In a recruiting cycle already upended by COVID-19, Big Tech is making moves that have the potential to alter the MBA recruiting landscape for good.
As some consulting firms - from Bain to PwC - and other traditional MBA landing spots pare back full-time hiring, Big Tech is stepping in to fill the void.
Big Tech Steps Up MBA Hiring
Amazon has broadened its scope for finding top talent by expanding hiring outside of target schools. Recruiting is no longer limited to Top 20 target schools, but instead the company plans to hire from upwards of 80 MBA programs. Why broaden the top of the funnel? Amazon is seeking graduates with both business and tech acumen. Spreading a wider net gives the company better access to talent with the niche skills the company is looking for.
Competition Increasing
Amazon already hires a massive number of MBAs every year - around 1,000. This move will increase competition even further for spots at the MBA level. Let’s do some 4th grade math to get a sense of exactly how MBA programs might be affected by this.
If Amazon is targeting 25 top schools to fill 1,000 MBA spots, each school is filling an average of 40 spots. We know that Amazon has expanded hiring to around 80 schools, so 1,000 spots divided by 80 schools is about 13 spots per school. Compare the previous 40 to the new 13, and that’s a drastic difference.
In plain English, if you’re in a mid-ranked MBA program, you’ve never had a better shot of getting an offer from Amazon. Period!
In addition to Amazon broadening its search for top talent, Microsoft and Google have joined Amazon in accelerating their MBA hiring timelines. In fact, at many programs, these Big Tech behemoths have been actively recruiting since early August!
Furthermore, all three (Amazon, Google and Microsoft) have indicated that they expect to hire more 2nd year MBAs this year than ever before. If you’re a 2nd year MBA and interested in a PM, Strategy, or technical role in Big Tech, the time is now to get a move on.
And in a sign that it’s just not Big Tech making moves, firms like ServiceNow Inc., a cloud computing company, expects to hire 10-20 additional MBAs this year.
Wrap Up
This isn’t exactly breaking news anymore in the post-COVID world, but less talent demand combined with more talent supply equates to much tighter competition all-around - across tech, banking, and consulting.
Whether you are a 1st year MBA preparing for internship recruiting, or a 2nd year MBA looking to dial in your post-graduation landing spot, you don’t have time to waste. The time to network and craft that winning resume is now.
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Additional Reading:
- Accenture Strategy & Accenture Technology: 3 Key Differences
- 5 Ways Tech Consulting differs from Strategy Consulting
- Will Tech Consulting experience help me in recruiting for Strategy Consulting?