The release of the 2019 Top 100 Graduate Employers brings with it a slew of insights about the organisations for which newly minted graduates possess the most enthusiasm. Approximately one-quarter of respondents were students of finance, accounting, economics, and business. They voted for the ‘most appealing’ graduate employers, and, to those familiar with GradAustralia’s previous Top 100 Graduate Employers surveys, the results may seem quite unsurprising.
The ‘Big Four’ accounting firms—so-called because they are the world’s biggest professional services networks—dominate the list. In third place is Deloitte, followed by PwC (4), KPMG (7), EY (9), and BDO (89).
The Top 100 survey reveals that finance, accounting, business, and economics students prize diversity, with 80 percent agreeing with the statement ‘it’s important for me to join an employer that has a diverse workforce’. They also value employer reputation: only 15 percent agree are willing to work for a company with a bad image in return for ‘the right salary’.
Another influence on respondents is likely the positive reviews provided by past students now employed at the high-ranking firms. For example, current Deloitte graduates give the company a score of 4.2 out of 5, with the overall experience of working there captured in the following graduate review provided to GradAustralia:
‘I get to walk into work looking forward to what I will be doing today. I am kept busy every day doing things that I like doing. I am not asked to do work that people know is boring. If I am ever stuck with work, my team is happy to help me.’
‘We know that prestige, high pay and the promise of structured graduate programs attract ambitious students towards specific graduate employers,’ says Geoff Adams, co-founder of GradAustralia. ‘With the top accounting firms also promising a diverse, stimulating, and positive workplace, it’s little surprise that they’ve managed to maintain their appeal year after year.’
The definitive list of the Top 100 Graduate Employers can be found on the GradAustralia website. 50,000 books were distributed to university students around Australia – the Top 100 Guide includes 400 pages of comprehensive employer profiles, sector information, insider tips on how to get hired as well as real-life stories from graduates on the job.