by Obi Igbokwe
24. January 2012 12:24
UK-based job site, reed.co.uk recently carried out a survey which finds that motivation and personal engagement are qualities most aspired to by young professionals.
The site’s Big Brand Survey, which is conducted across more than 2,000 respondents in every age group finds that personal interests is one of the key aspects that young professionals consider when thinking of their ideal employer.
In the survey, the trend was seen across all the young age groups, with nearly 25% of Under 18 years old and nearly 20% of professionals between the ages of 18 -24 citing ‘personal interest’ as potential improvements for their current employment. An employer’s reputation and the quality of services or products provided are also other elements young professionals take into consideration when regarding improvements to existing employment.
However the importance of receiving adequate training through employment were also highlighted by younger professionals with 13% of respondents, aged between 18-24 years old, confessing to seeking employment based solely on the training and development opportunities provided by the employer. This finding is similar to another report by Zenger Folkman, where young people scored highly on the element of self-development when compared to other generational groups in a survey on workplace competencies.
For older jobseekers, employment desirables tell a different story, with more than 41% of the respondents, aged above 35, regarding 'pay, benefit and conditions' offered by a prospective employer, as key factors when looking for new employment.
However one unifying factor across all jobseekers was the reputation of the employer. Regardless of their age, it seems almost every professional would consider moving jobs to a company who they considered to be reputable.
