KPMG "Employers of Choice" report prepared during the initial stages of the International Business Case Competition (IBCC). This inter-university competition is aimed at the top students from the most prestigious international universities, and this year saw participation from students from Russia, the Czech Republic, Norway, Germany, South Africa, France, the United Kingdom and Spain.

These are a few of the conclusions:

• 71% of students need to be aware of the company's career plan before accepting a job offer.
• The work-life balance is a decisive factor for 82% of young people.
  
• Corporate websites and online recruitment sites are the channels most frequently used when searching for information on companies.
  
• 87% of students do not expect to remain in their first job for more than five years.
  

According to an international study carried out by KPMG, professional development and a career plan are the fundamental aspects considered by talented young people when examining employment conditions before choosing a potential employer. 71% of those interviewed also highlighted the need to obtain information on the company's career plan before accepting a job offer.

Following professional development and the career plan, the next most-valued aspects, in order of importance, were motivation, recognition of effort by the company and a pleasant working environment that encourages fluent communication and collaboration. Training was the next most important aspect, with 88% considering the training offered by companies and assistance for Masters and post-graduate study as quite or very important. Remuneration was ranked in 4th place, although it was a decisive factor for 74% of young people when a firm offer from a company is involved. The majority of the students surveyed have a clear international vocation, with 74% citing work experience abroad as a priority.

"Understanding the motivation and aspects most highly valued by students when it comes to potential employers is crucial for selecting the top talent" claims Elena Naumenko, Recruitment Director for KPMG in Russia and the CIS.
With regard to the factors that influence a company's image as an employer, the work-life balance is a decisive issue for 82% of young people, followed by the implementation of diversity, integration and equality policies (for almost seven of every ten students interviewed), as well as corporate social responsibility and environmental programmes. The positive reputation of a company's human resource management is a core area for attracting young talent, with 50% of the students surveyed claiming that it is important for potential employers to have award-winning human resources policies.

The KPMG study highlighted that the most frequently-used channels when obtaining information on a company are corporate websites, recruitment websites and the opinions of current and former employees. Despite this, students have shown that the ability to make personal contact with a company through discussions, conferences or forums allow them to establish a stronger link with potential employers, with 85% of those interviewed stating that they are interested in getting to know a company through university talks and conferences. Although information available on the Internet (websites, portals, search engines, etc.) provides a first impression of a company, when they have a firm offer, young talented individuals use channels that provide a closer look (current and former employees, friends, blogs and social networking websites).

87% of the students interviewed do not expect to remain in their first job for more than five years. This opinion is probably related to a characteristic intrinsic to younger generations whereby mobility is valued (both geographically and from one company to another). This was particularly evident with the Czech Republic (96%), Norway (94%) and Spain (92%). Students from Russia, Germany and Spain seem to be more interested in work experience in a foreign country. In comparative terms, Russia is the country where professional development and internal promotion are most valued, whereas German students place greater importance on employee benefits when choosing a potential employer.

You may find the whole text of the survey here.