A recent survey by an industry association has revealed that more than 70% of students are looking for jobs with "social impact". Also, almost 60% of students are prepared to take a pay cut, so that they can work for a company that represents their values. In a way this is surprising against the backdrop of the difficult economic climate, but shows that students want to contribute to society and do not always think about salary as being the decisive factor.
The adverse press coverage about the financial services industry has inevitably put some students off, since people want to work for companies that act ethically and treat their employees fairly. Indeed, it is worthwhile considering the types of benefits you receive with your starting salary and whether there are more flexible arrangements in place, such as working from home when necessary. If a company offers these types of benefits, then it is likely to have an open and honest culture where you can feel that you are really making a difference.
However, it is not so easy to get a graduate job at companies that are focused towards having a positive impact on society. Most large professional services firms offer well designed training programmes, since they employ hundreds of graduates per year. This does not mean you should give up your search if you do not find many roles at first, but rather dig deeper to seek out opportunities in different sectors, while thinking about career progression too.
Overall, you need to carefully consider what you hope to get out of a graduate job and also what you want to achieve during your career. At the moment you may not be in a position to enter a job, which is not that lucrative, but if you consider other factors such as the working culture and primary objectives of the company, then it is likely that you will embark on a career that is fulfilling in the long term.
Arnab Datta
