Universum's IDEAL™ Employer Rankings 2009 - Undergraduate Edition

An uncertain economy and market downtown has shifted many priorities and preferences among undergraduates, as Universum's research shows undergraduates’ desire for more practical employer offerings such as job security trumps the need for challenging, diverse work.

The increase in undergraduate's need for stabilty is most evident in the 11.2 percent jump in undergraduates’ selection of job security/stability as a career goal and 9 percent increase of these factors as important job characteristics, as shown in results the Universum’s IDEAL™ Employer Survey taken by more than 60,000 undergraduates. To offset the demand for increased stability, undergrads showed they are willing to sacrifice career goals and job characteristic such as being competitively or intellectually challenged and being involved in a variety of assignments.

The substance over style trend is further shown in undergraduates’ evaluation of employers’ reputation and image and workplace culture. Students are clearly searching for secure jobs at financially strong employers—demonstrated in the 5.6 percent increase in financial strength and 9 percent increase in secure employment as important traits of a potential employer, whereas, prestige and the attractiveness of the products/services employer offer slumped.

Still, while students are willing to sacrifice many things they once desired for more stability, work/life balance is not one of them: obtaining this balance remains the top undergraduate career goal in 2009.

Find out how these trends translate to undergraduates' top picks for the most ideal employers in a variety of fields below.