Where does the next generation of workforce leaders dream about working right now? A new survey that asked 9,000 of them that very question is out and the results offer a glimpse into young, gifted minds. Their top choice? Google. Again!
The survey in question is an annual study conducted by The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), an international honors society that welcomes students with fantastic grades and academic aptitudes that has accrued a lifetime membership of 1.3 million in 160 nations since 2002—more than 200,000 of whom are currently in high school.
The latest survey received responses from 9,214 members,* 98% in the United States—with 73% still in high school, 25% in college, and the rest new college grads. To see the top-15 companies respondents said they’d most like to work for, check out our slideshow below.
Google regained its position atop the list this year, after being supplanted in 2016 by international conglomerate 3M (which dropped to 8th place this year). Other companies that ranked highly in the latest ranking include Walt Disney Company (4th), Apple (6th), the Central Intelligence Agency (7th); as well as healthcare firms like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (2nd), Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (10th) and Health Care Service Corp. (12th).
The companies on the list are ones that these students feel would allow them to be part of the world and make an impact in it, says Todd Corley, chairman of the NSHSS Foundation and chief diversity and Inclusion officer with OhioHealth. “These jobs, these careers, and these employers perhaps represent a way to get connected to some of the outcomes that they want to see,” he explained. “If you think about Disney; it’s a great place for experience, a great place to tap into someone’s creative flow and keep people thoughtful and youthful. 3M, which has been high on the list, is an innovative place to be.
“What you will see is a commonality on the list of top of top companies is that they offer an experience for younger people to find a way to give back, to find a way to be attached to somebody that is trying to make a difference.”
When asked about what factors were most important when choosing an employer, respondents noted the attraction of basic benefits, a healthy work/life balance, the ability to gain experience that will be helpful in their careers, and fair treatment of all employees.
Some factors saw notable difference between how men and women responded. When it came to fair treatment of employees by an employer, for example, 84% of women felt it was a key element to choosing where to work, compared with only 70% of male respondents. Also, 10% more women saw basic benefits as an important selling point for a prospective employer.
“This generation, and even the one before, is really pushing us to think about building authentic relationships, creating environments at workplaces that are focused on trust,” Corley says. “I think those things really matter. And I think that they should not be lost on how people hire, how people retain talent; because if they are then we’re falling short of what people are looking for.”
When it came to the prospect of starting their own companies, respondents had mixed feelings. All in all, 35% said they are interested in launching their own business, 27% said they are not, and 38% said they were not sure yet.
*More Respondent Details
According to NSHSS, 77% of respondents in this year’s survey were female. Also, 63% of respondents speak only English fluently, 21% of them speak Spanish and 4% said they speak French. In terms of diversity, 44% are White/Caucasian, 19% are Black/African American, 17% are Latino/Hispanic, 10% Asian/Asian American/Pacific Islander, and 6% are multi-racial.
