Uncertainty in the global economy and negative developments among major players in the banking and finance sector may have turned tomorrow’s job seekers off pursuing a career in this field, but HSBC still shines through as the Number One ideal employer among business students, according to new research conducted among 2,500 university students in Hong Kong.
Despite the region’s stronghold as a financial hub in Asia, a whopping 80% of the employers in the sector were deemed less attractive in 2012 than in 2011, reveals the latest UNIVERSUM annual IDEAL Employer Survey.
However, HSBC managed to retain its attractiveness and top the list of 100 IDEAL Employers in Hong Kong for the second year running, closely followed by HKSAR Government. The survey suggests these results are largely due to positive remuneration and advancement opportunities along with employer reputation and image qualities, ranked as the most important attributes of an ideal employer by those who took part in the study.
Margaret Cheng, Head of Human Resources, Hong Kong and Global Businesses Asia Pacific at HSBC said, “As competition to employ the next generation of top talent intensifies across Asia, it is critical for companies to continually invest in their employer brand in order to remain relevant, progressive and attractive in the eyes of tomorrow’s workforce.”
One such industry that has managed to boost its appeal among local business students is the auditing and accounting sector, which, since falling in popularity in 2009, has made a rosy comeback with the Big Four players rising to the Top 15 in the ranking of 100 companies.
Interestingly, the study also revealed a discrepancy between what male and female students consider the most important career goal. While more female respondents claimed they pride a ‘work/life balance’, ‘desire to feel socially responsible through their work’ and the ‘opportunity to build an international career’ above all else, their male counterparts gave greater priority to ‘becoming a leader or people manager’ as well as a ‘technical or functional expert’.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
