Top 5 MBA Skills to Future-proof Your Career in 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled businesses all over the world to pursue digital transformations that most would have put off for several years if the pandemic hadn’t struck. Employers are placing more emphasis on qualities that are frequently referred to as “soft” skills, such as communication and teamwork, above rigorous corporate financial expertise. For Executive MBA (EMBA) students, these soft skills are critical. If you choose to pursue this intensive degree, you’ll most likely be interested in positions in senior management or the C-Suite, where these non-technical skills are even more vital for success.

Which Master’s is the RIGHT choice for you?

There are a myriad of choices when it comes to upgrading your qualifications with master’s degree courses in Singapore. However, one of the most prominent graduate programs many people pursue is business administration. Taking a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) is beneficial, as it equips a graduate with the right amount of soft and hard skills they can use to advance in their career.

The MBA is the definitive managerial education programme, producing more qualified and educated managers for businesses than any other graduate programme. While MBA curricula are continually changing to fit the demands of businesses, we feel that this rate of change must pick up to ensure that the MBA degree is future-proof.

Indeed, an MBA degree is considered a gateway to improving one’s career, as MBA students are shaped to become great managers and leaders who possess skills in communication, leadership, management, data collection and analysis, and other significant abilities most employers look for. To help you decide whether pursuing an MBA is the right path for you, this article discusses five of the most essential skills you will acquire as an MBA graduate.

1. Effective communications skills

For MBA candidates, presenting case studies, reports, and problem-solving analyses is the everyday scenario. These activities require the students to collaborate, brainstorm, and work with their peers and faculty on a regular basis. Hence, MBA programs tend to produce effective communicators who know how to relay their thoughts and ideas in an effective manner. The multicultural and multi-industry nature of students in MBA classes offers another advantage since a lot of learning comes from the interaction with classmates through engagement, debates, and exchange of views. This is crucial, especially since great communication skills are an asset no matter the industry.

2. Critical thinking skills

An MBA will also help you sharpen your critical thinking skills. The practical experience you’ll gain through case studies, projects, or business simulations will build on your existing professional expertise and help to propel your career to greater heights. Since companies and organisations usually deal with multiple business challenges, it takes a critical thinker to formulate the best plans of action that consider all market forces and changes to result in inevitable success. By signing up for an MBA course, you will become exactly that! You will learn to become a critical thinker—always thinking broadly and formulating strategies that address core problems.

3. Empathetic and compassionate leader

With a part-time MBA, you will be exposed to real-life issues and learn how to tackle them. The learning process is complemented by interactions with like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds, career paths, and cultures. Through these interactions, you will develop your leadership skills since you will have to adapt and engage with different professionals in complex environments.

Sunitha Narendran, Director of Roehampton University’s Business School, which continues to produce compassionate leaders that are highly sought after by employers, has also stated that the pandemic has brought to light the importance of empathy for leaders and managers.

4. Data analytics

Data analytics is important because it helps businesses optimise their performance. Implementing it into the business model means companies can help reduce costs by identifying more efficient ways of doing business and by storing large amounts of data. MBA modules with data analysis will help you learn data analysis skills to gain business insights.

Gathering data and using it to improve business has always been a challenge, but not for MBA students and graduates! MBA courses commonly offer a variety of lessons on data and analytics that aid in predicting consumer behavior, determining return on investment (ROI), and improving overall business decision-making. Hence, if you want to enhance your skills in data analytics, you should definitely consider an MBA that is designed to build deep competency in the skills needed for data-driven business decisions.

5. Green and sustainable business strategy skills

Green skills essentially refer to the abilities, knowledge, attitudes, and values necessary to develop and support an eco-friendly, resource-efficient, and sustainable society. Fortunately, most MBA courses now incorporate the acquisition of green skills into their programs. Become a leader in sustainable business as more organisations are looking for leaders who possess the green skills necessary to facilitate social responsibility in businesses.

Begin an MBA programme that will help you broaden your understanding of sustainability across a variety of organisations, industries, and practices, such as business, consulting, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), and energy. Learn how to be an effective change agent, how to overcome change hurdles, how to network, and how to design a customized sustainable action plan. Use this new cutting-edge knowledge to help you expand your skillset or begin a new professional path.

Conclusion

The knowledge and skills you acquire from an MBA program can help you reap immediate benefits in your career. MBA students are not just trained to become better communicators and leaders, but they are also taught how to analyse things more effectively and to care for the environment. All of these are essential for career progression. Indeed, having these skills can open all sorts of doors for you—it is no wonder why everyone is getting an MBA!

Step up your game with a quality graduate education at Aventis

Accelerate your career with an experiential and personalised MBA learning journey. At Aventis Graduate School, we offer a wide variety of MBA programs designed specifically for adult learners and professionals. When it comes to business education, we are the leading choice for highly motivated professionals who wish to excel in their careers and accelerate their professional growth. Our part-time MBA in Singapore will provide you with a premium and sustainable experience that will last throughout your career. Start your professional progress with us today and become a more successful business leader in the future.