More MBA graduates are using soft skills to further their careers than ever before according to new research.

Latest global research carried out by the Association of MBAs has revealed post-graduates are using soft skills more than ever to climb up the career ladder. Mark Stoddard, (pictured) accreditation projects manager, pointed out that this was due to business schools promoting the value of these skills through accreditation assessments. 

MBA students worldwide from business schools with accredited programmes took part in the Career 2008 Survey. The data was collected during July 2008 and more than 2,000 people responded, nearly double that of the previous survey in 2006.

One aspect of the study involved examining the impact of MBA skills on career development and found that out of the nine pre-determined skills, five were the most beneficial to their careers.

Respondents rated the soft skills as very positive to their career progression, including; conceptual competence (42 per cent), which involves using theory to deal with business problems; (40 per cent) business planning skills; (48 per cent) interpersonal skills; (47 per cent) working within a group, and (42 per cent) leadership.

Stoddard said: “Our data illustrates that MBA graduates from accredited programmes clearly value the soft skills learned during their MBA as much as the more functional disciplines (for example, leadership 87 per cent positive, interpersonal skills 90 per cent positive).

“The Association has worked hard over the last five to ten years to promote the value of these softer skills, such as leadership and communication through its accreditation assessments, and quality business schools are currently emphasising these elements of their programmes more than ever.”

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