Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a rewarding and attractive field for professionals looking to work in the corporate sector or management. It is a specialization program focusing on different sides of administration and management of the business. Many career aspirants are choosing this path to launch a progressive career. It can help you build a career in business and increase your brand value in the job market. MBA is a vast field, and millions of students opt for it after graduation to build careers from logistics to finance to operations and human resources. You can get offers for the best jobs with an MBA degree. However, the common notion that an individual’s career would take off soon after an MBA degree may need to be more trustworthy. This is because only some get their dream job after completing MBA and only some are offered lucrative salaries. There are many other factors involved in recruiters selecting you over others for any job. A commonly asked question by MBA aspirants is, “what can I do after MBA?” or “What are the career options for MBAs?”

We will answer this question in this article. But before that, we would like you to ask yourself one question, “why do I want to do an MBA?” This question is essential because you must have clear-cut goals to build a successful career after your MBA. There may be single or multiple reasons to choose MBA, but you should be clear about what you want to accomplish with your MBA degree. You can do an MBA to get a much-wanted promotion or a salary hike. Or the reason may be to take a new career path. You may choose MBA to build your brand value, or you may choose it to start and manage your own business. Or you may opt for an MBA degree to add to your knowledge. There can be any reason for choosing MBA, but your vision must be clear.

MBA Courses and Specializations

There are many MBA specializations and branches, and each has its own benefits. Below is a list of more popular specializations in MBA, which translate into different career options. Let’s look at these specializations.

• Sales and Marketing Management
• Finance Management
• Human Resources Management
• Operations Management
• International Business Management
• Information Technology and Systems Management
• Supply chain Management
• Entrepreneurship Management
• Healthcare and Hospital Management
• Retail Management
• Business Analytics

Career Opportunities Under Each Specialization

Let us now look at the career prospects in each specialization of MBA.

Sales and Marketing Management

This is one of the most sought-after specializations in MBA because jobs in sales always stay strong and will never dry up since every company needs sales and marketing professionals to grow its business. It focuses on the study of marketing and business. In the course, you will be taught about different marketing techniques and channels, market research, customer behavior, sales, etc. The different job opportunities that come up after completing MBA in Sales and Marketing are in banking, healthcare, hospitality, media, retail, etc. After completing your MBA in Sales and Marketing, the positions and profiles may be Brand Manager, Marketing Manager, Customer Relationship Manager, Market Research Analyst, Sales Manager, Asset Manager, Channel Head, Media Planner, Product Manager, Business Marketing, Advertising Manager, etc. For those holding an MBA degree in Sales and Marketing, significant opportunities exist in companies working in FMCG, Financial Services, Information Technology, and many Marketing companies.

Finance Management

This is another one of the more popular specializations in MBA. Just like marketing, finance people are required in every industry or business. It has tremendous potential for growth in your career because it offers vast opportunities in diverse sectors. You can work in the corporate sector as well as the industry. With an MBA in finance, you can get into finance, including international finance, banking, insurance, investment management, taxation, and a host of other fields. Other sectors where you can find job opportunities are corporate finance, corporate banking, credit risk management, asset management, hedge fund management, private equity, treasury, etc. Some common and popular job profiles where you can get in as an MBA in finance are:

• Financial Manager
• Financial Analyst
• Accounting Manager
• Credit Manager
• Credit Analyst
• Treasurer
• Risk and Insurance Manager
• Legal Financial Advisor
• Cash Manager

An MBA in finance is undoubtedly a lucrative career option that offers diverse work and rapid career growth, and its popularity is always on the rise.

Human Resources Management

Almost all corporate businesses have a separate Human Resources (HR) department to look after and manage the people working in the organization at all levels. An HR person is like a mediator between the employees and the management. They focus on maximizing employee performance to help achieve organizational goals. The HR person is also responsible for the recruitment, orientation, and training of people in the organization, along with doing their performance appraisal with the help of individual employees’ immediate supervisors. Other tasks an HR Manager performs apart from the above relate to organizational structure, employee motivation, and engagement. Again, as an MBA in Human Resources Management, you can work in different sectors such as manufacturing, IT, BPO, service, government, education, banking, healthcare, media, etc. Different job profiles that you can work in as an MBA in HR Management are:

• Human Resource Manager
• Human Resource Consultant
• Human Resource Generalist
• Employee Education Consultant
• Recruitment Manager
• HR Director
• International Human Resources Professional

Apart from the tasks mentioned above, an HR person is also assigned tasks like training and development, employee benefits, payroll management, and employee coordination. Of late, there has been a surge in demand for HR professionals as more and more companies are looking to streamline their HR departments and manage them professionally. Getting an MBA in HR Management will help you get good job opportunities.

Operations Management

This is another more popular specialization in MBA. Operation management is the pillar of any business operation. Operations management is about everything related to the operations of a business, including product quality and cost, manufacturing processes and time, productivity increase, and enhancing customer satisfaction. After completing your MBA in Operations Management, you can get job opportunities in manufacturing, IT, telecom, e-commerce, retail, logistics, Supply Chain, hospitality, financial institutions, transportation, etc. As an MBA in Operations Management, you can be offered job profiles such as Purchase Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Logistics Manager, Operations Manager, Logistics Manager, Warehouse Operations Manager, and like. So, there are job opportunities after completing your MBA in Operations Management.

International Business Management

If running or managing a global business is your aim, this MBA specialization is for you. It will provide you with opportunities all around the world. With business between countries growing forever, international business management professionals are in great demand. You will be trained in the competition in the world market. You will learn about international standards and business laws. Today, most big companies are expanding their business beyond the boundaries of their countries, and it has opened up many opportunities for international business professionals. You can get lucrative jobs in construction, logistics, hospitality, transportation, Information Technology, management consulting, financial institutions, export, and import. The profiles offered to those with an MBA in International Business Management are Marketing Analyst, Export Manager, International business development manager, International finance manager, Logistics manager, Compliance manager, etc.

Information Technology and Systems Management

This specialization in MBA is more technical and is more suited to those inclined to work in the field of Information Technology, computer applications, software, or any other related field. An MBA specializing in IT and Systems will provide you with the skills to manage the IT aspects of any company. You will learn information security and IT project management in this course. Today, there are only a few businesses that are dependent on technology. In this scenario, an IT and Systems Management MBA can get you openings in almost every business. So, you are going to have job opportunities. You can work in the IT department of any company, big or small. Some of the roles offered to MBAs in IT and System Management are IT infrastructure manager, Project manager, Business development manager, Systems manager, Products manager, Analytics manager, Business analyst, Data processing manager, IT manager, and System analyst.

Supply Chain Management

An essential and critical part of a business, Supply chain management plays a crucial role in its smooth functioning. Its role extends right from procurement to delivery. Supply chain management is essential for many businesses like retail, manufacturing, healthcare, e-commerce, etc. And with growing technological advancements, companies have been compelled to focus more on this aspect of the business. You will learn to improve process efficiency by applying cost-effective solutions. You will also learn how to apply Information Technology in the supply chain. After completing your MBA in Supply chain management, you can work in profiles like Supply chain operations Vice President, supply chain consultant, Supply chain performance analyst, Warehouse operations manager, Logistics and transportation analyst, Supply chain manager, Demand planning analyst, and Purchase manager.

Entrepreneurship Management

Entrepreneurs are showing the way to the world today. A lot of start-up companies are coming up globally. If you also want to become an entrepreneur, this MBA specialization will benefit you. You can start your own business and run it successfully. It can also open up many other opportunities. You will be taught leadership skills and business ethics, and you will learn networking. The core skills required to run your business, like accounting and marketing, will also be taught to you. Once you complete your MBA in entrepreneurship management, you can become a small business owner. Even if you don’t become one, you can work in profiles like Sales manager, corporate supervisor, Business consultant, and Fundraiser and development officer.

Healthcare and hospital management

Healthcare has become an enormous business today, and hospitals are an essential part of it. It is a booming industry now and offers a host of opportunities for professionals in healthcare management. With an MBA in Healthcare and Hospital management, you can get many management positions in different healthcare facilities. Besides, you will significantly understand how the healthcare industry works. You will learn about the healthcare industry’s daily operations and administrative work. You will also be taught about ethics and policies. Some of the significant sectors you will work in include Hospital administration, Health insurance, the Pharmaceutical industry, Medical equipment, and Healthcare IT service. You can be offered lucrative profiles such as Hospital CEO, Hospital administrator, Pharmaceutical product manager, Healthcare IT consultant, Health insurance manager, Hospital operations manager, etc.

Retail Management

Retail is a booming business in today’s world. It is continuously adapting to customer requirements. You will understand the retail industry more deeply during your MBA in retail management. You will learn management skills that align with the retail industry’s requirements. You will also learn customer relationship management which is vital for successfully managing a retail business. Apart from this, you will also learn about marketing and global market competition. The profiles mostly offered to MBAs in retail management are Product manager, Sales manager, Brand manager, Store manager, Product executive, Marketing executive, etc. So many big retail companies are already in the market; some are operating globally, and more are coming up. So, there is plenty in the retail management domain.

Business Analytics

Today, more and more companies keep analyzing how their business is performing regularly, the issues they are facing, and the solutions there. This has given rise to the requirement for Business analysts. In the MBA specialization of Business Analytics, you get a deep understanding of survey software and learn to apply different data analytics, developing skills for data visualization. You gather business data and analyze it to find where it is going. Various sectors like software development, education, government, and finance are looking for professionals in business analytics. After completing your MBA in Business Analytics, you can work in profiles like Supply chain analyst, Management consultant, Business systems analyst, Financial analyst, and Predictive modeler. This is a rising trend and in the coming time, many more sectors will open up to the importance of business analytics, and opportunities for MBAs in Business Analytics are bound to increase manifold.

Conclusion

We have given you the best career options for MBA professionals. Choose the one you like or the one that matches your goals. An MBA degree will boost your career prospects and open up many good job opportunities. So, choose the specialization and plan your career around it or choose the specialization that will help you achieve your goals.