If you ask most MBA students where they want to work, you'll hear the same companies. Doug Massa, who connects Haas students with tech employers, has a different list.

Most MBA candidates fixate on the usual suspects: Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with recruiting for roles at these companies, and they offer great career opportunities. However, the hiring process is very competitive, and not all candidates are successful.

According to Massa, some of the best opportunities exist at companies that students may not necessarily consider for tech or haven’t even heard of.

"There's so many great companies to consider," Massa explains. "I talk to interesting firms every week."

Here are the ones he gets excited about – and why you should, too: 

When asked about companies he loves working with, Massa doesn't hesitate: ServiceNow.

"They just have a solid business. They are market leaders and have great MBA roles. They're always hiring for product management, corporate strategy, and their finance rotation program. And they pay really well."

ServiceNow checks multiple boxes that matter:

Visa Consulting Group is a particular standout, along with product management and marketing positions. The company provides a solid foundation for MBA graduates looking to start their careers. "People think it's an old, stodgy business, but again, they offer great roles," Massa says.

It’s located in Foster City (in the Bay Area), with offices nationwide.

In fintech, Massa consistently recommends PayPal for product management and corporate strategy roles.

Why PayPal? Reliability. Some fintech companies come and go, but PayPal offers stability, along with interesting work in a dynamic space.

Not every recommendation is a massive enterprise. Massa also highlights Teamworks, a full management platform for sports teams.

"Super engaging people. They have come to campus before and had a great response," he notes. The company hires for product management and corporate strategy roles.

Do you need sports industry interest or experience to land a job at Teamworks? "Having a familiarity and interest certainly helps, but it's not necessary," Massa adds.

What’s the appeal? It’s a smaller company, with meaningful roles and a responsive team. "They're always super fun to work with."

Here's what these recommendations have in common: they all offer the roles MBAs want (product management, corporate strategy, finance rotations) without the insane competition of the FAANG hiring process. Additionally, they often offer a greater scope of responsibility and opportunities to advance – sometimes, more quickly.  

This connects directly to Massa's Role → Industry → Company framework. If you start your search with the aim to work at Google, you’re competing with hundreds (or thousands?) of other candidates.

One pattern Massa sees repeatedly is students positioning themselves as generalists, rather than specialists.

"I think the generalist is going the way of the fax machine," he states bluntly. "I don't think that they're going to be around much. I don’t think that you're doing yourself any favors by saying you're a generalist."

Instead, companies have specific needs. If there's a job opening, they need someone to do this job.

"If you're just saying you're a generalist, companies will say I don't know where to put you."

The trend toward specialization goes deep – even within product management. Roles are becoming more specific.

For example, ServiceNow hires for inbound product managers (top of funnel, customer acquisition) versus outbound product managers (retention, engagement).

Then, there are product managers who are "builders" – the 0-to-1 specialists versus those who are focused on scaling existing products.

Massa notes. "The more that a student can figure out what type of role they are seeking, I think they're going to have more success."

The same applies to product marketing, a role that can mean different things at different companies. Are you doing segmented marketing for specific industries like healthcare or financial services? Customer acquisition marketing? Something else? 

The companies that hire great MBA talent extends far beyond the usual players. You just need to know where to look – and be able to tell a compelling story about why you want to work there and what you’ll bring.

Doug Massa is Technology Relationship Manager at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. Check out his Role → Industry → Company framework to structure your job search.