Graduates drawn to 'ethically sound' companies
More than 75 per cent of graduates would not work for a company with a poor ethical record. Research, on behalf of Axiom Software, shows 56 per cent of graduates believe it is still possible to be selective about a potential employer's ethical record even when the economy is under pressure. (As featured in Personnel Today, February 2002).
Half of the 700 students would take their ideal job, over a higher paying job - despite the pressure of paying off student debts.
They are also realistic about their careers, with slightly over half expecting to be made redundant in their lifetime at least once.
Mark Housley, CEO of Axiom Software, commented, "People want to work for organisations they can be proud of and relate to. This raises the question of whether companies are sufficiently aware of this concern and are successfully getting their ethical record across to potential recruits.
"Companies need to actively engage their HR directors in the content of their corporate websites in order to convey a positive message to potential employees about their ethical record and company culture."