Congratulations! You’ve passed your final MBA exam. Proud family members have watched you graduate. That all-important degree certificate is in your hand. Employers are waiting to hear from you.
Or are they? At the 15 South African business schools taking part in 2026 market research for this cover story, there are 7,245 people currently studying for an MBA or MBL. Last year alone, almost 2,000 successfully completed their studies. Worldwide, according to a US report, the number was over 250,000.
The jobs market, it appears, can’t cope with the flood. In some countries, almost half of 2025 MBA graduates remain unemployed.
For students who enrolled in the belief that an MBA degree certificate was their golden ticket to business success, these are depressing facts. History shows that those who enrol primarily in pursuit of promotion and money are likely to be disappointed.
It also shows that those whose main motivation is business and management knowledge have a better chance of getting value from their considerable financial and personal investment in an MBA.
Some graduates, of course, suffer no financial pressure. Studies are paid for by employers as part of their career planning. They benefit from strategic corporate investment in long-term knowledge and management skills.
For self-funding students, too, the MBA should be part of a considered career trajectory. Wits Business School (WBS) academic Rutendo Hwindingwi says of the degree certificate: “That piece of paper is just a milestone.” If you think it’s anything more, it can become a millstone.
Graduates — whether sponsored or self-funding — who stay with the same employer can use their education positively within a familiar environment. Those seeking fresh pastures may find career changes more challenging.
The degree may get you through the door for an interview but then it’s up to you. Morris Mthombeni, dean of the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science, says: “Interviewers want to know what’s in the can, not what’s on the label.”
Cobus Oosthuizen, chair of the South African Business Schools Association, agrees: “The qualification doesn’t walk into the interview. It may signify ambition and ability, but companies employ a person, not a certificate. It looks fantastic hanging on the wall, but it doesn’t change the world. That’s up to you.”
Making the most of it
So how do you leverage your MBA degree which, after all, is designed not only to raise your management abilities beyond the average but also to make you inquisitive, hone leadership skills, improve problem-solving, and turn you into an all-round, forward-looking manager ready for any challenge?
Most business schools do their best to help students find post-graduation work. Options include one-on-one career meetings, personal development courses, online coaching for career development, advice on writing CVs and developing a personal brand, and even access to educational psychologists.
One should also never underestimate the value of alumni networks, where previous graduates are often happy to support their alma mater successors.
But it’s the MBA programme itself, rather than support structures, that can provide the biggest career impact. It’s not just the content but the way it’s absorbed. WBS MBA programme director Jenika Gobind says: “An MBA should have an impact on the way you behave and think.” Her colleague, academic director Jones Odei-Mensah, cautions: “Not everyone is able to use these tools properly. They go through the motions of learning.”
Mthombeni observes: “People are conscious that an MBA will shift their career, but many don’t know exactly how. There is an opportunity for us to shape that.”
That shape should include the self-confidence required to fight for the career you want. What’s the point of learning leadership, problem-solving, communication and adaptability if you don’t use them at the first opportunity to achieve your ambitions?
As Oosthuizen, who is also dean of postgraduate studies at Boston City Campus, puts it: “There are a lot of MBA graduates. Waiting for the world to say, ‘Please come and work for me,’ is no good. You have to roll up your sleeves and knock on doors.”
