic thinking, problem-solving, and communications alongside technological savvy," said Christine Murray, Associate Dean at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. For more than two decades, the Corporate Recruiters Survey has provided the world's graduate business schools and employers with data and insights to understand current trends in skill demand, hiring, compensation and perceptions of MBA and business master's graduates. This year's survey was in the field from January to March. Also read: UP Board Class 10th, 12th compartment exam 2025 dates out, check schedule here According to the findings, more than half of global employers cite the value of communication skills in their hiring decisions, with employers also valuing candidates' emotional intelligence and adaptability in their current and future hiring decisions. "56 per cent of global employers agree or strongly agree that the skills gained through a business degree are more important than before for businesses using remote or hybrid working arrangements and roughly the same percentage also agree or strongly agree that they value graduates of online or predominantly online and in-person programs equally," the survey report said.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Survey Finds Employers Keen on Hiring Business School Graduates as AI Integration Accelerates
GMAC's latest corporate recruiters survey sends promising signal to recent graduates. RESTON, Va., July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Even as employers report ongoing influence of inflation, recession fears, and country leaders on their hiring decisions, recent business school graduates can remain optimistic about their career prospects, buoyed by the accelerating integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across the modern business landscape. According to the latest annual survey of global corporate recruiters released today by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), problem-solving and strategic thinking remain the top skills employers desire today and tomorrow. In addition, new hires' knowledge of using AI tools has risen measurably in its current importance in the average employer's mind since last year, and it tops the list of the skills employers value the most five years from now. "As AI becomes more integral in a company's decision-making and strategy development, employers continue to turn to business school graduates for their versatility and strategic thinking, along with growing appreciation for their ability to innovate and navigate the challenges and opportunities of technological disruption," says Joy Jones, CEO at GMAC. "I give kudos to business schools' intentional cultivation of these relevant skills in their students, who stand out even more as valuable contributors and future leaders in the ever-evolving business world." This year's survey was conducted with a total of 1,108 corporate recruiters and hiring managers—nearly two thirds of them with Global Fortune 500 companies—participating from organizations and staffing firms in 46 countries. Key findings to note for business school graduates and aspirants Positive employer perceptions of business education: An overwhelming 99% of global employers express confidence in business schools' ability to prepare graduates for success within their organizations. Moreover, nearly two-thirds affirm that the skills gained through a graduate business degree are more critical than ever, as companies increasingly adopt emerging tech. The enduring and rising importance of human skills in the modern workforce: more than half of global employers cite the value of communication skills in their hiring decisions, with employers also valuing candidates' emotional intelligence and adaptability in their current and future hiring decisions. Tech employers the most confident about flexible work and study: 55% of tech employers agree or strongly agree that the skills gained through a business degree are more important than before for businesses using remote or hybrid working arrangements; similarly, employers in the technology sector are the most likely—at 57%—to value graduates of online or predominantly online and in-person programs equally. New "Gen Z" hires' professionalism demystified—somewhat—by employers: 61% of corporate recruiters find recent GME graduates to demonstrate the same level of professionalism—such as reliability, respectfulness, or professional appearance—as graduates from previous years. However, roughly a quarter of the more client-facing consulting and health care/pharmaceutical recruiters disagree. Hiring projection spotlighting popularity of generalist business degrees: 76% of global employers predict that they will hire about the same or more newly minted MBA graduates in 2025 compared to 2024. In fact, 90% of them plan to hire talent with an MBA—even more than prospective employees with bachelor's degrees or those coming directly from other organizations. "As flexibility in work and learning becomes a norm, business school graduates—with degrees or credentials earned in-person or remotely—should feel empowered that their employability continues to outperform those without an advanced management degree, especially when they understand and underscore how they are skilled in strategic thinking, problem-solving, and communications alongside technological savvy," says Christine Murray, associate dean & managing director of McDonough Career Center at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. For more than two decades, the Corporate Recruiters Survey has provided the world's graduate business schools and employers with data and insights to understand current trends in skill demand, hiring, compensation, and perceptions of MBA and business master's graduates. GMAC conducted this year's survey, together with survey partners European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and the Career Services and Employer Alliance (CSEA), from January to March 2025. To learn more about other key findings from GMAC's 2025 Corporate Recruiters Survey, please visit About GMAC The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. GMAC provides world-class research, industry conferences, recruiting tools, and assessments for the graduate management education industry as well as resources, events, and services that help guide candidates through their higher education journey. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment. More than 13 million prospective students a year trust GMAC's websites, including to learn about MBA and business master's programs, connect with schools around the world, prepare and register for exams and get advice on successfully applying to MBA and business master's programs. BusinessBecause and GMAC Tours are subsidiaries of GMAC, a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. To learn more about our work, please visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Graduate Management Admission Council
