Google is the Most Desirable Place to Work for Undergrad Students; Name-brand Nonprofits Hurdling into Top 10

2007 Universum IDEAL(TM) Employer Survey Yields Surprises in Undergraduate

Career Preferences

    PHILADELPHIA, June 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The popular online search engine
 Google edges out Walt Disney as the No. 1 IDEAL (TM) Employer for
 Undergraduate students, the 2007 Universum IDEAL (TM) Employer Survey
 reveals. Google also ranks in the top 10 of nearly all industry specific
 rankings including business, consumer goods and engineering.
     A record 44,064 Undergraduate students from 184 schools participated in
 the US Undergraduate Edition of The Universum IDEAL(TM) Employer Survey,
 making it the largest survey of its kind. In it, students answered
 questions about their career expectations on topics including top
 industries, career goals, communication preferences, salary expectations
 and IDEAL(TM) employers.
     In an unanticipated move, The Peace Corps (5) and Teach for America
 (10) both made strong debuts in this year's rankings, vaulting into the top
 10 from unranked positions in previous years. Walt Disney (2), Apple
 Computer (3), U.S. Department of State (4), Central Intelligence Agency
 (6), PricewaterhouseCoopers (7), Microsoft (8), and Federal Bureau of
 Investigation (9) complete the top 10 list of IDEAL (TM) Employers for
 undergrad students.
     "The new rankings reflect a shift in undergraduates' mindsets when it
 comes to their careers," said Universum USA CEO Claudia Tattanelli. "The
 millennial generation's outlook on career is quite complex, making this a
 very interesting time for both the students and the companies trying to
 recruit them."
     At the inaugural United States edition of the Universum Awards Ceremony
 held on May 30 in New York City, all of the top IDEAL(TM) Employers were
 honored for their excellence in this year's rankings. Over 200 top human
 resource executives and university career services professionals attended
 the invitation-only event, co-hosted by Tattanelli and CareerTV anchor Sean
 O'Grady.
                                  Key Findings
     Industry Rankings
     PricewaterhouseCoopers jumped up from second place in 2006 to No. 1
 this year as the most preferred employer of business students. Google jumps
 to second place after being fourth last year and Ernst & Young maintains
 its position at No. 3. Walt Disney and Goldman Sachs take the fourth and
 fifth place respectively.
     This year, engineering students chose Boeing as their No. 1 Employer.
 The Lockheed Martin Corporation not only took second place in the overall
 category, but is also the fourth Most Innovative Company and has the fourth
 Best Rotational Program. General Electric, BMW and the Northrop Grumman
 Corporation ended the top five list.
     Once again, Google ranked No. 1 among information technology (IT)
 students as well as having the most impressive website according to this
 year's survey. Microsoft, IBM, Apple Computer and Intel rounded out the top
 five employers for IT students.
     For two years in a row, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Investment Bank,
 Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley held the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions
 with investment banking students.
     Bank of America held their No. 1 position among commercial banking
 students for the past two years. Ernst & Young ranked second as well as
 having the third best internship program among undergraduate students and
 the third best On-Campus Recruitment Activities. Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan
 Chase and PricewaterhouseCoopers completed the top five list for
 undergraduate commercial banking students.
     The U.S. Department of State is the Best Government/Public Service
 agency in 2007 and the Central Intelligence Agency came in second. The
 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Peace Corps took third and fourth
 and surprisingly, Google, which is not a government agency, took fifth
 place.
     Liberal Arts students selected the U.S. Department of State as best
 place to work, ahead of the Peace Corps, Teach for America, Google and the
 CIA.
     Pfizer placed No. 1 among Healthcare and Pharmaceutical students for
 the past two years. The Mayo Clinic, Merck, Johnson & Johnson and
 GlaxoSmithKline followed Pfizer.
     Students interested in careers in the science industry chose the Mayo
 Clinic as their top employer, following with Pfizer, the Peace Corps, Merck
 and Google.
     Career and Employer Preferences
     In addition to the industry findings, Apple Computer and the Bose
 Corporation were ranked as the most innovative companies this year. Disney
 also had the Best Internship Program. "Walt Disney's professional
 internships is the best program in my opinion. They offer subsidized
 housing, networking, and it is extremely competitive to get into the
 program," says a junior at the University of Illinois.
     It's not a surprise that 58 percent of these millennial undergraduate
 students want a good balance between their work and personal lives. When
 asked what she felt passionate about, a sophomore at the University of
 Florida said, "Working hard to ensure financial stability for my family and
 I in an environment where I am happy."
     When it comes to Brand Image, students associate their IDEAL(TM)
 employer with high ethical standards (36 percent), financial strength (26
 percent) and an attractive location (24 percent). When it comes to Employer
 Value Proposition students believe that their IDEAL(TM) employer offers a
 flexible working environment (34 percent), a clear advancement path (33
 percent) and competitive compensation (32 percent).
     For more information on this year's rankings, for additional breakdowns
 or to schedule an interview with Universum CEO Claudia Tattanelli please
 contact:
     Rachele Ferri
     Universum
     rachele.ferri@universumusa.com
     +1267.679.3708
     UniversumGlobal.Com
     UNIVERSUM is The Global Employer Branding Leader. As thought leaders,
 we drive the industry forward having focused exclusively on Employer
 Branding (EB) for close to 20 years. We are a trusted partner to over 500
 clients worldwide including many Fortune 100 companies. We help employers
 to understand, attract and retain current and future ideal employees
 utilizing our experience, knowledge and services within research, strategic
 consulting and media solutions.
 
 

SOURCE Universum