MBA & Master Glossary
Career Change
Definition
A career change refers to the deliberate switch of industry, function or both in one's professional path. In the MBA context it is one of the most common study motives: 40–60% of MBA graduates change industry or function after graduation. The MBA acts as a career accelerator (from specialist to executive) and as a bridge (lateral entry into new industries). Typical switches: engineer → strategy consulting, IT → product management, physician → healthcare management, lawyer → corporate development. Success factors are clear goals, the right program format (2-year full-time MBAs with summer internship are especially suitable), strong recruiter presence of the school in the target industry, and active use of career services and alumni network.
Example: "The MBA enabled her career change from research into product management."
Why this matters for your MBA
"Career Change" is one of the terms you will come across when comparing MBA and Executive MBA programmes in Germany, Austria and Switzerland — in admission requirements, accreditation details or programme descriptions. On mba.de you can check how individual business schools handle it and compare programmes independently.
Source: mba.de – independent comparison portal since 2003.