Value us more, plead sad MBAs

Employers do not appreciate employees with MBAs, a study from Imperial College Management School has found, writes Phil Baty.

The study found that 57 per cent of the school's alumni believe that their employers do not take full advantage of their MBAs.

"If employers forget that an MBA has gained new skills, that person can feel frustrated and undervalued," warned David Norburn, director of the school.

"MBAs tend to be high achievers and continuous career development in positions where they are challenged is essential."

Because of this lack of recognition MBA graduates stay with an organisation for an average of only two years, the report said.

Just over one-third of company-sponsored MBA graduates did not return to the sponsoring organisation.

The study also found that: * People take MBAs primarily as an opportunity to change career, not to increase their salary, as is often assumed; * 53 per cent funded their own MBAs; * 99 per cent said that an MBA from one of the top schools was more useful.