Seven of the globe's top 20 employers are top consulting firms

With more choices open to top talent than ever before, employer brands are having to work harder than ever to engage prospective staff, or win their lasting commitment. For graduates and young professionals, consulting firms stand out as great employers: seven leading consulting firms have been named among the world’s top 20 most attractive employers for students.

Based on a survey among more than 100,000 academic students and young professionals (with a few years of working experience) from all corners of the globe, researchers at Universum analysed which employers are the most popular to work for. Students were able to rate employers from all industries and of all sizes – large to small – on a range of criteria, including reputation, company image, career opportunities and workplace quality.

This year, many consulting firms graced the top 20 employers. One of the primary drivers of the popularity of consulting firms was the steep learning curve offered in the industry. Consulting firms are known to offer challenging work – allowing starters to work across projects and industries on xomplex business challenges. Alongside an intellectually challenging environment, consulting companies that made the list also enjoyed a strong reputation and an attractive workplace with good career opportunities. In addition to this, the survey data shows that work/life balance and job security in companies are also very important to students, while support from the management level have a high priority among the students.

Unsurprisingly, EY, Deloitte, KPMG and PwC, collectively known as the Big Four for their domination in the global accounting and consulting industry, ranked highest on the list. Their multifaceted offerings not only mean students from multiple backgrounds and skill-sets can see a future with the firms, but also that they can see opportunities to broaden their skillset and employability by joining them. These firms were followed by the three largest strategy consultancies in the world, the so called MBB. McKinsey & Company, The Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Company are each prestigious names in the consulting industry, and are renowned for being engaged in high-profile projects for top businesses and policy makers; something which clearly has peaked interest in them among the global student populace.

The top 20 most attractive employers worldwide

1. Google
2. Goldman Sachs
3. EY
4. Deloitte
5. KPMG
6. PwC
7. Apple
8. JP Morgan
9. McKinsey & Company
10. Microsoft
11. The Boston Consulting Group
12. L'Oréal
13. Amazon
14. Morgan Stanley
15. Adidas
16. Procter & Gamble
17. BMW
18. Nike
19. Coca-Cola
20. Bain & Company

Related: Why strategy and management consulting are so popular among graduates.