©2009 Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®). All rights reserved. Source: April 2009 Alumni Perspectives Survey; Available at

©2009 Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®). All rights reserved.

Source: April 2009 Alumni Perspectives Survey; Available at http://www.gmac.com/research


This document may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without modification and with all copyright and trademark attributions included.

Skills for SuccessAnalysis of Graduate Business School Alumni

Sabeen SheikhManager, Survey ResearchGraduate Management Admission Council®



Table of Contents• Gap Analysis of Skills: Value vs. Satisfaction

– Value of Skills for Current Job– Satisfaction With Skills Learned in B-School

• Alumni Industries of Employment– Skill Assessment Rankings, by Industry

• Alumni Job Level Analysis– Alumni Job Levels, by Industry– Top 5 Most Valued Skills, by Job Level

• Alumni Job Classification Analysis– Top 5 Most Valued Skills, by Job Classification



Gap Analysis: Value vs. SatisfactionThe eight business skills that graduate management alumni rated as highly valuable to their

current job performance were also the same areas in which alumni indicated the greatest levels of satisfaction with their business school education.

High Satisfaction Low Value

Low Satisfaction Low Value

Low Satisfaction High Value

High Satisfaction High Value

Operation skillsKnowledge of media communications and delivery

Generative thinking

Managing tools & technology

Knowledge of technology, design and production

Knowledge of human behavior and society

Managing administrative activities Managing human capital

Managing the task environment

Foundation skills

Interpersonal skills

Managing decision making processes

Knowledge of general business functionsManaging strategies and innovation



Managing tools and technology


Operation skills

Knowledge of media communications and delivery

Managing administrative activities


Foundation skills

Managing human capital


Strategic system skills

Knowledge of general business functions

Managing strategies and innovation

Generative thinking



0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

42%

43%

44%

50%

53%

53%

68%

70%

70%

70%

75%

78%

83%

84%

84%

Interpersonal skills, the ability to manage the decision-making process, and generative thinkingwere the skills alumni ranked most valuable in the performance of their current job.

Value of Skills for Current Job

(Percentage Extremely Valuable/Very Valuable)





Knowledge of media communications and delivery

Operation skills

Managing administrative activities




Foundation skills



Generative thinking


Managing strategies and innovation

Knowledge of general business functions

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

38%

41%

47%

48%

52%

53%

53%

53%

57%

58%

66%

70%

71%

77%

78%

Satisfaction With Skills Learned in B-SchoolKnowledge of general business functions and managing strategies and innovation were areaswhere alumni indicated the greatest levels of satisfaction with their business school education.

(Percentage Extremely Satisfied/Very Satisfied)



Alumni Industries of EmploymentThree market or industry sectors accounted for 53% of alumni employment. Slightly more

than a fifth of alumni indicated they work in the finance/accounting sectors, followed by 17% in products/services, and 15% in consulting.

Other Industry

Energy/Utilities

Nonprofit/government

Manufacturing

Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals

Technology

Consulting

Products/services

Finance/Accounting

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

5%

4%

8%

9%

9%

12%

15%

17%

21%



Skill Assessment Rankings, by Industry: Finance & Accounting

Alumni employed in the finance and accounting industries indicated that interpersonal skills contributed the greatest value to their job performance, followed by generative thinking skills

and ability to manage decision-making processes. They were most satisfied that their education prepared them to manage strategies and innovation and contributed to their

knowledge of general business functions.

0%

20%

40%

60% 48%42% 42% 40% 36%

Most Valuable Skills on the Job

-10%

10%

30%

50% 32% 32% 28% 28% 27%

Greatest Satisfaction With Skill Development in School



Skill Assessment Rankings, by Industry: Products & Services

Alumni in the products and services industry rated interpersonal skills as the most valuable skill related to performance of their jobs. One-third of these alumni expressed the greatest

satisfaction with the skills and knowledge they gained of general business functions through their graduate management education.

0%

20%

40%

60% 51% 48% 47% 43% 42%


-10%

10%

30%

50% 33% 31% 27% 26% 24%




Skill Assessment Rankings, by Industry: Consulting

Similar to alumni working in products and services industries, alumni working in consulting fields ranked interpersonal skills as the most valuable skill affecting job performance. Similar to the finance and accounting field, they also ranked managing decision making processes

and generative thinking as extremely valuable job skills. Alumni in consulting fields were most satisfied that their graduate management education developed their skills in managing

strategies and innovation and their knowledge of general business functions

0%

20%

40%

60%60% 53% 52% 50% 48%


-10%0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

38% 37% 33% 29% 29%




Skill Assessment Rankings by Industry: Technology

Alumni in various industries, including technology, rank interpersonal skills as the most valuable skill for job performance. Alumni in technology fields were extremely satisfied their

education provided knowledge of general business functions. Although they also rated managing the decision-making process as a highly valuable job skill, they derived more

satisfaction from other components of their graduate management education.

0%

20%

40%

48% 44% 43% 43% 41%


0%

20%

40% 34% 34% 30% 29%23%




Skill Assessment Rankings by Industry: Health Care/Pharmaceuticals

Interpersonal skills were the most valuable skills used on the job by alumni in the health care industry. Alumni were most satisfied that their graduate management education

prepared them to manage strategies and innovation. Skills that prove most valuable to these alumni on the job, however, do not closely parallel the skills and knowledge areas in which

they were most satisfied during their graduate management education.

0%

20%

40%

60%57%

49% 47% 44% 43%


-10%10%30%50% 37% 34% 31% 31% 30%




Skill Assessment Rankings, by Industry: Manufacturing

Interpersonal skills were rated as the most valuable on-the-job skills according to alumni employed in the manufacturing industry. These alumni indicated they were most satisfied

with the knowledge of general business functions they acquired during their education, even though this business area was not among the top five skills these alumni considered most

valuable to their current job.

0%10%20%30%40%50% 44% 41% 40% 36% 32%

Most Valuable Skill on the Job

0%

20%

40% 32% 29% 24% 23% 22%




Skill Assessment Rankings by Industry: Nonprofit/Government

Interpersonal skills were rated as the most valuable job skills according to alumni employed in the nonprofit/government sectors of the economy. These alumni indicated they were most

satisfied with the knowledge of general business functions they acquired during their education. This area of general business knowledge, however, was not among the top five

skills these alumni considered most valuable to their current job.

0%

20%

40%

60% 53%46% 44% 44%

36%


-10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

37%30% 27% 25% 25%




Skill Assessment Rankings, by Industry: Energy/Utilities

Interpersonal skills are the most valuable job skills for many alumni in various industries, including energy/utilities. Similar to other industries, these alumni were extremely satisfied their education provided knowledge of general business functions. Managing the decision-

making process was also ranked a top job skill, yet this knowledge area was not ranked among the most satisfying components of graduate management education for these

alumni.

0%

20%

40%

47% 45% 44% 44% 42%


0%

20%

40% 37% 36% 34%27% 26%




Alumni Job Level AnalysisThe majority of alumni worked in mid-level positions and

more than a quarter held senior-level positions.

Entry level7%

Mid-level56%

Senior level27%

Executive level9%

Other1%



Alumni Job Levels by IndustryA majority of alumni reported being employed in mid-level career positions. Across all

industries, about a quarter of alumni indicated being employed at a senior level.

Consu

lting

Energ

y/Utili

ties

Finan

ce/A

ccou

ntin

g

Health

care

Techn

olog

y

Man

ufac

turin

g

Nonpr

ofit/g

over

nmen

t

Produ

cts/se

rvice

s

7% 5%9%

5% 5% 4% 6% 7%

57% 60% 57% 58%55% 54%

61%57%

29% 25% 27% 29% 31% 29%24% 25%

7%10%

7% 8% 10%13%

9% 11%

Entry level Mid-level Senior level Executive level



Top 5 Most Valued Skills, by Job LevelFor alumni working in entry-level or mid-level jobs, interpersonal skills contributed the

most value to job performance. Alumni employed in senior- and executive-level positions placed the most value on the ability to manage the decision-making process.

Entry Level

• Interpersonal skills

• Generative thinking

• Managing decision making processes

• Foundation skills

• Managing the task environment

Mid-Level


• Managing the decision making process


• Managing strategies and innovation

• Knowledge of general business functions

Senior Level

• Managing decision making processes




• Knowledge of general business functions

Executive Level

• Managing the decision making process



• Strategic system skills

• Managing human capital



Alumni Job Classification AnalysisMost alumni classified their current positions as managerial

or professional.

Administrative3%

Operational4%

Technical4%

Professional46%

Managerial43%



Top 5 Most Valued Skills, by Job Classification

Administrative


Managing the decision making process

Knowledge of general

business functions

Managing administrative

activities

Generative thinking

Operational

Managing decision making

processes

Managing strategies and

innovation


Generative thinking


business functions

Technical

Generative thinking


processes



Knowledge of technology

products and design

Professional


processes


Generative thinking

Managing strategies and

innovation


business functions

Managerial



processes

Generative thinking



Based on alumni job classifications, the skills most valuable for current job performance varied across the board; however, managing decision-making processes ranked first or second. Interpersonal skills were the next most highly valued skill across all job classifications.

Documents

©2009 Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®). All rights reserved. Source: April 2009 Alumni Perspectives Survey; Available at