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Employers are always eager to hire MBAs, find GMAC – in particular those who have IA skills
While fears of recession, inflation and global uncertainty increase, employers send a clear message to business school graduates: you are still in demand – especially if you can exploit AI.
This is to remember from Graduate Management Admission Council 2025 Survey of business recruitersPublished today (July 1): Employers in the sectors and regions continue to give great value to the commercial graduates of graduates, in particular MBA – but although problem solving and strategic thinking are always cited as the main skills in the labor market, familiarity with AI tools is now classified as the most important competence for the future.
“As AI becomes more integral in decision -making and development of a company's strategies,” said Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC, “employers continue to turn to business school graduates for their versatility and strategic thinking, as well as the growing assessment of their ability to innovate and navigate in the challenges and opportunities for technological disruption”.
Employers are always eager to hire MBAs, find GMAC – in particular those who have IA skills
Source: GMAC
The GMAC report in 2025 is based on the responses of 1,108 business recruiters and hiring managers of endowment cabinets in 46 countries, 64% of which Fortune 500 companies. The responses were collected between January and March 2025 with the help of the European GMAC survey of survey (European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and Career Services and Employ Alliance (CSEA).
The results show that the continuous hiring of the momentum of Last year's surveyWho himself has shown a rebound in the hiring intentions of MBA after a cautious period following the global macroeconomic instability in coronavirus. In 2025, 92% of business recruiters said they were planning to hire MBA graduates – against 86% the previous year – and this year's data signals that demand not only kept stable but sharp.
Now, employers are not only looking for business sense, but also mastery of AI, because artificial intelligence reshapes the functions of operations to marketing and strategic planning. In fact, knowledge of AI tools has seen one of the steepest gains from one year to the next perceived importance – at the top of the list of skills that employers say that they will appreciate most in five years.
Employers are always eager to hire MBAs, find GMAC – in particular those who have IA skills
Source: GMAC
CEO of Gmac Joy Jones
Joy Jones, CEO of Graduate Management Admission Council: “The intentional culture of the relevant skills of business schools with their students helps them stand out as a precious contributors and future leaders in the constantly evolving business”
GMAC data shows that if AI demand and technological skills continue to grow, employers do not just look for coders or tool users – they want strategic thinkers who can apply these technologies to real commercial problems. Among the global recruiters who have indicated that knowledge of AI is important to hire graduate commercial talents, the majority say that they appreciate candidates who can take advantage of AI tools for commercial strategy and decision -making, not only those who can exploit the tools.
In fact, there is a slight increase in interest in the ethical use of AI compared to last year, which suggests that business leaders are more attentive to the societal and organizational implications of the deployment of AI systems. The ability to use generative AI in a responsible and transparent manner begins to present itself alongside more traditional technological skills.
Among recruiters who favor technological skills in general, cloud -based platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform have ranked the highest, while data visualization and statistical analysis tools – such as SAS, SPSS or Stata – also obtained a strong support. This reflects a wider expectation: GME graduates should not only be comfortable with modern business systems, but also capable of interpreting data and transforming it into usable information.
However, even as IA and the mastery of mastery of technological fluidity, communication remains king. Among the 51% of employers who said that communication skills are essential when hiring GME graduates, verbal communication skills are top of the list. Conflict presentation and resolution capacities followed closely, while the videoconferencing skills – strongly highlighted during the pandemic – decreased in perceived value.
Employers are always eager to hire MBAs, find GMAC – in particular those who have IA skills
Source: GMAC
Almost 99% of world employers say they are confident in the capacity of B schools to prepare graduates for the success of their organizations. And almost two thirds believe that commercial education is more important than ever, especially since companies adopt emerging large -scale technologies.
“The intentional culture of skills relevant by business schools with their students helps them stand out as a precious contributors and future leaders in the business world in constant evolution,” explains Joy Jones.
Christine Murray, Doyene associated with Georgetown McDonough, echoes the feeling of Jones: “Graduates of business schools – with diplomas or identification information gained in person or distance – should feel authorized for their employability continues to surpass those who without advanced resolution, in particular when they can highlight the way they are competent in strategic reflection Problems and communications and communications parallel to the way in which they are competent in strategic reflection, problem solving and communications and communications parallel.
Employers are always eager to hire MBAs, find GMAC – in particular those who have IA skills
Source: GMAC
The hiring of the MBA continues to be a priority. Three of the four world employers plan to hire the same MBAs or more in 2025 compared to 2025, and 90% report plans to hire candidates holding an MBA – exceeding baccalaureate graduates and external hires.
This closely reflects the optimism of hiring reported in 2025, when more than 9 in 10 recruiters Anticipated strong mba request.
Together, the last two surveys highlight post -pandemic stabilization of the MBA market, now more influenced by emerging skills – in particular in AI – than by the volatility of the cocovio era.
Employers are always eager to hire MBAs, find GMAC – in particular those who have IA skills
Source: GMAC
The report also offers an overview of the way employers perceive the latest corporate of higher education – The so-called generation z.
About 61% of recruiters say that the MBAs of Gen Z demonstrate the same level of professionalism as previous generations, which suggests that many employers are widely satisfied with the preparation for the work of recent graduates. However, this always leaves an important minority with reservations.
Recruiters in the sectors of advice and health / pharmaceutical care, where interpersonal communication and customer skills are critical, were more likely to express concerns. Certain problems reported related to professional appearance, reliability and respect, indicating that if graduates of the Z generation provide solid technical and analytical skills, they may need additional support or coaching when they enter external roles with high issues.
Employers are always eager to hire MBAs, find GMAC – in particular those who have IA skills
Source: GMAC
The technology sector continues to show the way by adopting flexible work models and evolving educational formats. More than half (55%) of technology employers report that the skills acquired thanks to a trade diploma are even more precious when applied in hybrid or remote work environments where self-directing, digital collaboration and interfunctional agility are essential.
In addition, 57% of technology recruiters say they give equal value to graduates of online or hybrid programs compared to those who have completed their studies in person. This marks a notable change in employers' perceptions, signaling the growing acceptance of non -traditional learning pathways – especially in the sectors where digital control and performance often count more than physical presence.
Overall, “the 2025 Survey of business recruiters Reaffirms the confidence of employers in the ability of education to develop leaders who can navigate complexity and stimulate innovation, “writes Joy Jones in the introduction of the 2025 report.” While IA reshapes work and hybrid workplaces becomes more common, this confidence reflects the ability of graduates and adaptation to uncertainty, signaling that business schools In the development of skilletsset and minsids and that organizations need. With this solid foundation of trust, employers, business schools and their graduates can prosper through future transformation changes. »»
At Learnopoly, Finn has championed a mission to deliver unbiased, in-depth reviews of online courses that empower learners to make well-informed decisions. With over a decade of experience in financial services, he has honed his expertise in strategic partnerships and business development, cultivating both a sharp analytical perspective and a collaborative spirit. A lifelong learner, Finn’s commitment to creating a trusted guide for online education was ignited by a frustrating encounter with biased course reviews.
