When we speak to prospective students, especially those who are from outside of Canada, one of the questions asked is, “If I want to land a job in Toronto, don’t I need to attend an MBA program in Toronto?” We're unsure where this idea originates from because it’s a myth for two reasons.
Hiring Companies Don't Settle
The first reason this is a myth is because hiring companies don’t settle. The criteria for employing new talent aren’t based on geography. During job recruiting, the goal of hiring companies is to attract the best person they can find. Even though the company may be based in Toronto, these companies consciously expand their search by investing time and money to visit the top business schools. Top tier companies that recruit MBAs decide which schools to visit, create a schedule, and host information sessions at each one. During fall recruiting, the majority of the companies that host on-campus information sessions for our MBA students are from Toronto/Greater Toronto Area. If companies hired only from schools in Toronto, we wouldn’t have the high number of grads who end up at Toronto-based firms each year. Just last year, 70% of the offers accepted were for jobs in Toronto/Greater Toronto Area by September 2015. Companies in Toronto consider Ivey because of the reputation of our program and the success of our graduates.
People Would Rather Hire Someone They Know
The second reason this is a myth is because when it comes to hiring, people would rather hire someone they know than someone they don’t. While it is true that being in Toronto allows you to be in closer proximity to a company, would you show up unannounced not knowing anyone at that firm to inquire about opportunities?
Ivey has the largest and most influential network of all Canadian business schools — 23,000 grads with greater than 40 per cent of all alums in Director-level positions or higher. Our grads also remain very engaged with the school. Ivey alums are proud of their degree and eager to help the next generation of graduates. It’s part of the pay-it-forward mentality that is the fabric of the Ivey community.
So, when it comes to finding a job in Toronto, the reputation of your MBA program, the success of your school's graduates, and the engagement of the alumni matter to your success, not the proximity of the company.