Essential MBA Skills You Gain for Career Growth

Ever wonder what skills you can gain from an MBA degree? Let's explore the MBA skills you should acquire to advance your career and professional development. 

One of the most sought after master’s degrees is that of Master of Business Administration (MBA), and there is a good reason why it tops the list. In 2022, 91% of employers hired an MBA graduate. One of the main reasons why employers seek to hire MBA graduates is due to the valuable skills business professionals gain during their studies. 

No other degree offers the advanced business knowledge and skills you need to become a business leader, regardless of the industry in which you strive to work. From leadership and management skills to data analysis and strategic thinking, an MBA program offers a diverse skill set that can help you grow professionally.

But what are the top skills an MBA will teach you?

That's what this blog is all about! Join us as we explore the top 11 skills you can develop through an MBA program. 

The 11 Key Skills an MBA Teaches You

An MBA equips you with the skills, knowledge, and capacities you need to thrive in today's competitive business world. You get to learn how to identify market opportunities, make strategic decisions, drive organizational success, and understand how new technologies affect operations.

To make it clearer, below we will present the 11 key skills you'll get from earning your MBA. There's no better time than now to start developing skills employers are looking for in MBA graduates. 

Interpersonal skills

No matter whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, in your future career, you will work in teams. Sometimes, you may work in small teams, and other times, within big teams. However, regardless of the team size, you are going to work with people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures getting together to share ideas and considering the insights of others—all to advance business interests.

That's why interpersonal skills such as teamwork, empathy, and conflict resolution are necessary to help build and maintain professional relationships, collaborate with others, and lead diverse teams. 

MBA programs include many group projects to teach you how to communicate, collaborate, and compromise effectively. They also equip you with negotiation tactics, teaching you how to handle disputes, how to manage stakeholder expectations, and reach mutually beneficial agreements. 

Communication skills

MBA graduates usually tend to take on more advanced roles and to be successful in such a role, you need stellar communication skills. That’s why one of the pillars that drives the MBA curriculum is developing strong communication skills in students, specifically preparing you to articulate your ideas, present proposals, and persuade others. 

Nearly every MBA course requires you to develop your written communication skills by teaching industry-specific writing styles, how to create a business plan, and how to write a budget report. Much like written communication, MBA programs help you hone your verbal communication skills through routine presentations, networking events, and practice business pitches. 

An MBA also teaches you the art of persuasion, which is the holy grail of business. Whether you are motivating your superiors to take action, winning over clients, or articulating visions that inspire your team, your persuasive communication skills can make or break your business's success. 

Networking

The business world revolves around relationships. That’s why in an MBA program students learn how to build and strategically leverage professional networks, both within the program and in the wider business community. 

However, networking goes far beyond just exchanging business cards or connecting on LinkedIn. Rather MBA teaches you to find points of connection, share information, and build a lasting web of relationships that can propel your career forward. 

Every group project, class discussion, and casual coffee break becomes an opportunity to make meaningful connections that could open doors down the road. Moreover, workshops, social events, and mentorship programs are all designed to help students practice the art of connecting with others.

Yet, the real magic of networking in an MBA program is its longevity. In an MBA class, you are surrounded by a diverse mix of future leaders, innovators, and change-makers. Those connections made during your studies can evolve into job referrals, strategic partnerships, or mentorships down the line.

Leadership and management skills

One of the main reasons why students pursue an MBA degree is that they take more advanced managerial or leadership roles. That’s why one of the main pillars of MBA programs is to create a cohort of leaders who can thrive in diverse organizational settings. 

Through rigorous coursework that exposes you to different leadership theories and models coupled with hands-on projects, you learn to motivate teams, as such, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and aligned with shared goals. These leadership skills are reinforced through group projects, case studies, and real-world business scenarios, making you proficient in managing both teams and resources. 

Entrepreneurial and innovation skills

MBA programs are a breeding ground for entrepreneurial minds and innovative thinkers. Regardless of whether you want to become an entrepreneur, these skills can help you thrive in the business world by helping you think outside the box when faced with a business problem. 

The program structure, with its mix of case studies and real-world projects, helps students become comfortable stepping out of their comfort zones and taking calculated risks. Professors and mentors often present challenging, open-ended problems that demand fresh solutions and, often, a dash of boldness.

As your classmates can come from diverse professional backgrounds, each student (including you) brings unique perspectives and experiences, fueling innovative thinking. Through such experiences, you learn how to identify opportunities, spot inefficiencies, and devise creative solutions. 

Problem-solving and decision making

At the heart of any MBA program stands problem-solving and decision-making skills. These skills aim to make students tackle real-world challenges that mimic the high-stakes environment of the business world. 

During your MBA studies, you are trained to approach each situation from every angle, peel back the layers of complex issues, identify the core problems, and think critically about potential solutions. In this process, you develop the skill of weighing options, spotting the pros and cons, and choosing the best path forward.

Such skills are crucial for any career—it’s what helps leaders steer teams through unexpected challenges, enable managers to pivot strategies when markets shift, and empower entrepreneurs to find creative solutions when resources are limited. 

Strategic thinking

Strategic thinking skills are some of the most valuable skills you'll acquire in an MBA program. Becoming a strategic thinker allows you to look at the market forces at play and plan the best plans of action. 

With each course, you learn to gather critical decision-making data, plan a course of action, anticipate market trends, and list the necessary steps to reach your objectives. MBA programs also teach you how to employ the latest in risk management planning, project management methodologies, and performance planning. 

Data analysis

Data analysis is one of the most important skills you'll need for today’s business world. You’ll need such skills to collect, organize, and interpret data to uncover insights that can shape successful strategies, spot trends, and make educated guesses. 

As an MBA student, you are trained to cut through the noise, identify patterns and trends, and translate complex statistics into clear, actionable insights. When you think analytically and make data-backed choices, you can bring an undeniable edge to your teams, turning you into an invaluable resource in a data-centric business world. 

Financial and quantitative skills

As we have established, MBA programs aim to build future leaders, and you cannot be one without knowing how to handle the numbers side of business. Through hands-on experience with financial modeling, budgeting, and investment analysis, you learn how to break down balance sheets, forecast growth, and assess risks.

When you enter the real world of business, these skills feel like superpowers. Whether you are deciding on a new investment, setting a department’s budget, or planning a company's financial future, the capacities you build during an MBA will allow you to make decisions that align with business goals.

Global business acumen

It doesn’t matter where you reside, today businesses operate in one global market. To thrive in this market, MBA programs train you how to navigate the complexities of international markets by teaching you how to adapt strategies for different regions, understand cultural nuances, and work with diverse teams.

They also help you understand the regulatory and legal frameworks that impact international business, giving you the tools to navigate global markets effectively. This world-savvy mindset is what makes MBA grads stand out in a business landscape. 

Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

The business world of the 21st century is very different from that of our parents. Consumers are much more critical of businesses' ethical and social practices, which is pushing business leaders to make decisions that go beyond profits and are fair, sustainable, and socially responsible.

Throughout your studies, MBA programs encourage you to ask, “How will this decision affect employees, communities, or the environment?” In this sense, MBA programs make you understand that responsible leadership goes hand in hand with ethical decision-making and that being socially aware can actually enhance a brand’s reputation and loyalty.

By teaching you about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), you understand how to lead with integrity, balancing business goals with a commitment to positive impact.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an MBA degree goes way beyond the basics of running a business. It shapes you into a well-rounded leader who can make smart, ethical, and impactful decisions in any business environment.

If you're committed to becoming a 21st-century business leader, we welcome you to explore our Master of Business Administration program at OLLU. We're on a mission to help each student reach their fullest potential as leaders no matter what career path they pursue. If you're interested in learning more, you can request more information here.

FAQ:

Is an MBA degree worth it?

Yes, an MBA degree can be a worthwhile investment. It helps you build upon the knowledge and skills you've already gained during undergraduate studies, and it helps advance your career through increases in salary and job opportunities. 

Why should I get an MBA degree?

Although getting an MBA is a personal choice, an MBA degree develops valuable business skills such as leadership, strategy, and problem-solving. Plus, pursuing an MBA connects you to a powerful network and paves the way for advanced roles.