• MBA students most closely examine the value of a potential employer in terms of its internal workplace policies, specifically the attention, remuneration and environment it provides for its employees. The quality of management and employee talent weighs heavily in their assessment of a firm's reputation.
• The next most important component for these students is a company's reputation as an industry performer, including the quality of products and services, financial performance and growth potential, and innovative practices.
• While many MBA students think that strong corporate governance and ethical standards are important, they are generally less likely to consider what is traditionally known as social responsibility, such as community involvement and environmental policies, as important as other factors in their choice of employer. In fact, when asked about a series of items important to a company's social responsibility, the top factor is that a company "treats its employees well", though this is then followed by a company that promotes environmental policies.
• A company's reputation as a generous employer and provider of career growth opportunities are the top factors that students look for when considering their own career options. Among US-schooled students, an emphasis is also placed on a company's current reputation among its own employees and their current satisfaction.
• MBA students are most likely to cite opportunities for career advancement, remuneration and benefits, and challenging work as key factors when looking for work after graduation. They also emphasize the importance of maintaining a work-life balance, fitting in with corporate culture and a good brand reputation.
• The most popular jobs are in the financial services and consulting sectors. The industries that elicit the most negative perceptions are alcohol, chemical and tobacco - making them less popular fields. Oil & gas and the pharmaceutical industry also have a net negative perception.
• The ownership structure of a company affects career choice. MBA students are far more attracted to the prospect of working for either listed companies or those owned by VC/PE firms than working for family or government-owned companies.
• Western Europe and North America are the most desired job destinations; companies in these regions are also seen as doing the best job in promoting their reputations. Overall, students from American schools prefer to work in the U.S or Western Europe, though some are interested in working further abroad.
• MBAs from European schools are most inclined to stay in Western Europe for work. But MBA students of European nationality (studying abroad or in Europe) also exhibit the strongest interest in working in other regions and countries and are somewhat more likely than other nationalities to consider working in the Middle East or Eastern Europe.
• The majority of MBAs in Asia are interested in working in Western Europe and North America, but seven out of ten Asian-based students from our study are also interested in working in North Asia, to stay close to home.
• The CEO of a company is seen as the most influential executive on a company's reputation; MBAs say that an effective CEO is strong on strategy and leadership and should focus on long-term growth and managing talent.
• A majority of MBA students are at least somewhat interested in becoming CEOs themselves. In line with their career priorities, they see the greatest drawback to a CEO position as challenges in work-life balance.
• Across the board, MBA students believe that a company that fails to look after its reputation will also ultimately suffer financially too. Asian-based students are somewhat more likely to feel more strongly about this than students based in other regions.

To understand the role of reputation in the global War for Talent, Hill & Knowlton commissioned Penn, Schoen & Berland to conduct a survey of more than 500 students from some of the World's leading business schools Students were surveyed from MBA programs in the US, at Columbia Business School, Harvard Business School, New York University: Stern and MIT: Sloan; in Europe, at London Business School, IESE Business School, HEC Paris, University of Oxford: Saïd, SDA Bocconi and TIAS; and in Asia, at Chinese University of Hong Kong and Tsinghua University.

Findings in detail...