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Graduates happy at work – but want to be there less

For graduates eager to please a new employer, finding time for life outside the office can be a challenge.

Although the majority of masters in management graduates from 2010 report a good work-life balance, long working hours is an issue for many, an FT poll found.

Of the 614 respondents to the poll, 58 per cent said their work-life balance was “good” or “very good”, with only 13 per cent describing it as “poor”. However, long working hours and high stress levels are identified as a significant problem by 47 per cent and 44 per cent respectively.

Employers may be concerned that the majority of graduates (55 per cent) would to leave their current position in order to correct a work-life imbalance, rather than resolving the issue where they work. One in four think of changing sector.

Early in their career, climbing the professional ladder is a priority. Not only is career progress valued above work-life balance by 83 per cent of those surveyed, 61 per cent say it is the main factor in their choice of job

As these young professionals look ahead, greater emphasis is placed on salary. While 66 per cent of respondents say career prospects will remain among their top three professional priorities in five year’s time, 72 per cent identify salary. - Adam Palin

Big data becomes a big deal for business schools

As the commercial world grapples with big data, the number of business education programmes covering the subject is multiplying.

Driven in part by demand from recruiters, specialised courses in the area are a growing alternative to traditional masters in management programmes.

Both NYU Stern in New York and the Schulich school at York University in Toronto run standalone masters degrees in business analytics. At LSE in London, data analytics courses are an integral part of all undergraduate and masters degrees, while Chicago Booth and the Tepper school at Carnegie Mellon University in the US both have courses on their MBA programmes.

Big data is also a strong theme at Columbia Business School in New York. Oded Netzer, associate professor of business says: “The managers of the 21st century will need to feel very comfortable moving back and forth between data and managerial problems… and make sure they do not suffer from paralysis by analysis, drowning in the fire hose of data… pointed at them.”

More than 1,000 universities worldwide have also started working with IBM, the computer services group, to provide curriculum materials based on real business issues. - Charlotte Clarke

#Keeping up with the business twitter

Which hashtags should business students follow to keep on top of emerging topics? Five good places to start are:

#bized Keep up to date with all things business education, from GMAT tips and student competitions to careers advice.

#bigdata Number-crunching skills are in demand to predict trends and to gain competitive insights from data gathered by organisations and social networks.

#cybersecurity Tackling computer crime is high on the agenda. Learn to protect yourself.

#gamification Find out more about engaging customers and workers through the application of video-game techniques.

#socialentrepreneurship Want to work in a business with a conscience? Check out the latest ideas.

Which hashtags would you recommend?

Send your ideas to @ftbuseducation #FTMiM

Wai Kwen Chan

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
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