Many workplaces still require employees to work in the office, but many are starting to offer MBA remote work opportunities. Is it possible to get a work-at-home job as a recent MBA graduate? And what types of jobs can MBA graduates pursue?
Remote Jobs for MBA graduates
Accountant – If a company’s finances are complex, they may require an accountant with an MBA. An accountant can monitor financial activities, make sure that records are free of errors and look for opportunities to improve revenues and cash flow.
Doing accounting work may not require any time in the office, as long as you have secure access to your company’s financial data. Many companies are using online accounting software to keep financial records, so accessing the required data could be simply a matter of having a username and password to the system.
Consulting – Businesses are often looking to accelerate growth or solve other problems with their business quickly. If you have a unique set of skills or experience in a niche area that most other people lack, then you may be able to get a remote job as a consultant.
Consultants can easily make six figures and can focus on a variety of fields including financial, marketing, management and technology. Having an MBA combined with experience in your field can put you in a strong position when applying for a remote consulting job.
Sales and Business Development – Salespeople are often out of the office anyways, so many companies will allow people in sales positions to work from home. Being effective in sales often requires meeting with potential customers in person, attending events and other activities like public speaking.
However, sales can have a lot of flexibility and some savvy salespeople use tactics like cold emailing, phone calls and online demos to land their clients. Many sales executives are going to be focused on whether you can bring in good numbers. So if you can excel at sales, then getting a remote job is definitely a possibility.
SEO, social media and content manager – Many digital marketing positions can also be done remotely, as long as the employee has good Internet access. Many SaaS (software as a service) companies are embracing a remote culture to attract top talent worldwide.
Content marketing, for example, can be really competitive because lots of businesses are creating content which makes it incredibly difficult to stand out. To attract the best content writers and managers, some companies are willing to allow remote work because top talent is so rare that expanding their options outside of their local area makes the most sense.
Virtual recruiter – Another good remote position that MBA students may want to consider is an HR manager or recruiter. People are one of the most important assets that can make or break a business, so many businesses are paying attention to their hiring and recruiting processes.
Talented recruiters are hard to find and many people have difficulty identifying top talent and networking with the right people. Recruiters can build their network by attending events and actively connecting with other people outside of the office.
Other – The above list of positions isn’t comprehensive and you’ll likely find that many positions that are traditionally done in the office can be performed remotely. Sites like Glassdoor and Flexjobs allow people to search for jobs with remote work options.
How MBA Graduates Can Find MBA Work from Home Jobs
If you are looking for remote job opportunities, try the following options.
Job sites – Job sites are the first place people will look for work and some sites allow you to search for remote positions. If not, try adding words like “remote” or “work from home” to the search field to locate possible job opportunities.
Networking – According to estimates, 70-85% of jobs are found through networking. Employers also like to hire people that are referred by good employees because those people tend to also be good employees.
You can network with other professionals by attending events and also interacting with people online. Search for relevant events on sites like Eventbrite or Meetup where you might be able to meet with possible future employers in real life.
Also, if you find businesses that regularly post remote jobs, you can join their newsletter to get informed about events that they attend.
Cold call/email and pitch – Sometimes if you email a company that hires remote workers, you may be able to discover remote job opportunities before they are listed on a job site.
Finally, if you don’t have enough experience to get that competitive remote job, one final option you can consider is to start with full-time, in-office work and ask about remote possibilities in the future.
To Sum It Up
If you have a dream to work from home after getting your MBA, keep your eyes open for opportunities. Some organizations are set up so that their entire workforce is remote, so it’s possible to find just about any job set up as a full remote position.
Be consistent when searching for remote work opportunities because they do tend to be more competitive than regular jobs. Check job boards regularly and apply quickly. Continue to build your network so that you can find out about remote opportunities before the company posts the job. Continue to hone your skills and gain experience so that you stand out from other job candidates.
