The Five Most Important Workplace Factors According to College Students
As college students, we’re always on the prowl for the best jobs and internships. We carefully craft résumés, suit up for interviews, and research what firms and agencies look for in their employees. But what are we looking for in a workplace? It’s essential for businesses to know what interests us, because matching student and industry values creates more effective and productive work environments. So here is our list of the five most important workplace factors for recent graduates.
1. Positive Industry Recommendations
In the age of Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes, people put stock into reviews. This is true of college students in their searches for jobs and internships. The Digital Corps’ own designer, Bailey Shelton, researched students’ workplace values through questionnaires and interviews for her marketing ventures course at Ball State University. She found that other people’s opinions are one of the most effective ways to pique interest.
“People our age hear things through word of mouth,” said Bailey.
Students thoroughly research businesses and programs to find out if the position is right for them, so positive recommendations from other companies and industry professionals help narrow their search.
2. Innovation and Drive
College students look for jobs that uphold ethical values and cultivate creativity. Workplaces should promote growth, not just in the form promotions, but through learning and personal advancement. Overcoming project challenges, problem solving, and thinking of new, creative solutions is important, especially for college students going into the tech industry.
3. Transparent Communication
Honest communication is integral for having an efficient and productive office, but more importantly, prospective employees value transparency. According to a University of Florida study, 68.12% of the entire sample ranked ‘honesty’ as the most important ethical value. Here at the Corps, we have weekly check-ins with our project managers, team leads, and individual teams to ensure that everyone has the chance to communicate potential concerns. We also avidly use Slack, an office instant messaging system, to communicate quickly and frequently.
4. Interesting Office Culture
Some people are well suited for cubicle work, but many college students want to move away from that kind of workplace division. In the Digital Corps office, we work at tables with open seating. The lack of barriers creates a more engaging environment where student employees feel encouraged to build relationships with each other. We find that friendly interactions often foster stronger collaboration among our five teams.
5. Meaningful Work
There’s nothing more satisfying than finishing a project and feeling like the work matters. It’s more than a sense of accomplishment, or getting a gold star (although we love those too!). Taking pride in our work is the most rewarding aspect of a job, and we love workplaces that celebrate this value. Emily Mixter, an apprentice on the Corps’ design team, believes that finding meaning in work makes it more valuable.
“The feeling that your work matters and has an impact is important,” said Emily.
College students want to be part of organizations where their work will mean something, not only to them, but to larger communities.
Students seek out firms and agencies that exemplify their own ethics. Businesses should put as much effort into attracting employees as students put into applications. Keep these values in mind when advertising jobs and internships to students to ensure an effective match.
