MUMBAI: The Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector has emerged as the industry of choice for this year‘s management graduates, with 44 per cent of students graduating in 2010 voting it as their most preferred industry in the latest Nielsen Campus Track-B School Survey.
Nielsen Campus Track B-School Survey is a syndicated study, which collects and interprets information about perceptions regarding recruiters and preference for them, amongst final year graduating management students from the top 40 management institutes in India. The Campus Track B-School Survey was conducted between October-November 2009 and interviewed 1362 students.
FMCG also tops the ‘industry of future‘ list. Other industries preferred are management consulting, foreign banks, entertainment/ media, and software/ IT consultancy/ IT services.
Student‘s perception of players in the FMCG industry has changed over the years inching closer and closer to the traditional leaders, consultancy. While certain key consultant companies still dominate campus recruitments, as an industry, most FMCG players have gained in perception versus last year. The other industry that has shown a significant movement in preference is entertainment/ media industry.
In its 10th year, the Nielsen Campus Track B-School Survey gauged students‘ perceptions of companies and their considerations as they evaluate prospective employers. 1,362 soon-to-be graduates from the top 40 management institutes were interviewed.
According to the Nielsen survey, HUL and P&G are considered "dream companies" for students with 64.2 per cent and 60.9 percent of students considering to apply to these companies respectively. In line with last year‘s survey, Ratan Tata remains the role model for management students, due to graduate in 2010.
Said The Nielsen Company associate director client solutions Shaveta Bhardwaj,
"The security that FMCG sector provides forms a major attraction for the graduating batch. However, the affects of economic downturn can still be seen as three out of every four students feels that recession is going to affect their final placements."
Industry of the future
After FMCG (33 per cent), the sectors showing promise for the future are entertainment/ media (28 per cent), management consulting (26 per cent), retailing and telecom (both 23 per cent), and oil & energy (22 per cent).
"The entertainment and media industry has been a growing sector for some time now. With the advent of international media houses and publications, this sector is only slated to grow further," said Bhardwaj.
Drivers of choice
Among various factors that were cited by students for driving their decision to choose a company, good job prospects topped the list with 69 percent votes. Other factors that are critical for students in their selection of a company are high degree of independence (65 per cent), good market standing and good salary package (both 60 per cent), good job content (58 per cent), and a good take-home salary (57 per cent).
The average salary expectation of students from their "dream company" has notched up a few decimals to Rs 1.46 million this year. Salary expectation from a foreign company is almost twice than that from an Indian company.
According to the Nielsen survey, feedback from seniors (79%), summer training experience (78%), and pre-placement talks (71%) are the most credible sources of information about a company for the class of 2010. The activities undertaken by a company on campus also adds to their standing with students. Case study presentations, interactive sessions with key industry personalities and sponsorships are the most-commonly held activities on campuses.
Triggers to switch jobs
Most graduates (almost 70 per cent) expect to move out of their first job in less than four years. The top three reasons for moving on are better career options (66 per cent), better salary (50 per cent), and better designation (44 per cent). 13 per cent of students would quit their job to pursue higher studies; however, a good designation with considerable autonomy, good pay and learning opportunities will deter them from further studies.
"Student preferences haven‘t changed much in the past year; a secure career is still a major attraction for them. However, it is going to be interesting to observe how much the new sectors and the changing economy will impact their choices in the years to come," said Bhardwaj.
