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Setting Your Course For the Future
June 11, 2013
If your dream is to work in a major U.S. city

Top Companies for Recent Grads

Okay, so you’ve just recently graduated from college and have just started out on your career path. Last week, we talked about how interning for success can be the first and most important step on your career path. But before you can take that first step, it might actually help to know what companies would be a GOOD fit for you, and what internships might lead to that destination of landing a job.

ConnectEDU, a job market research firm, recently conducted a survey which put together a pretty comprehensive list of the 25 top companies to work for as a recent grad. The results are based on outstanding company cultures, pay, benefits, and opportunities. Here’s a quick snapshot at some of the top companies to help give you an idea of where to start your search.

Rethinking Possible

Alexander Graham Bell and his buddies created a company called the Bell Telephone Company back in the “Dark Ages” (which today means the times before the internet.)  They renamed it several times before it finally became known as American Telephone & Telegraph Company in 1885. (Quick, what’s a telegraph without looking it up?) The company has been transforming and reinventing itself ever since, which is probably why it was recently named a top company for recent grads by ConnectEDU. At AT&T they go above and beyond the basics ensuring their employees have the tools and resources they need to be successful in not just their jobs, but also their careers. This includes training and development programs, instructor-led classes, self-paced e-learning courses and even web conferences. So…if you ever need to repair a telegraph, you’ll have the knowledge you need.

Place Bid Now

When you think of Ebay, do you also think of one of the best places to work for as a recent grad? You should if you don’t. Ebay is rapidly ramping up their program for hiring interns AND full-time students.  They believe you bring an incredible wealth of knowledge to the company, having grown up in a world that is fully immersed in technology and social media. Your enthusiasm and passion are huge bonuses as well, and they actually have programs tailor-made for recent grads, making this company a natural fit for college students and graduates.

Linked All The Way In

The funny thing about social media is that it continues to shrink the world by expanding. LinkedIn is at the forefront of this initiative. The company labels itself as “a good place for recent grads who are hungry to dig in and make an immediate impact in the world while working in a fast-paced startup-like environment.” And they also promise, “Recent college grads will have immediate responsibilities and the chance to work on projects that interact with our 200+million members worldwide.” Which is just a long-winded way of saying, work for us because we’re cool and you’ll be doing more than grunt work.  And in all seriousness, if social media is your field of interest, this would be an ideal place to start.

Good Intel

Intel is a company that not only “offers endless career opportunities to college graduates,” but also a variety of jobs for recent grads, which makes this one of the top companies to work for according to ConnectEDU. As the world continues to grow more digital day by day and year after year, getting in on the ground level at one of the top software companies on the planet will give you an opportunity to help shape the way it continues to change and grow, as well as help to spearhead nearly all the latest trends. Basically, in addition to good pay, a learning culture and great benefits, you’ll have a chance to influence the way we live. Not a bad job perk.

The first step on your journey may indeed set the tone, but without knowing where to start, you’ll have a hard time of knowing where you need to go. There are a number of companies out there that have programs and positions designed to help recent grads find the best possible start for what they want to do. Always remember, it’s not necessarily the destination, but the journey; and knowing how to start that journey can make all the difference in how you ultimately define success. Because when you set sail into your future, knowing how to plot the powerful course can bring you your perfect horizon.