I refer you to this Business Week article by Lindsey Gerdes entitled, Undergrads’ 25 Most Wanted Employers.
"Public service or stock price: These were the two features
undergraduates overwhelmingly gravitated toward in naming their ideal
entry-level employer"
Lindsey lets us in on this ranking courtesy of a 2007 Universum study. Moreover, I totally agree with it. More and more of my friends, colleagues, and acquaintances in college tend to regale me with tales of how they will be working for Goldman Sachs, or Trump International, or Google. A lot of them really believe they will land a job with a top, multinational company- and a few of them will make the cut. However, the majority I highly doubt will come close. Don’t get me wrong, I have not lost faith in my generation and fellow students. I am merely realistic in my assumptions. There are only a few top companies in this country, while hundreds of thousands of students will be getting degrees and launching themselves onto the job market. Ok, granted we could focus most of these jobs in five major locations in the U.S.– New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Austin TX. But I still think the amount of graduates shooting for the top is going to be much higher than the amount of top jobs. Kudos to those shooting for the top! Shoot for the stars and you’re bound to reach the clouds.
Personally, I am going to shoot for a company that fits me well. I hope to do my research and find somewhere I can grow, learn, and contribute in a healthy and meaningful way. I may have to power my way through some endlessly dead-end jobs, or some that I just would never picture myself doing; but there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. I will make sure of it.
[My determination usually gets the best of me!] Let’s face it, the two leading factors in college graduates finding a job are money and benefits. Stability, I think, would be an offshoot of ‘money’.
Very nice commentary. You touch on a topic I suppose that many soon-to be college graduates and post-graduates don’t want to hear.
But it’s good to always strive for the top–Goldman Sachs and Trump–though you must always – 1. Work your way up, and 2. Yes, reach high, but don’t get disapointed if you get low – at first, that is.
As we always speak about, we’re going to work hard now so in the future we have the Benz and the Battery Park apartment. You, as have I (for almost four years now) have been working our way up in our respective fields.
Again, nice commentary.