Mays Business Online

Three months after graduation, the December 2006 Mays Business School MBAs had more than their diplomas to shout about: Every member of the class also had a great job.

These most recent MBA graduates are demonstrating the value of an education at Mays, celebrating a placement rate of 100%–the best in the United States.

The placement rates for this program are usually very high (about 98%) but this is the first time in many years that it has been at 100%.

“There are many reasons why we are experiencing the best placement rates in the country. This is just one more indication of the high quality of the students we attract to our program,” said Kelli Kilpatrick, director of the MBA program. “Additionally, the satisfaction of companies with placements that have been made historically creates a strong pipeline between us.”

Kilpatrick also credits the student’s job-seeking success with the small size of the program—this graduating class had just 69 students, of which 65 were seeking career opportunities. “We know our students so well that we can connect employers with students that have the characteristics they are looking for,” she said. “Our size is a tremendous advantage.”

Jim Dixey, director of Graduate Business Career Services, attributes this high placement rate with the strong work ethic of the class. “We don’t find them jobs…our responsibility is to enhance their management of their career,” said Dixey, who also notes that his staff works with students one-on-one to develop a career plan—as well as a back-up plan, just in case. “There are always going to be jobs available, but if you only have one focus, you’ll be unprepared for unforeseen changes,” said Dixey.

Dixey and his staff work with MBA students on their résumés, cover letters, defining their transferable skills, developing their professional network, creating an effective networking strategy, and being proactive in their search for the right job opportunity.

The performance and reputation of Mays alumni also plays a role in the program’s high placement rates. “Companies are satisfied with our former students, so they come back each year looking for more,” said Kilpatrick. Dixey says former students placed within an organization are a great networking resource for current students seeking employment.

Mays MBAs are employed with a variety of major corporations worldwide. This most recent class has members working for Boeing, Hewlett Packard, BearingPoint, Citigroup, and Microsoft, to name but a few.

Mays Business School currently enrolls more than 4,000 undergraduate students and 875 graduate students. The MBA program is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of 29.8 percent. Currently there are 148 students in its intensive 16-month program.

- Staff Reports

For more information:
Download: Employment Statistics for the MBA Class of 2007 (pdf)