Job Selection Preferences Of Business Students

Abstract

To assess the job selection preferences of business students, two hundred forty one undergraduate and MBA students participated in a survey evaluating the importance of 20 job attributes. Overall, the students rated growth potential, benefits package, job responsibility and variety as the most important attributes when pursuing an employment opportunity.  The results indicate that graduate business students are more concerned with work culture, flexibility and ease of commute and less concerned with company recognition compared to undergraduates.  The findings also show that work culture seems to be especially relevant to female MBA students, while geographical location seems to be least relevant to male MBA students.  Our results suggest that, to be effective with their recruitment efforts, employers and placement professionals must take into account both key desirable job attributes and the unique needs of their targeted business student sub-populations.