ConnectEDU Announces Results from the 2014 Best Places to Work for Recent Grads Survey

BOSTON, April 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ConnectEDU, a technology company helping guide student transitions from school to career, today released the results of its annual 25 Best Places to Work for Recent Grads survey. This comprehensive list is made up of employers from across the country that have demonstrated excellence in recruiting, training, and retaining young professionals.

Since 2007, Experience™, a ConnectEDU company, has selected the top employers by evaluating employer offerings on the factors important to recent grads when selecting a place to work, including the following criteria: access to training and mentor opportunities, company culture, benefits, salary, and retention of recent college graduate hires. The survey garnered responses from more than 200 employers from across the country.

A selection of the 25 Best Places to Work for Recent Grads includes: Accenture, AT&T, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and Philips North America. The complete list is available at: http://www.connectedu.com/best-places-to-work-2014-winners.

The employer survey responses uncovered key trends for how companies are attracting and advancing recent grad hires. A majority of the top employers (88 percent) offer mentoring opportunities and formal training rotational programs, as training is an essential part of helping recent college graduates begin their career, learn valuable skills, and grow. Additional findings include: 

• Top employers pay $56,200 to entry-level hires, 19 percent more than the overall respondents' average of $47,011
• 68 percent of top employers retain recent grad hires for three or more years
• Entry level hires for the top employers, on average, work 42 hours per week and receive 15 paid vacation days
• Participating employers expect to hire an average of 150 recent graduates in 2014
• All of the top companies surveyed allow some form of access to social media networking sites during work hours

To download the full report, which includes additional findings and entry level hiring trends, go to http://info.connectedu.com/best-places-to-work-2014-report.

Methodology
To be considered for inclusion on the list, employers must have indicated plans to hire at least 12 full-time, entry level positions in 2014. The survey was publicized through social media and the Experience platform and website. Employers were evaluated and awarded points on weighted criteria. The top determining factors were access to training, company culture, benefits, salary, and retention. They were also awarded points for company mission, time off, career path, company attractiveness to recent grads, and work hours expected. The surveys were blindly reviewed by ConnectEDU with all company references removed, and winners were chosen based on points awarded for the aforementioned workplace factors. There is no ranking among the top 25; it is simply a comprehensive list.

About Experience
The Experience network provides employers with a tailored services channel that effectively targets "best fit" entry level talent through the campuses and channels that students rely on to look for opportunities and career information. For more information visit www.experience.com/entry-level-jobs/.

About ConnectEDU
ConnectEDU's technology solutions empower students by informing their academic and career decisions. In serving educators, students, parents, administrators, and employers, ConnectEDU helps progress learners and guide their transitions from school to career. Today, ConnectEDU serves more than 20 million registered learners, 5,000 educational institutions, and 130,000 employers throughout 40 countries. For more information visit www.connectedu.com or follow @ConnectEDUInc on Twitter.

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SOURCE ConnectEDU