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If Sun Tzu were alive today, he’d argue that military members make some of the best businessmen and women because they know how to defeat the competition. If you doubt this, just read The Art of War and speak to any of the thousands of troops and veterans with an MBA.
In today’s business world, leaders are needed, and companies are quickly realizing that military members with an advanced business degree have the ability to lead on day one. This realization is presenting military members with a real opportunity to take what they learned in the Armed Services and combine it with the business acumen they can gain in business school to go from the battle line to the boardroom.
The U.S. Army Reserve knows about the advantages a military student can offer the business world, and there is a list of companies ready to hire military graduates because of their leadership qualities.
The U.S. Army Reserve has reached out to The Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC) to help encourage soldiers to pursue a graduate business degree, such as an MBA. The Army Reserve recognizes that the combination of military experience and the knowledge an MBA program provides can create a better worker, whether in the military or in civilian life.
Walmart® saw the potential that military members could bring to the table and began recruiting junior military officers. The company sent recruiters to job fairs and connected with headhunters who have links to the military. Walmart soon realized it had tapped into a gold mine of talent and eventually expanded military recruiting to all levels and divisions of its business.
G.I. Jobs magazine has a list of military-friendly employers that has continued to grow to 100 businesses this year. The ranking includes The Home Depot®, Lowe’s®, State Farm Insurance®, AT&T® and Bank of America®.
Most students have a variety of motives when pursuing a graduate degree. Some want to have access to professional opportunities, improve managerial skills or develop a lifelong professional network. Military members reaching the end of their military career have similar motives as they look to transition from the frontline to civilian life.
An MBA provides military members with skills that outfit them to advance in the civilian marketplace.
Military members are prepared for MBA programs because they can think broadly, develop strategy and create a successful outcome. Many military members are granted responsibility and required to solve problems on the spot at a younger age than most. They are forced to develop leadership skills, which provide a solid foundation for success as business students.
Business schools and the business world understand that military members are not the typical student or employee. These men and women have traveled far and wide. They have faced responsibility. They have had to make high-risk decisions.
Military members are forced to take on responsibility, become goal oriented and lead teams during difficult times. They are prepared to meet the competition. And this is all before they enter an MBA program.
When they enter an MBA program, they gain knowledge of business concepts that, when combined with their military experience, can provide the know-how to become effective team leaders in today’s business world.
References
Davidson, L. (2010) Army Reserve encourages soldiers to pursue MBA. Business School Journal.
Military Friendly Schools. (2010) Military experience+MBA=Big bucks.
O’Keefe, B. (2010) Battle-tested: From soldier to business leader. CNNMoney.com.
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