Technology company Apple has been voted the top employer of choice among entry-level university graduates in 2010 while basic salary expectations are higher than before.
In an annual study by campus recruitment specialist JobsFactory, salary expectations among entry-level graduates are higher than before. The average expected monthly basic salary for all respondents increased from $2,805 in 2009 to $2,923 this year. Top graduates expect basic salaries of at least $3,089 this year, a 4.9% increase from last year. Three-quarters of respondents are open to accepting contract-based job offers.
Employers of Choice Survey - Apple, Singapore Airlines (SIA), Google & 3M top the list
Apple claimed the top spot as the most popular private sector employer in this year’s Employers of Choice Survey (University Edition). Topping the rankings for the first time, the multinational corporation received a record breaking 45% of the votes by 4,597 entry-level graduates. SIA, university graduates’ top employer of choice for last two years running, and Google came in second and third respectively. Manufacturing conglomerate 3M is fourth on the list.
According to JobsFactory, Apple’s rise is due to popular retail launches
JobsFactory director, Lim Der Shing, attributed Apple’s continuous rise from the 28th spot in 2007 to second place last year to the brand’s increased mindshare from the recent popular launches for the iPad and iPhone 4. Its reputation has been strongly associated with “cutting-edge technology and a creative attitude”, he explained. Lim said, “The brand’s growing dominance has certainly enhanced Apple’s appeal as a potential employer among entry-level graduates.”
Banks and financial institutions are steadily becoming most graduates’ top choices to work for. Local company DBS Bank is in fifth spot while Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, Barclays Capital Global Services and JP Morgan Chase & Co are in the top 10 employers of choice in the private sector. Lim said the graduates’ renewed interest in the banking and finance sector is likely to be boosted by the economic recovery and that many banks have started hiring again.
In the government and government-linked sector, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) remains the top employer of choice for the third year running. The Economic Development Board and the Ministry of Education are in second and third places respectively. National University of Singapore is fourth while Defence Science and Technology Agency takes fifth spot.
Sources and references: HRO, JobsCentral, Employers of Choice Survey
