Each year, Universum unveils the list of the World’s Most Attractive Employers (WMAE), delving into what candidates are hoping to see from a workplace. In order to be considered, a company must rank in the top 90% of employers within at least six of the 12 largest economies in the world, weighted by GDP.
The WMAE are the forefront of emerging employer branding trends and tactics, but are also at the root of evolutionary adjustments. By following these attractive employers, we can analyze the desires of talent and how those desires align with the perception of the companies themselves. Understanding the spoken and unspoken motivations of candidates can help organizations of any size better prepare for talent attraction and acquisition.
Sometimes called Generation Impact, today’s students want to make a difference and might perceive they cannot make as much of an impact in larger organizations like the Fortune 500s.”
The Top Three: Business
These companies attract the most students globally from these disciplines.
Top 3 Companies
2017
- Goldman Sachs
- Apple
2016
- Apple
- EY
Business Students Prefer…
When it comes to business ranking, of the 76 ranked companies, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) is the most represented industry, followed by banks and automotive.
Industries Business Students Prefer to Work Within:
- 28% – Management & Strategy Consultancies
- 25% – Banking
- 23% – Financial Services
- 19% – Auditing & Accounting
- 17% – Media & Advertising
Representation from all industries has seen little change since last year.
Top 5 Communication Channels: Business
Social media is the top communication channel followed closely by employer websites for business students, engineering/IT students depend equally on both.
- 56% – Social Media
- 51% – Employer Websites
- 40% – Career Fairs
- 35% – Job Boards
- 32% – Employer Presentations on Campus
What Matters to Business Students?
Both business and engineering/IT students actively pursue obtaining a well-balanced lifestyle that encompassed work with personal time, which came out on top as the most-valued characteristic in 2017.
- 53% – Work/Life Balance
- 42% – Security & Stability
- 36% – Lead or Manage People
- 35% – International Career
- 30% – Competitively or Intellectually Challenged
It is important to note that work/life balance might carry varying implications across the globe.
The Top Three: Engineering/IT
These companies attract the most students globally from these disciplines.
Top 3 Companies
2017
- Microsoft
- Apple
2016
- Microsoft
- Apple
Engineering students prefer…
In 2017, though it did not experience an increase, the automotive industry became the most represented industry within the rankings. This is because FMCG decreased by 4% from 2016 to make up only 12% of the companies ranked.
Industries Engineering/IT Students Prefer to Work Within:
- 23% – Software, Computer Services, Multimedia Development, Digital Entertainment
- 21% – Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing
- 20% – Aerospace and Defense
- 17% – Automotive
- 16% – Energy
In 2017, the automotive industry became the most represented industry within the Engineering/IT rankings.
Top 5 Communication Channels: Engineering/IT
While social media is the top communication channel followed closely by employer websites for business students, engineering/IT students depend equally on both.
- 50% – Social Media
- 50% – Employer Websites
- 45% – Career Fairs
- 31% – Job Boards
- 32% – Employer Presentations on Campus
What Matters to Engineering/IT Students?
In 2016, business and engineering/IT students actively pursued obtaining a well-balanced lifestyle that encompassed work with personal time, which came out on top as the most-valued characteristic in 2017.
- 51% – Work/Life Balance
- 42% – Security & Stability
- 29% – Dedicated to a cause or serve greater good
- 29% – Entrepreneurial or Creative
- 29% – Competitively or Intellectually Challenged
Business and Engineering/IT students are leaning away from macro-employers (those that have more than 1000 employees.)