She is only in her final year at EM Lyon Business School, but she already has a clear idea of what to do next. “For my first job, I will be very demanding as to the company I choose, emphasizes Jeanne Groussard. A first professional experience can launch a career or, on the contrary, can slow it down later.”
For Jean-Christophe Hauguel, Director General of ISC Paris, the economic situation partly explains the rise in expectations of young graduates: “Youth unemployment has greatly decreased. Result: they have several offers in their hands upon leaving. In these conditions, we are necessarily more demanding…”
PSB (Paris School of Business) organized a meeting between a recruitment firm and its students to discuss their expectations of recruiters. The criterion that came up most often was well-being at work. “Most of us want to have a minimum of two days of teleworking. We also want participative management so that we can get involved in the daily life of the company”, says Marcus.
Remuneration is obviously not forgotten, especially since registration fees can reach nearly 20,000 euros annually in the most prestigious schools. “That said, the question of salary is less important today than it was ten or fifteen years ago,” said Jean-Christophe Hauguel. “At a difference of 1,000 or 2,000 euros, current generations will prefer the company that allows them to have a better balance between private and professional life”, affirms the director of the ISC.
Are young people able to impose their conditions everywhere? For Marcus, it depends on the reputation of the school and the sector sought. In its field, auditing and management control, the number of graduates is insufficient to meet market needs. “So we have more power than in marketing,” says the young man. Others are more circumspect. “At the start of your career, it is more difficult to make a difference and to impose your conditions on companies that need a particular profile”, shades Jeanne.
“Some students, however, have a card to play, points out Jean-Christophe Hauguel. More and more of them have done work-study programs; an experience that gives them a better profile to sell. sectors in tension.
Lydie Brunisholz, from the recruiting firm Page Personnel, is in charge of relations with the schools. It lists the essential criteria for young graduates looking for their first job.
“Their expectations are changing. Previously, they focused on salary, opportunities for development and assignments. Today, they give priority to the working environment and the balance between professional and personal life. They are also attentive to the schedules and the possibility of telecommuting.That said, they also want to belong to a collective, so they are not asking for 100% telecommuting.
Compensation comes next. Young executives are always very demanding on salary. The problem is that some schools sometimes make their students believe that they have a higher labor market value than reality. This leads to disappointments.
Skills development is also an important aspect. Young graduates want assignments with high added value and autonomy even if, paradoxically, they also want to be well supported. Finally, some young people pay attention to corporate social responsibility. Those who do not consider this topic may miss out on talent.
That said, all graduates are different. Some are attached to ecology, others to diversity, still others to inclusion. What is essential is that the company is committed in a concrete way to the subject for which it has been chosen.”
