Reasons to be cheerful

The global economic crisis is not over yet. Just talk to any member of the Spanish, Portuguese, Irish or Greek governments if you need confirmation. But it does seem as if the worst might be behind us. And that means job prospects for professionals and managers throughout the world are looking better than they have at any time since 2007.

...Businesses also seem to be planning ahead more, rather than expecting to simply turn up on campus and have their pick of the best students. "Not only are companies coming on campus earlier so that they don't miss out, they are also investing in more internships," says Marie- José Beaudin of the Desautels Faculty of Canada's McGill University. "Organisations are looking at building talent pipelines that will feed their needs over time rather than just recruiting for the here and now."

However, the real news for 2011 is the indication that business schools are finally being seen as the key source of the managers and professionals of the future - those who can operate in truly international markets. "We're seeing more and more multinationals looking for MBAs from Western schools who also have the skills sets and cultural awareness to help with the development of emerging markets," says Beaudin. In many cases this means graduates returning to their country of origin under the umbrella of a global business, but an increasing number of students from Europe and North America are also seeing the attraction of gaining international experience in their first job.

Read full article: CNBC Business, September 2011