This post was provided by Claudia Allen, writer and editor at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE connects campus recruiting and career services professionals, and provides best practices, trends, research, professional development, and conferences.

According to research from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, more than two-thirds of students plan to enter the work force immediately upon graduation. When choosing among potential employers, the most important factors students say they consider are the opportunity for personal growth, job security, and a good benefits package—for both associate degree and bachelor’s degree graduates.

Here are more about student expectations:

Students say they’d most like to work in:

1. Government
2. Human Services
3. Education

And when they consider a job, they look at:

1. Nature of the work
2. Compensation
3. Co-workers

When considering a job offer, new graduates look for:

1. Opportunity for personal growth
2. Job security
3. Friendly co-workers

And, when scoring one job offer against another, the benefits that matter most include:

1. Annual salary increases
2. 401(k) company match
3. Tuition reimbursement

In exchange for all of this, 84 percent of students say they would stay with an employer more than two years, and 87 percent expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

For more information on student attitudes, go to NACEWeb. If you’re recruiting college students, or a student seeking employment, consider participating in our Diversity College Recruiting Online Career Fair this Thursday, September 26.

Employer registration: https://www.brazenconnect.com/event/directemployers_september_26/employer

Student registration: https://www.brazenconnect.com/event/directemployers_september_26