The next generation of US graduates to enter the workforce have had their priorities affected by the recession and job market, according to an annual survey of college students conducted by research firm Universum USA.
The survey, which asks undergraduates to identify their dream employers, found that more than 30% of the 56,900 students questioned said the market success of a company was a preferred attribute of an employer.
This was an increase from 24% in 2009, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
Another priority was attractive and exciting products and services, with 28% of them looking for that in an employer in 2010, up from 21% last year.
Camille Kelly, vice president for employer branding at Universum, said: "I think the economy does have some bearing on this year's numbers. Market success was a lot more important when it came to an attractive attribute for an employer, more so than it was in the past."
The top five ideal employers in the 2010 survey were established companies such as Google., Walt Disney, the FBI, Apple and Ernst & Young , with Google ranked as number one for the fourth successive year.
