Google and Apple Top the List of Ideal Employers

Universum, a global company focused on employment branding, has released its updated 2012 list of ideal employers. The list is culled from a sample of almost 60,000 undergraduates and attempts to quantify which companies are the most attractive prospective employers. Being recognized as an ideal employer would indicate that prospective candidates perceive a company to have satisfied employees, offer career advancement opportunities, and maintain a high level of job security. Having an effective brand as an employer is a key component of talent attraction, especially when it comes to enticing top candidates and the brightest new graduates.

The employers that made the list include companies from a diverse range of industries, including Technology, Entertainment, Consulting, and Financial Services. The top ten on the list of ideal employers were as follows: Google, Apple, Disney, Ernst and Young, Deloitte, J.P. Morgan, Nike, PwC, Goldman Sachs, and KPMG. What are today’s students looking for in an employer? Universum’s survey pointed to work-life balance and job security as the two most important factors.

Google again took the number one position for both technology and business undergraduate majors. 49% of the students in those fields chose Google as their most preferred employer, demonstrating the very wide lead that Google enjoys in terms of its reputation as an employer. Google has long been known for offering almost over-the-top benefits to their employees including free meals, free project time, and above market compensation. Google is also seen as a major, stable tech company that still has strong growth prospects in key areas such as social networking and mobile.

The official announcement of the list of ideal employers occurred at the Employer Branding conference, which was recently held in New York. Recruiter.com supported the event for leading employers and was included as a 2012 corporate sponsor.