Changing the World with an MBA Degree

Having an MBA degree already shows that you are intelligent and ambitious, but how do you start using those smarts to make a difference? First, write down a list of issues that are important to you. Are you interested in addressing environmental concerns such as global warming? Protecting human rights? Preventing animal abuse? While many of these causes seem unrelated to business, organizations that want to make a difference require a healthy dose of business savvy. Most non-profits constantly struggle to match their idealism with funds and need passionate people who can help maximize their monetary efficiency and effectiveness.

Once you have chosen the cause you want to address, it is important to decide the amount of time and energy you are willing to contribute. Many people choose to volunteer for a cause in addition to their job, but it is entirely possible to make your issue-driven passion a full-time career.

Luckily, today's job market is favorable for people looking to dedicate their MBA skills to a cause on a full-time basis. With the high number of  non-profit organizations operating in the U.S. comes both a large number of jobs and increased competition for funds, public awareness and action—MBA-specific skills have rarely been more necessary.

Though clichés and culture have taught that money alone can't buy happiness, the combination of an MBA's salary and the personal fulfillment of helping to make a difference just might be the ticket. Even better, the benefit of combining an MBA degree with socially conscious work is a two-way street—not only does it allow employees to get more out of their job, but it also seriously benefits the cause at hand. "It's not enough to do good," says Liz Livingston Howard, associate director of the Center for Nonprofit Management at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. "You have to do good well."