Networking is the third most important popular reason to apply to MBA programs (after financial gain and education), according to a Financial Times business school ranking survey. According to the same survey, 95% of those who ranked networking as a priority said they had been successful in their networking goals. While participating in class and studying rigorously will certainly help you make the most of your education, those are not the only things you need to do to get a job. And networking does not have to be a separate pursuit from academic study or even from recreational activities. Don’t fool yourself: Every time you raise your hand in class or grab a drink after work with a new friend, you’re networking.
MBA Networking Events
About MBA Alumni Networks
One of the important ways MBA networks differ from college alumni organizations is that MBA alumni often become increasingly active in the networks after graduation, rather than taking advantage of the network while they get situated and then forgetting about it. At Tuck, 70% of students report getting their first post-MBA job through a connection to an alumnus. One way to evaluate the activity of a particular school’s alumni network is by looking up what percentage of alumni donate to the school each year. The higher the percentage, the more alumni have remained actively involved with their alma mater after graduation. According to such measures, alumni networks are the most active by far at the top 20 business schools.