When most industries hit hard times, there follows a flood of talent into the unemployment lines.  Good luck finding auto factory jobs when the big car manufacturers begin laying off people in droves.  And when the Internet bubble burst, it took awhile for programmers to find their groove again.  But do MBAs follow the same general trend?  With Lehman Brothers, Fannie Mae, and Merrill Lynch getting bought out or dismantled, won’t business experts suddenly inundate the unemployment lines?  Won’t their degrees suddenly become worthless as the larger financial markets face dwindling opportunities and increased competition?

Not necessarily.  There are many ways in which MBA degrees can partially shield you from a failing economy:

MBA Degrees Offer Mobility
The business training offered through MBA degrees offers mobility.  Whereas lawyers must learn the country and state-specific laws of the land, many of the core economic principles taught at business schools transcend boundaries.  Every company, government, and country in the world wants to improve its bottom line.  Even accountants find their skills in demand in Europe, Africa, and South America.  So even if the US isn’t doing so well, you potentially have options abroad.

MBA Degrees Let You Play Both Sides of the Aisle
When the economy is good, companies want to do better.  When the economy is bad, companies want to do better.  Consultants, accountants, and innovative entrepreneurs remain relevant regardless of Wall Street’s relative health.

MBA Degrees Are Versatile
MBAs feed directly into 4 of the top 10 hottest career fields, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.  And through specialization, you can potentially parley your business training into the remaining 6 career fields (which include everything from chemical engineering to information systems).  Companies like Cisco and Dow don’t only hire technicians.

Lastly, MBA degrees provide you with the fundamentals necessary for personal budgeting and financial responsibility.  Spending wisely, saving for the future, and navigating downturns in the economy are skills that every citizen should have under his belt.  I have nothing against nursing degrees or IT certification, but MBA degrees tend to make more sense when money is tight.