Building a professional network is the key to success in your career. Not only can your network unlock new professional opportunities, but it can also expose you to innovative ideas. One benefit of an Executive MBA (EMBA) program that you may not have considered is its exceptional networking opportunities.
In fact, the unique characteristics of the EMBA mean that students are exceptionally well positioned to grow their professional connections. Here’s a look at how an EMBA can help you expand your own network.
EMBA students have the most experience of graduate business school candidates
When building a professional network, quality matters just as much as quantity. Your connections should be well positioned to help you further your own career. That means having a network composed of professionals who are already well established in their respective fields. An advantage of EMBA programs is that the executive management candidate they attract is an experienced professional. For example, our 2019 Application Trends Survey Report shows that 68 percent of EMBA students have 10 years or more of work experience, up from 63 percent the year previously. So, you’ll be able to meet people who are already well along in their career paths, and who potentially serve as valuable contacts in your own career growth.
Want to learn more about advancing your career through an EMBA? Check out 3 Ways the Executive Assessment Test Is a Step Towards a More Rewarding Career.
EMBAs often offer opportunities for international connections
In today’s increasingly globalized business world, having a network that crosses borders can pay significant dividends. Fortunately, EMBAs have a global mindset. To begin with, many EMBAs are popular with international students and they strive to maintain a cohort that is as diverse as possible. As a result, you’ll be learning alongside professionals from all over the world.
as a graduate business school candidate you may even have opportunities to study abroad during your EMBA. Joint EMBA programs, for example, give you the chance to study and earn a degree from at least two different business schools, with each one often in a different country. Even EMBA programs that aren’t offered as joint programs still frequently include international components where you travel to another country. These international components are exceptional opportunities to meet colleagues from all over the world.
EMBA programs give you access to large alumni networks
EMBA programs account for a relatively small share of graduate management education overall. For example, as of 2018 there were just 3,604 applications to EMBA programs worldwide, compared to nearly 175,500 applications to full-time two-year MBAs. This small size, however, is often the EMBA’s strength with networking. As you’ll often be part of a smaller cohort, you’ll typically have more opportunities to get to know your peers.
You’ll still have access to a large alumni network that extends beyond the EMBA program. That’s because EMBA graduates often become alumni of the same alumni networks as everyone else who graduates from the same business school, such as those who complete full-time MBAs. For joint EMBA programs, that can even mean access to not just one business school’s alumni network, but two or even more networks. As a result, you’ll be able to participate in alumni events that can lead to excellent networking opportunities.
Are you considering an EMBA?
Find out how an Executive MBA test can help.
