Microsoft is the most sought after employer by IT students in
Britain and Ireland, followed by Sun Microsystems and IBM,
according to a recent survey.
Carried out by UK business, Globeroom, which provides
information on how to balance work and life, the research reveals a
preference among IT students for older, "more established"
organisations like Andersen Consulting, Nokia and Intel, which also
occupy top ten places on the ideal employer list.
The only 'new economy' businesses in the respondents' top thirty
are Amazon.com (at 19) and lastminute.com (at 29).
Globeroom attributes this apparent unpopularity of dotcoms to
the "depressing coverage" received by the sector earlier this year,
as well as to the fact that established industry firms such as
Microsoft, are seen to offer "challenging roles" while also acting
as a "springboard" for a career.
The survey also notes that most IT graduates - some 65 per cent
of the 760 students questioned - want employers to assist them in
achieving a "good work/life balance". This was rated as more
important than high salaries, offering intellectual challenges or
flexible working hours.
