Professionals, MBAs, students select ideal employer

Deputy minister of Health, Dr Gwen Malegwale Ramokgopa, Peter Johansson and director general of the National Department of Health, Malebona Matsoso

The research, conducted by Magnet Communications, is considered one of the largest in South Africa. The three different surveys - Student, Professionals, MBAs - yield six different winners.

Winners

• Professionals: South African Breweries (SAB), BHP Billiton, Google, Sasol, CSIR
  
• MBAs: South African Breweries (SAB), McKinsey & Company, Coca-Cola
  South Africa, World Bank, Rand Merchant Bank (RMB)
  
• Business/commerce students - Absa, KPMG, Deloitte, Eskom, Coca-Cola South Africa
  
• Engineering/technology students - Eskom, Sasol, Anglo Platinum, Transnet, Murray & Roberts
  
• Health care/health sciences/sciences students - Department of Health, CSIR, Sasol, National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries
  
• Humanities/liberal arts/law students - Department of Higher Education & Training, Department of Social Development, Media24, SABC, Department of International Relations & Cooperation (DIRCO)

These winning employers work hard at ensuring that they have a reputation as a great place to work because they need to stay ahead of their competitors when it comes to hiring the best talent in their industry.

"While there were no major upsets or changes in the rankings this year, we did see a total outsider - the Department of Social Development - being voted into second place by humanities students this year," says Peter Johansson, MD Magnet Communications.

Rene Kohler-Thomas from SAB receives the award from Gavin Groenmeyer

Government selected by students

"We are seeing a trend where government departments and parastatals are rocketing from nowhere to the top positions in the student survey. However, it is interesting to note that while government departments are popular with students, it is certainly not the case with professionals and MBAs. Once you become an employee in the real world, you begin to value different employer qualities."

The latest research shows that in general students are attracted to employers who have a good reputation, provide professional training, who have leaders who support development and who offer competitive results.

"Compare this with professionals who want to work for organisations who have a good reputation, high ethical standards, financial strength, inspiring top management and market success. Whilst MBAs - most of whom are working professionals - are attracted to organisations who have a good reputation, market success, take corporate social responsibility seriously and give employees control over working hours."

In 2011, the research once again saw that professionals voted employers as Ideal, where they were seen to exemplify the essence of their employer brand through their commitment to strategic attraction, recruitment and development of top talent while providing job security within their organisation.