Security, stability also top priorities due to concerns over economy

Despite the harsh job market this year for college graduates, Zhang Zhiwei, a graduate from Shanghai International Studies University, has listed innovation and personal interest as priorities in his job search.

"It is most important for me to work for a job that I find fun and interesting," said the 23-year-old who now interns at a consultancy firm in Shanghai. "Then, I'm attracted to the success of the company and the training they will provide."

Like Zhang, when students are asked to describe their ideal employer, the most common words used are "innovation", "stable" and "professional", according to a recent survey aimed to identify which organizations they are interested in working for upon graduation.

The survey, released on Tuesday and conducted by China Daily's 21st Century English Newspaper and Universum, a global employer branding company, contains feedback from 64,522 university students from more than 100 of the top universities in the country.

"For an employer, innovation can come in the form of fostering a creative and change-friendly working environment," he added. "For the post-1990s generation, who are more eager to be recognized at work, it is important that new ideas and creativity are valued by employers."

Bank of China, State Grid Corporation of China, Procter & Gamble, Google, King & Wood Mallesons and Pfizer are considered the most attractive employers in each of their fields, the survey found.

This year, although a "work-life balance" remains a top career goal, "to be secure or stable in my job" has increased in importance reflecting concerns over the country's impending economic growth and its impact on job availability.

William Wu, Universum's vice president of Asia Pacific, said while gray clouds loom in China's economic horizon, the country is undoubtedly still driving the global market.

The survey indicates a strong preference of jobseekers to find employment within the country - up from 63 percent a year ago to 78 percent this year, he said.

A company's market success can also influence jobseekers' choices, Wu added.

Last year, Apple was the most attractive employer among students majoring in engineering and humanities, liberal arts and education. This year, as Samsung overtakes Nokia to be the biggest mobile phone maker in the world, the company is steadily increasing its rank on the China Top 100 IDEAL Employers 2013.

Salary and opportunity for advancement are major concerns in choosing future employers, with "good reference for future career" and "high future earnings" being the two most important attributes.

China's post-1990s generation's future salary expectations have raised 10.7 percent to an average of 6,760 yuan ($1100) per month this year. This is a stark contrast with many of their peers from other countries - including Canada, Japan and Switzerland - who have lowered their salary expectations this year.

Students studying law have the highest salary expectations at 7,263 yuan per month, followed by those in engineering at 7,127 yuan per month and natural sciences at 6,985 yuan per month.

Students, especially those majoring in business, commerce and natural sciences, consider the banking sector to be the most attractive upon graduation, according to the survey.

Most local institutions have witnessed an increase in their rankings and are perceived more favorably than their foreign counterparts, which have become less attractive since the global financial crisis in 2008.

Known for offering professional training and development with clear career progression, the auditing and accounting sector is the next most ideal industry for business students to pursue upon graduation.

All the "Big Four" accounting firms have improved on the rankings in 2013 with PricewaterhouseCoopers in the lead in ninth place.

On the other hand, students who major in engineering consider the engineering and manufacturing sector ideal, followed by telecommunication and technology hardware and equipment.

wangzhuoqiong@chinadaily.com.cn