Samsung Electronics the employer of choice again

Samsung Electronics is the preferred employer of college student job seekers for the tenth consecutive year, while the most admired corporations were Kia Motor for men undergraduates and Korean Air for women.

The Good Lab of the employment consultant firm Job Korea surveyed 1,040 men and 1,171 women college students on the 100 top domestic companies in revenue. This year’s survey was conducted July 19 to Aug. 9.

Job Korea has surveyed students since 2003, when Samsung SDI was chosen the No. 1 company by 20.3 percent.

SK Telecom was second and Samsung Electronics was third.

In 2013, Samsung was chosen by 20.2 percent of men and women students surveyed.

Kia Motor climbed significantly from No. 14 to No. 3 and Samsung Display, Lotte Shopping and Shinhan Bank were on the Top 10 list for the first time. Korean Air was No. 2.

SK Telecom, No. 3 last year, and Samsung C&T, No. 5, did not make the Top 10. Also missing were KB Kookmin Bank and Shinsegae.

“It seems the companies that receive attention differ as each period focuses on different industries,” said Choi Chang-ho, operating chairman of the Good Lab. “College students, who prepare for employment, need to carefully find out which companies have potential growth in the future, rather than the industries that are popular right now.”

By gender, 28.6 percent of the men surveyed chose Kia Motor followed by Samsung Electronics (23.6 percent), Korean Air (12.3 percent), Posco (11.6 percent) and Hyundai Motor (11.4 percent).

After Korean Air, women chose Samsung Electronics (17.3 percent), CJ CheilJedang (16.5 percent), Asiana Airlines (14.1 percent) and Lotte Shopping (13.2 percent).

By academic major, 20.9 percent of engineering students expressed a preference for Samsung Electronics, 20.9 percent Kia Motor and 12.1 percent Hyundai Motor.

Humanities and social studies majors chose Korean Air, (26.6 percent), Asiana Airlines (16.6 percent) and Samsung Electronics (16.1 percent).

When asked what factors influenced them in choosing to work for these companies, 43.4 percent of men cited the public image of business leaders and 54 percent of women said working conditions.

Other factors cited were pay by 41.4 percent of men and 41.6 percent of women, corporate culture by 23 percent by men and 24.3 percent by women, and word of mouth by 19.1 percent of men and 18.3 percent of women.

BY KIM JUNG-YOON [kjy@joongang.co.kr]