MBAs Forgoing Finance for Health Care, Non Profits
An MBA degree does not necessarily have to be synonymous with a career in finance.
While most MBAs do still choose to go into finance and consulting, the options for business school graduates are not limited to these two fields. Health care, for example, is attracting a substantial number of MBAs. A recent New York Times article points out:
Health care is the target career for 10 percent of students working on a master of business administration degree at Harvard Business School, making it the third most popular choice, behind financial services and consulting.
This trend is accelerating as the boomer generation ages and needs increased health care. In fact, the Times article notes business schools like Tufts and Duke already have programs focusing on health care management, and Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business is in the process of creating a new masters of health care delivery science.
But if the health care sector doesn’t strike your fancy, you can follow in the footsteps of MBAs like Tim Elliott, who, as this BusinessWeek article describes, left his job as a vice-president of finance and technology to join MBAs Without Borders. The nonprofit program sends MBAs overseas for six months to work in the developing world, and it’s seen a substantial increase in applicants over the past year.
In fact, if you’re interested in nonprofits, there are now MBA programs that focus specifically on nonprofit management. Beyond Grey Pinstripes is a great place to start if you’re looking for a business school devoted to sustainability and nonprofit management.
And for a list of the top 100 companies MBAs would like to work at, you can always refer to Fortune Magazine’s list.