HireFuqua, Fuqua's CMC Newsletter

In this Edition:

Three High-Impact MBA Talent Pools Employers Often Overlook

When employers think about MBA recruiting, they often focus on candidates with traditional pre-MBA backgrounds. Yet some of the most adaptable and innovative hires come from talent pools that are frequently overlooked.

Organizations that broaden their recruiting strategy can access candidates with proven leadership experience, specialized expertise, and global perspectives that enable employers to build stronger, more dynamic teams. Here are three MBA talent pools worth a closer look:

1. Military Veterans Offer Proven Leadership Under Pressure

Veterans often enter MBA programs with extensive experience leading teams, managing complex operations, and delivering results in demanding environments. Their mission-oriented approach, adaptability, and ability to make sound decisions amid uncertainty translate well to business leadership and organizational change.

💡Talent Insight: Look beyond traditional corporate titles and focus on transferable leadership skills. Veteran MBA candidates often possess leadership experience and operational responsibility that exceed what traditional job titles may suggest.

➡️ Interested in connecting with Duke MBA veterans? Reach out to the Duke Armed Forces Association (DAFA) at dafaprodev@duke.edu to explore recruiting and partnership opportunities.

2. Dual-Degree Students Bridge Business and Specialized Expertise

As business challenges become more complex, employers increasingly need talent that can operate across industries, functions, and disciplines. These students are uniquely positioned to help organizations navigate challenges where strategic decision-making and technical knowledge intersect.

Fuqua’s dual-degree MBA students combine strong business fundamentals with deep expertise in fields such as environmental management, law, healthcare, sustainability, and public policy.

Employers can access this unique talent through Fuqua’s dual-degree programs, which include:

• JD/MBA with Duke Law

• MD/MBA with Duke School of Medicine

• Master of Environmental Management (MEM)/MBA and Master of Forestry (MF)F/MBA with the Nicholas School of the Environment

• Master of Public Policy (MPP)/MBA with the Sanford School of Public Policy

💡Talent Insight: Employers often seek either strong business talent or deep subject-matter expertise. Dual-degree MBA talent delivers both in a single hire.

➡️ Interested in learning more? Contact Fuqua’s Career Services Specialists to connect with dual-degree MBA talent and explore recruiting opportunities.

3. International MBA Talent Offers Global Perspective and Cross-Cultural Expertise

At Fuqua, approximately 35% of MBA students come from international backgrounds, representing more than 40 countries. Their experiences navigating global markets and working across diverse industries equip them to contribute valuable insights in an increasingly interconnected world.

Fuqua's international MBA candidates are eligible to work in summer internships through CPT, and many graduates can work in the U.S. for up to three years through OPT and STEM designations. Duke Visa Services partners with employers to help navigate work authorization options. Learn more at Duke Visa Services.

💡 Talent Insight: Work authorization considerations shouldn't overshadow the significant business value international MBA talent can bring to an organization.

➡️ Get started with this hiring guide for U.S. employers by our partners at Interstride.

Looking Beyond Traditional Talent Pools

In today's hiring environment, competitive advantage often comes from identifying talent others overlook. Whether through military leadership, cross-disciplinary expertise, or global experience, these candidates bring perspectives and capabilities that can help organizations navigate change and drive results.

➡️Ready to diversify your MBA hiring strategy? Partner with Fuqua’s Career Services Specialists to discover candidates who can help your organization meet its evolving business needs.

The Return of Relationship-Based Recruiting

In an era where AI can generate thousands of applications with the click of a button, employers face a critical question: how do you identify candidates who are not only capable, but truly the right fit for your organization?

For employers hiring master's-level talent, human connection remains a powerful differentiator. While AI can streamline recruiting workflows, it cannot replicate the insights gained through genuine interaction. Employers that create opportunities for meaningful engagement are better positioned to evaluate fit and build stronger candidate relationships to attract top talent.

At Fuqua, we are seeing renewed momentum around high-touch recruiting strategies that help employers build stronger pipelines and make more informed hiring decisions. Students remember the organizations that invest time in conversation, mentorship, and authentic engagement. Those interactions often become the deciding factor when candidates evaluate competing opportunities.

How Employers Can Stand Out at Fuqua

Fuqua students are actively seeking opportunities to connect with employers beyond the application process. Organizations that engage early and often gain greater visibility, stronger relationships, and a more informed candidate pipeline.

These opportunities help employers move beyond resumes and give candidates a clearer understanding of company culture, team dynamics, and career pathways:

🎤 Employer Presentations: Showcase your organization's culture, career opportunities, and business impact.

👥 MBA Networking Receptions: Build meaningful connections with MBA students through focused conversations about careers, industry trends, and opportunities within your organization.

🤝 MBA Employer Expo: Showcase your organization, highlight MBA career opportunities, and engage directly with students through one of Fuqua's premier employer engagement events.

☕ Office Hours: Offer students direct access to your team while sharing insights into your organization.

🎉 Special Events: Engage with students through interactive experiences such as alumni career conversations, industry panels, workshops, and social events.

✈️ Treks & Site Visits: Bring your organization to life by welcoming students into your workplace and showcasing your people, culture, and operations.

🎯 On-Campus Interviews: Meet qualified candidates in a dedicated interview setting that supports deeper evaluation of skills, experience, and organizational fit.

Turn recruiting into relationship-building
➡️ Discover the many ways to engage with Fuqua students throughout the year and create meaningful connections that lead to stronger hiring outcomes. For more information about employer engagement opportunities, contact the Fuqua’s Career Services Specialists.

Fuqua’s Recruiter Toolkit: Resources for Recruiting Success

🎯 Welcome to Fuqua’s Employer Toolkit

Whether you're new to recruiting at Fuqua or a long-standing employer partner, the Employer Toolkit provides practical resources to help you reach and attract top talent. Explore the links below for key recruiting information, opportunities, and support resources.

💼Recruiting Tools:

Fuqua's CareerBridge Recruiting Platform
Candidate Search & Resume Books (free)
CareerBridge Instructional Videos

📘Recruiting Guides:

Fuqua's Internships Simplified
Full-Time Hiring: Fuqua Talent, On Demand
Getting Started: A Guide for New Recruiting Partners

🌟Recruiting Opportunities:

🔍Recruiting Resources:

CMC LinkedIn Employer Page
Fuqua’s Employer Website
Explore Talent Across Duke

Need help navigating Fuqua recruiting options? Contact the Career Services Specialists for a customized recruiting strategy discussion.

Engage Top Talent at Premier Recruiting Events

Connect with top-tier candidates at Fuqua’s exclusive MBA Networking Receptions and MBA Employer Expo. These premier events offer a distinctive opportunity to highlight your organization and hiring needs, engage with motivated students, and broaden your candidate talent pool through meaningful connections.

Space is limited, and events fill quickly. Secure your organization's participation through CareerBridge today.

For the full 2026-2027 recruiting calendar, click here.

Recruiter Impersonation:
Tips for Prevention

Recently, an alum was contacted by someone impersonating a recruiter and directed to a resume-review service requesting personal information and payment.

By copying LinkedIn profiles, company branding, and creating lookalike email addresses, fraudulent individuals can convincingly pose as recruiters from legitimate organizations.

To help protect your recruiting team, candidates, and reputation, consider:

➡️ Monitoring LinkedIn and other professional platforms for duplicate recruiter profiles

➡️ Communicating that recruiters will only contact candidates through official company channels

➡️ Providing a way for candidates to verify or report suspicious communications

If an impersonation attempt is discovered, notifying career services partners can help protect students, alumni, and others from similar schemes.

Insight & Expertise:
Perspectives from Duke

Gain insight from Duke faculty as they break down complex business topics in engaging articles and podcasts:

➡️How to Move from AI Experimentation to AI Transformation, by Arjun Dutt, Gene Rapoport, Professor Aaron “Ronnie” Chatterji, Gawesha Weeratunga and Harrison Satcher, April 30, 2026

Professor Ronnie Chatterji co-authored a piece in Harvard Business Review on how organizations can move from isolated AI experiments to enterprise-wide transformation.

➡️Fuqua Insights Podcast: Is AI Replacing—or Reshaping—Jobs?, by Professor John Graham, April 27, 2026

Professor John Graham discussed how AI is affecting productivity, hiring, and firm strategy on the Duke Fuqua Insights Podcast. He was interviewed by Kathleen Barlow, MBA ’27, who assisted in the research.

➡️Fuqua Insights Podcast: Are You Building Your To-Do List Backwards?, by Professor Jordan Etkin, April 13, 2026