Google Faces Stiff Competition from Facebook in Ranks of Ideal Employers for MBA Students

July 18, 2011 - PRLog -- Universum releases the IDEAL™ Employers for MBA students based on responses from 6,297 current students at 72 top institutions. In its first year on the list, Facebook stormed the top 10, finishing 7th in what turned out to be an impressive first year showing. Google managed to hold off Facebook and finished first overall for a fifth straight year.

It turns out MBA students are looking for prestige, innovation, challenging work and room for growth – all qualities they believe Facebook offers. Some other employers who made a notable jump in this year’s rankings are Daimler/Mercedes Benz (up 96 spots), Life Technologies (up 61 spots) and State Farm Insurance Company (up 57 spots).

Rounding out the top five in this year’s Universum rankings are McKinsey & Company, Apple, Goldman Sachs and The Boston Consulting Group

“MBA students are prioritizing their desire to work for prestigious and innovative companies more than ever. This trend is highlighted in this year’s rankings with the increased interest in non-traditional firms like Apple and Facebook,” Universum Regional Account Manager Karl-Johan Hasselström, said.

After a two-year focus on obtaining work-life balance, the number one career goal of MBA students has changed to being competitively or intellectually challenged. Moreover, MBA students are slightly more optimistic this year than last as expected salaries have increased back to their 2009 levels.

“MBA students are extremely dedicated to their careers and value companies with strong leaders who will support their continued training and development.  These students are in it for the long haul, desiring to work for their first employer after graduation longer than ever before,” Hasselström continued.

Universum IDEAL Employer Rankings for MBA students (2010 rank in parenthesis)

1. Google (1)
2. McKinsey & Company (2)
3. Apple (5)
4. Goldman Sachs (3)
5. The Boston Consulting Group (4)
6. Bain & Company (6)
7. Facebook (NR)
8. Amazon (11)
9. J.P. Morgan (7)
10. Nike (9)
11. Walt Disney Company (8)
12. Deloitte (12)
13. The Blackstone Group (13)
14. Johnson & Johnson (10)
15. Morgan Stanley (14)

Visit http://universumglobal.com/IDEAL-Employer-Rankings/The-Am... for complete list of 2011 rankings.

About Universum
Universum is an international company that specialises in the field of employer branding*. Founded in 1988, its goal was to improve communication between students and the employers who want to recruit them. Today, Universum’s mission is to help employers excel in recruitment and retention by ensuring improvements to their employer brand. Universum delivers a full range of services in research, strategic consulting and communication solutions that enable employers to better understand, attract and retain current and future ideal employees. Universum is a trusted partner to 1,200 clients, including many Fortune 500 companies, and co-operates with 1,500 universities worldwide to conduct research on the career and employer preferences of top talent. On an annual basis, the company surveys approximately 400,000 students and professionals worldwide. For more information, go to www.universumglobal.com.
*Employer branding is the strategy companies use to appeal to desired current and future ideal talent.
For the complete list of rankings, or to schedule an interview, please contact Kristina Matthews at kristina.matthews@universumusa.com or 215-546-4900 x312.
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